Love my Bud!

[cdifoto]

Ok. So I got bored and wanted to play with my Alien Bee & new homemade reflector. Don't make fun. Peter does it too!

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/misc/2006-06-28-0007sm.jpg

[cdifoto]

Ok here are 2 more serious portrait-reflector-strobe attempts.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/beereflector/2006-06-28-0011.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/beereflector/2006-06-28-0016.jpg

[coldrain]

What can I say.... AMAZING, the effect a watery alcohol-less brew can have on you!

Well exposed pics, and the light does "work".

[cdifoto]

What can I say.... AMAZING, the effect a watery alcohol-less brew can have on you!

Well exposed pics, and the light does "work".

Thanks Coldy. Am I not too shadowy on the right side? That's one of my fears with trying to get cash for shooting people...not having the proper lighting.

Certainly can't afford a whole shebang setup at the moment! :eek:

[jamison55]

Yeah, but Peter does it with buxom young bunnies...:D

Seriously, though, the first one is tops...I love it. The light works on the 2nd one too (though I'd make this one B&W and bump up the contrast - I know, you were just playing, but treated right it could get you some buxom young bunnies on Myspace).

The third one could use a bit more fill on the shadow side of the face. Did you have room to move your reflector any closer?

[cdifoto]

Yeah, but Peter does it with buxom young bunnies...:D

Seriously, though, the first one is tops...I love it. The light works on the 2nd one too (though I'd make this one B&W and bump up the contrast - I know, you were just playing, but treated right it could get you some buxom young bunnies on Myspace).

The third one could use a bit more fill on the shadow side of the face. Did you have room to move your reflector any closer?

Haven't you ever seen Pete's ugly mug on here? I was referring to those times he messes around with very odd facial expressions. :p

Anywho...I kinda like the first one too. The second one I did have a go at B&W per your suggestion. It's posted below. The third one...I was maxed out with a scale and table in the way so I couldn't get closer with the reflector. :( I was just set up in my office/bedroom on a whim...ceilings aren't high at all and it's really cramped. I definitely don't consider this my studio! No way no how!

Thanks for taking the time Jamie.


And for the B&W:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/beereflector/2006-06-28-0011bw.jpg

[ReF]

trying to look serious eh? we saw the first shot :p. or is that the look of depression from running out of booze?

the B+W is a nice touch, IMO much better than the color version

[cdifoto]

trying to look serious eh? we saw the first shot :p. or is that the look of depression from running out of booze?

the B+W is a nice touch, IMO much better than the color version

lol ReF that's the look of "WTF am I doing up at 3AM?!?! I like the B&W too. I woulda eventually tried it on my own but I'm glad Jamie suggested it right away!

[24Peter]

Haven't you ever seen Pete's ugly mug on here? I was referring to those times he messes around with very odd facial expressions. :p
(Hmmm, how do I get dragged into all these threads... :rolleyes: ) Anyway, I don't know what you guys are talking about...
http://photos.imageevent.com/24peter/upload/websize/IMG_7945.JPG
(Oh and I know the shot Don's thinking of but there's no way I'm gonna post that one again - I got a reputation to uphold here.;) And just for the record I don't drink - but maybe I should start. :D )

Back to Don's handiwork, I think the first one is great. It's not only lighting that makes a great people shot. My only technical suggestion is either a little less light on the back drop to isolate your subject more - try to flag the light (black foam core or cardboard) if you are working in close quarters, or get another small light and spot it behind you to create that halo effect. But you're well on your way my friend! :)

[cdifoto]

(Hmmm, how do I get dragged into all these threads... :rolleyes: ) Anyway, I don't know what you guys are talking about...
http://photos.imageevent.com/24peter/upload/websize/IMG_7945.JPG
(Oh and I know the shot Don's thinking of but there's no way I'm gonna post that one again - I got a reputation to uphold here.;) And just for the record I don't drink - but maybe I should start. :D )

