More great stuff in here !
I really like your 6x8 plexi, the one I got is only 4x8 and I find it a bit restrictive...
That diffusion disk is that a Beauty disk ?
What light is being used for the shoes ? {I guess its the diffusion disk... }
What really impresses me though is the black background changed to beautiful shades of gray ! I really tried to do that with no success. It came out all molted looking and bleh... I read in a previous post you use PS to blur. Do you use "liquify" to separate out the backdrop ?
I had a distance of 6-7 feet at f8.0 @ 1/250 and the backdrop was still very in focus ? {using a 24-70mm} though...
I also see you're hiding the left background light probably to reduce spill whereas the one one the right is not ? Why is that ?
The combo of the Octodome and the AB400 light supply more light on the camera right and thus you get that nice gray transition in the backdrop. I presume all that was planned ?
No matter what equipment you used ,,, most impressive of all though is your final result...
I have to find a model to practise on now.
Also want to thank-you for your generosity and willingness to share your setup and methods in such detail.
Takes a real man to do that
netimages wrote:
Hey John,
More great stuff in here !
I really like your 6x8 plexi, the one I got is only 4x8 and I find it a bit restrictive...
I first started out with a smaller size plexiglas. It was way too restrictive. The I added a 2nd sheet, which helped, but then I had to clone out the seam between the two sheets. Sheesh!
That is a 12" difusion panel that I picked up from Photoflex a log time ago. The light is an AB1600 with the modifier unit attached to the reflector pan. The difusion panel is just clamped to the fron of it to soften the light.
It seemed that no matter what I did, I could never get a smooth look out of the background. No, I don't use liquify for this purpose... I do blur it.
My primary studio lens is the 24-70Lf2.8.
Its not being hidden on purpose. The background lights are actually half the distance between the model and the backdrop. In the setup shot, Aprl was further back. She moved forward for the shot. When I rally want to prevent the spill of light, I pull the curtails out to block it.
Yes, it is planned. I take several shots of the background and display them on the computer (I shoot tethered) and then adjust the lights to get the effect on the background that I want. (I do all of this while the model is in makeup.
Maybe not in keeping with the purist point of view... but in my opinion, the post production/final touch up work is just as important as the pre-planning and shooting.
JohnE, how do you light for the setup pictures? I have an impossible time trying to show the setups. The model area is too well lit and the rest of the room tends to be too dark (in comparison even with some lights on).
I just plugged in my firewire connection and I'm going tethered
as of today Instant feedback. This should help a lot.
All the tests I have been doing we're viewed hours later or the next day.
By that time I had forgotton what was done.
I'll be using a small cube PC for the time being before picking up a portable.
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Is there any special screen properties I should be aware of for my specialized camera portable PC ? Or any other camera related properties the portable should have ?
This is starting to get expensive.
Someone pls send $'s.
What kind of flooring is that in your setup picture. If it is carpet, how do you keep the seamless paper from wrinkling, bending, tearing, etc with models walking on it? Do you have something hard under it?
Awesome stuff...I love this thread!
I will be settingup my first "real" studio in a few weeks and have gotten some great ideas! I will post pics of my studio as soon as it is setup.
Squid Nick wrote:
JohnE, how do you light for the setup pictures? I have an impossible time trying to show the setups. The model area is too well lit and the rest of the room tends to be too dark (in comparison even with some lights on).
Nicholas,
Nothing special. the lights are already set up for the shoot. All I do is step back while Kortney is working with the model (doing touch up), open the zoom to get the widest angle and I shoot. Nothing more.
netimages wrote:
John , it sure does help !
I just plugged in my firewire connection and I'm going tethered
as of today Instant feedback. This should help a lot.
All the tests I have been doing we're viewed hours later or the next day.
By that time I had forgotton what was done.
I'll be using a small cube PC for the time being before picking up a portable.
Is there any special screen properties I should be aware of for my specialized camera portable PC ? Or any other camera related properties the portable should have ?
This is starting to get expensive.
Someone pls send $'s.
thks
Barrie
Hey Barrie,
Welcome to the world of tethered shooting. Now watch as the quality of your work improves. Its so much better when you can see and evaluate your work on a large screen as you go. There's also no doubt about whether or not you got "the shot".
I don't have any special set up on my computer or camera for thethered shooting. I just plug the camera in and I launch the Canon software. Viola!
Another thanks for posting your setup pics! Great stuff. Have a question. If say I buy the bees lights and want to use Photoflex light gear (soft boxes and such). Do I need to purchase a special ring to get them to work together? What can you tell me about this?
netslacker wrote:
Hey John,
Another thanks for posting your setup pics! Great stuff. Have a question. If say I buy the bees lights and want to use Photoflex light gear (soft boxes and such). Do I need to purchase a special ring to get them to work together? What can you tell me about this?
Thanks
Stephen
Stephen,
Order the Balcar ring for the PhotoFlex to Alien Bees.
I belive ChrstianS is also correct. The White Lightning rings also fit the Alien Bees.
If you go to the Photoflex website there is a specific chart that tells you which of their speed rings works with the different photoflex boxes/domes. The info you are looking for is on page 20 of 41 in the photoflex product catalog pdf. Here's the link: http://www.photoflex.com/photoflex/index.html
Ok, yet another studio update.
This time I added a boom setup.
Its a long story but finally ended up with this.
I spent 2 hours on another solution which didn't include the newly acquired boom. It didn't quite work out so I went with this.
I take several shots of the background and display them on the computer (I shoot tethered) and then adjust the lights to get the effect on the background that I want. (I do all of this while the model is in makeup.