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I recently moved into a new apartment that has, by NYC standards, an extremely large living room with exposed I-beams and high ceilings. I also have a lot of friends that are aerial performers so I started experimenting with doing aerial shoots in my living room. I've been using a combination of strobes and RGB stage lighting to somewhat recreate the look of a stage performance at a typical venue, but under more controlled conditions.
The only downside to using the RGB lights is that they're not particularly bright so I have to crank the ISO quite a bit and shoot as lower shutter speed than I would like. But I'm pretty happy with the results. Still doing a lot of experimenting with the lighting.
Biggest issue right now is the fact that due to the layout of the room, I can't move any further back from the ceiling mount point so with my 50mm I'm constantly clipping feet and hands off. Might just have to bite the bullet and get a 35mm finally.
I think you did a fabulous job no matter where it was shot, but knowing that you did it in your living room, well, that just takes it to another level. I did not mind a foot or hand being cut off. Maybe if all of them were cut off but they weren't. And even though this is the kind of stuff that would normally be shot with a longer lens, using a 50mm gives the images immediacy and intimacy that they might not otherwise have. Congratulations on a job very well done. And, for these types of images, who cares if there's some added noise. Even though you can't really see that here, it only adds to the character. And yeah, either a fast 35mm or perhaps a wide zoom would expand your lens horizons. I want to see more!
Peter Figen wrote:
I think you did a fabulous job no matter where it was shot, but knowing that you did it in your living room, well, that just takes it to another level. I did not mind a foot or hand being cut off. Maybe if all of them were cut off but they weren't. And even though this is the kind of stuff that would normally be shot with a longer lens, using a 50mm gives the images immediacy and intimacy that they might not otherwise have. Congratulations on a job very well done. And, for these types of images, who cares if there's some added noise. Even though you can't really see that here, it only adds to the character. And yeah, either a fast 35mm or perhaps a wide zoom would expand your lens horizons. I want to see more!...Show more →
Thanks!
Here's a few more. I've been experimenting with some long exposure rear-shutter strobe shots but it's been super tricky to get right. Got a few interesting ones though.
99, I love these shots but boy do I feel your pain! I tried some suspension shots in a small area and they came out really bad. I was having the same problems where I couldn't get back enougn and the BG was so close that I was getting shadows. Ugggh
You did a great really nice job. I like the smoke and the colors are really vivid. My faves are the chain shots but I really like the hair hanging shot and the pig head. The material in the pig head really makes the shot, gives it a softer yet lots of edge!
They are all well done, the smoke, the movement and as Peter said the tight framing gives intimacy, like a close-up of a boxing glove hitting the face, lots of impact!
You might try using a couple speedlights set to several flashes per second for a multiple exposure look, sorta like your movement shots! Beautiful job, like them all!
John
JohnSil wrote:
99, I love these shots but boy do I feel your pain! I tried some suspension shots in a small area and they came out really bad. I was having the same problems where I couldn't get back enougn and the BG was so close that I was getting shadows. Ugggh
You did a great really nice job. I like the smoke and the colors are really vivid. My faves are the chain shots but I really like the hair hanging shot and the pig head. The material in the pig head really makes the shot, gives it a softer yet lots of edge!
They are all well done, the smoke, the movement and as Peter said the tight framing gives intimacy, like a close-up of a boxing glove hitting the face, lots of impact!
You might try using a couple speedlights set to several flashes per second for a multiple exposure look, sorta like your movement shots! Beautiful job, like them all!
John...Show more →
I was originally using black seamless but was getting a lot of light bleed onto the background for the same reason. I ended up switching to a Duvetyne/Commando cloth backdrop which is significantly darker. Then I put some black seamless on the floor just to handle any reflections.
Yep. Duvateen is great for this. I also have some large pieces of black velvet sewn together that are even blacker than the Duvateen. I did something a few years ago where we put a 20x20 Duv on the floor and another 20x20 on the back wall and since we were trying to recreate a performance stage, it worked very well.
I never have anything that interesting in my living room
Seriously, I think you have an awesome set. It gives the impression of a circus tent venue. Amazing poses with the colors and smoke...really cool. How did you avoid shadows in the background?
BlueRidge wrote:
I never have anything that interesting in my living room
Seriously, I think you have an awesome set. It gives the impression of a circus tent venue. Amazing poses with the colors and smoke...really cool. How did you avoid shadows in the background?
Well one of them is a sideshow performer at Coney Island so it makes sense.
I mentioned above that I used a Duvetyne cloth backdrop that absorbs light pretty well. Better than seamless paper anyway. The fog also seems to help.
Ubiquity99,
Wonderful set of images! The smoke adds a great mood. (I always ended up with a sore throat & burning eyes from my machine) Looks like there are many prime 35mm choices for the E-Mount.
Jim
You'd never guess these were shot in your living room...Nice job.
Pictures are killer and the colors and fog are even better and real life looking as in a theater, circus or Vegas show...Very nice girls and work.