Back to Don's handiwork, I think the first one is great. It's not only lighting that makes a great people shot. My only technical suggestion is either a little less light on the back drop to isolate your subject more - try to flag the light (black foam core or cardboard) if you are working in close quarters, or get another small light and spot it behind you to create that halo effect. But you're well on your way my friend! :)

Thanks for replying Pete! :D You gotta repost that one though man...it's a classic pose! ;) Nobody has a reputation on this forum... :p


How do I flag the light with foamcore? I was shooting through a 39" trans. umbrella. Does that mean holding it up to the side of the light to keep it from going back into the backdrop? Kind of like a barndoors effect? I like the backlight idea though. I might have been able to get away with that but this room IS tiny. It's about 10x12, maybe 10x14. Part of it is taken by the steps to the downstairs too. Criminals have jail cells bigger than this...

[24Peter]

How do I flag the light with foamcore? I was shooting through a 39" trans. umbrella. Does that mean holding it up to the side of the light to keep it from going back into the backdrop? Kind of like a barndoors effect? I like the backlight idea though. I might have been able to get away with that but this room IS tiny. It's about 10x12, maybe 10x14. Part of it is taken by the steps to the downstairs too. Criminals have jail cells bigger than this...
You can really use anything that's big enough to keep the light from hitting your back drop. Yes it's like the barn door effect but with a 39" umbrella you'll need a pretty big barn door. You might be able to get a clamp so you can use the same light stand as the light. Or you may need a separate light stand to hold the flag. Or maybe you can just angle the light further away from the background to reduce the spill.
Of course there's also the hairlight (or in your case, "scalplight" [sorry couldn't resist] :D ) effect. Darken the background as discussed above and use your spotted extra light on your subject's hair/shoulders to separate them out from the background. You should usually be about 1 stop over your key light for a nice rimlight effect but play around with your own ratios. :)

Oh - and that photo is gone, dead and buried. :eek:

[cdifoto]

You can really use anything that's big enough to keep the light from hitting your back drop. Yes it's like the barn door effect but with a 39" umbrella you'll need a pretty big barn door. You might be able to get a clamp so you can use the same light stand as the light. Or you may need a separate light stand to hold the flag. Or maybe you can just angle the light further away from the background to reduce the spill.
Of course there's also the hairlight (or in your case, "scalplight" [sorry couldn't resist] :D ) effect. Darken the background as discussed above and use your spotted extra light on your subject's hair/shoulders to separate them out from the background. You should usually be about 1 stop over your key light for a nice rimlight effect but play around with your own ratios. :)

Oh - and that photo is gone, dead and buried. :eek:


Oh ok Pete I can picture what you're saying. I didn't have that kind of space at the time. I'm talking about 8 square foot of working distance, at most. Just a quick on-a-whim photo session. :) I'll remember your advice for when I have room though... I should even have a softbox or two by then as well to help control the light more. My ultimate goal is a 5 light setup (yeah I can already picture how I'd use it) but dang the money! ouch...and then I'd need MORE money for a studio location. :eek:

Can't believe you destroyed that photo...in a twisted way I actually liked it.!

[mcenut]

Awesome pictures CDI. Please post information on your homemade setup, the results look great.

[cdifoto]

Awesome pictures CDI. Please post information on your homemade setup, the results look great.


Thanks mcenut. It's not a complex setup at all really. I stapled a blue bedroom sheet to the sloped ceiling and let it hang like a backdrop. I placed an Alien Bee studio strobe shooting through a white umbrella to camera left at ~45 degrees, a homemade reflector (20x30 foam core covered in crinkled aluminum foil hot glued to the surface) hooked to a light stand via elastic band glued to the non-foiled back of the foam core placed at camera right @ about the same 45 degree angle. The elastic attachment was tight enough to let me adjust the height as necessary on the light stand. I had the top edge of the foam about level with the top of my head. I woulda taken a photo of the setup but I had zero room to do that.