The AB stuff is fine. I had a couple of their boxes and only switched because I wanted a box with the extra lip on it so I could add additional attachments and better feather the light using the edge of the lip.
I would get a Octabox. I think there better for portrait work. The catch eye seeming to look better too. Hope that help.
Thanks. I was looking at them as well as the Photek Soflighter II. My concern wih both is it will be harder to control light than a SB. With my small space I was hoping the SB would give me better control of light vs. octabox that would basically throw the light every where.
Now, we've all talked about our home studios and work studios, but what do you do with your studio when you need to take it somewhere? I've noticed a lot of people kinda make-shift their studios, but those aren't the most portable.
When do on-location work, how much equipment do you take and how do you figure the logistics and breaking down and setting up for multiple locations . . . or even getting permission and whatnot.
Now, we've all talked about our home studios and work studios, but what do you do with your studio when you need to take it somewhere? I've noticed a lot of people kinda make-shift their studios, but those aren't the most portable
My studio is totally on location. Almost every photo that I have posted on here was shot on location. I shoot with three Qflashes, and large reflectors.
For a long time I was happy with that, but I am going to get at least one strobe with a modeling light to get more main light control. But right now my entire three light 200ws strobes, with boom, reflectors and the rest fits into one large duffle bag.
But the idea of doing a location shoot is to use the location.
That is true, but if you don't have light, you have no shot. I've done lots of shoots on location using AB's and such, so I was just wondering what other people did since no one really talked about that.
It used to just be a 550EX and a reflector. Now its 8'x8' difusion panels (to block the direct sun), a selection of different sized reflectors (silver & gold), my Alien Bee 1600 w/Vagabond battery pack ad my 580EX as a backup. Then I'm fortunate to have my daughter Kortney and out location lighting guy (and good friend) Jay to handle the big lighting stuff... and a portable changing booth that doubles as a 6' gold, silver, white reflector.
John E .. You have created some great shots, and they are sharp as a tack. I see you use Canon cameras, Are those images raw or do you shoot jpeg? And if raw, do you sharpen? In other words, How do you get your images so crisp without pixelation? Thanks to all, this has been a very helpful thread!
Hi folks! I usually post on dpreview.com, but am doing some serious research and happened by here.
Does anyone happen to use multiple Nikon SB-800's for a portable studio? I will be using my Nikon D70 to take some indoor individual and up to 15 people group shots. I have just received my 2nd and 3rd SB-800, umbrellas, and stands. I thought this route would provide a generic, portable studio set-up, but am having second thoughts due to the prolific use of Alien Bees or equivalent. Am I making a mistake with the SB-800's?
Does anyone successfully use this type of set-up? It seems that wedding shooters use similar equipment.
DragonflyDM wrote:
John..is that the 5-in-1 pop up thing I see on the net all the time? YOu like that?
Yes, it is the fold-up, 5 in 1 unit (white, gold & silver reflector, black cutter and portable changing room.) and yes, it works great. We use it at most of our location shots.
By the way, nice shots. I really lke the shadows & lighting in the 3rd (gymnast) image. Very nice.
Patrick Rollin wrote:
John E .. You have created some great shots, and they are sharp as a tack. I see you use Canon cameras, Are those images raw or do you shoot jpeg? And if raw, do you sharpen? In other words, How do you get your images so crisp without pixelation? Thanks to all, this has been a very helpful thread!
Thank you for the compliment Patrick.
Except for sports work, I always shoot in Raw mode. (Actually, I shoot in raw+jpeg mode with the highest jpeg setting. I then use the jpeg images to sort and select the final images for editing. Then I process the RAW image in Capture1 and edit in PS.)
For me, the quality of the image from raw is strikingly better from raw than it is from the highest JPEG. (Just my personal feelings.) The only sharpening I do is some USM at the very end of my post procesing.
As for crisp w/o pixelation... I'm fortunate to be able to shoot with the Canon 1DSmk2 and at almost 17mp, there's plenty of pixels there to avoid pixelation.
(If you're not referring to actual pixelation but more to jpeg artifacts that come from over sharpening (too much USM), I use Amount=100/Radius=1.4/Threshold=3 for my USM settings (and I don't vary/change them very often.
JohnE By the way, nice shots. I really lke the shadows & lighting in the 3rd (gymnast) image.
Thanks. The gymnast was fun because it was a really large corigated steel warehouse. Large enough that I could light for him on the rings and loose the background. And the challange was to light him and not blow out the pants. It is a Qflash on my right with a softbox and another one on my left (behind the gymnast) barebulb. If you shoot the flashes equal, the barebulb is about 1 1/2 stops darker because there is not a reflector to direct the light.
I saw that 5-in-1 on the net and then again at WPPI. I wasn't sure if the soft gold of the reflector was any good. It seemed really matted.
DragonflyDM wrote:
Thanks. The gymnast was fun because it was a really large corigated steel warehouse. Large enough that I could light for him on the rings and loose the background. And the challange was to light him and not blow out the pants. It is a Qflash on my right with a softbox and another one on my left (behind the gymnast) barebulb. If you shoot the flashes equal, the barebulb is about 1 1/2 stops darker because there is not a reflector to direct the light.
I saw that 5-in-1 on the net and then again at WPPI. I wasn't sure if the soft gold of the reflector was any good. It seemed really matted. ...Show more →
The shot was well done. Thanks for the details.
The Soft gold is nice for mid-day, adding a warmer tone but is way too strong for late evening usage.
As for the black curtains... Yes, they are there to not only control direct spill but also to absorb all of the bounced light from the all white walls and ceiling. I've found, that since putting up the curtains, I have much richer (and less washed out) colors.
Thanks for asking.
John
Any particular curtains your used or any black material based curtains? I am using a small 11x14 room now, but wan tot move into the basement and finish a 14 x 18 area, I am very concerned about bounced and spill light and seeing your setup had me thinking to hang black fabric on all the walls and such. I was thinking of getting Duvetyne which is a black non refective fabric. (Home Theater buffs have the inside of their rear projection sets covered in it to prevent all the reflections). I would then hang it on all the walls and even am considering tacking it to sceialing, shoudl give me very much the type of control you have.
