Understanding Lighting Distance

[Camdixon]

I've been reading Strobist, and tried to do one of the "meat and potatoes" activities in Lighting 102. The attached image is a prime example of my results. Either I have no light in my pictures or it is too bright where the light was. I think the light was too strong, but the next pic after that taken with less light from the strobe was barely lit. I need some advice!

data:
ISO: 200, Aperture: f/6.3, Shutter Speed: 80, 50mm lens, Light power: 1/2
Distance from background: about 5 feet.
Light source is directly off of subjects face to the left, sitting right off of the camera's field of view.

Cameron_too_much_light.jpg

[Camdixon]

Oh, I also had a reflector off to the right, and down some. Guess that was a flop, lol.

[autofocus]

I don't believe you said what your light source was...and how,if at all, was it modified? A small, single source and unmodified light source is what I guessed you used

[Camdixon]

I had a shoot through umbrella on it. It's a flash, LumoPro160, and I put it on a stand. I'm guessing I didn't dial the flash down nearly enough. Although when I did the pictures were dark. So I realize the flash needs to be much less power. I have no idea what to do after that though to actually light the subject.


Strobist activity: (Was attempting #3) I'm not pleased with these first attempts. I'll have to give it another go soon.

"
Who wants to guess this week's exercise?

It is similar to last weeks, except you will keep the lighting angle the same and vary the distance. Try to find a place with a clean background and some space to work with. I am thinking living room.

You'll be shooting a person or object in such a way as to use various lighting distances to control the relative tone of the background:

1. Find a nice lighting angle. Set the light a modest distance away - 5 or 6 feet. Shoot at max sync speed with your flash at say, at 1/8 power on manual. Adjust the aperture to get a good subject exposure with the light at the moderate distance.

2. Move the light back. Way back if you can. You may need to pump up the power to get a decent exposure. Maybe to 1/4 or 1/2 power. Adjust the aperture until the subject looks good, then note the background. It should be getting lighter.

3. Now move the light in tight. Real tight. As in one or two feet away. You'll probably have to dial your flash way down to compensate for the distance. Adjust your aperture for a good subject exposure. Note what happens to the background. It should get darker."

[autofocus]

If you want to continue shooting with a light may I suggest you buy a light meter...costly, but removes much of the guess work

[Camdixon]

Originally Posted by autofocus

If you want to continue shooting with a light may I suggest you buy a light meter...costly, but removes much of the guess work

That bad ehh? lol.
I would love a light meter, however can't afford one for a couple months.

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by Camdixon

I had a shoot through umbrella on it. It's a flash, LumoPro160, and I put it on a stand. I'm guessing I didn't dial the flash down nearly enough. Although when I did the pictures were dark. So I realize the flash needs to be much less power. I have no idea what to do after that though to actually light the subject.


Strobist activity: (Was attempting #3) I'm not pleased with these first attempts. I'll have to give it another go soon.

"
Who wants to guess this week's exercise?

It is similar to last weeks, except you will keep the lighting angle the same and vary the distance. Try to find a place with a clean background and some space to work with. I am thinking living room.

You'll be shooting a person or object in such a way as to use various lighting distances to control the relative tone of the background:

1. Find a nice lighting angle. Set the light a modest distance away - 5 or 6 feet. Shoot at max sync speed with your flash at say, at 1/8 power on manual. Adjust the aperture to get a good subject exposure with the light at the moderate distance.

2. Move the light back. Way back if you can. You may need to pump up the power to get a decent exposure. Maybe to 1/4 or 1/2 power. Adjust the aperture until the subject looks good, then note the background. It should be getting lighter.

3. Now move the light in tight. Real tight. As in one or two feet away. You'll probably have to dial your flash way down to compensate for the distance. Adjust your aperture for a good subject exposure. Note what happens to the background. It should get darker."

This excercise is designed to show you what happens to a) the harshness/softness of the shadow and b) what happens to the background spill light.

So before doing all the excercises, nail down just single off camera flash. Get your basic understanding of how it works only then go try adding in variables...

[sk66]

Since the light source is in manual and unsynched your camera should also be in manual. Was it?
Set your light at the desired distance/power. Set camera SS for flash sync. Set aperture for DOF. Set ISO for exposure. If you can't get ISO low enough, reduce flash output. Once you dial in the ISO/flash output "starting point" proceed with the lesson. (move strobe further and increase output to maintain exposure; leave camera settings basically alone. You can fine tune the exposure with ISO/aperture if needed depending upon the adjustment increment of your strobe )

I realize they recommend adjusting aperture and output....I think the assumption is ISO is fixed at a low setting and DOF isn't relevant to the exercise.