Strobist: Show us how you took it?

[bhursey]

I came up with this idea considering how I learned. I spent time scouring the internet seeing how people did their lighting. The strobist flickr group does a good job of explaining it in the descriptions. So for us in the lighting forum to learn each other techniques and equipment used I thought this would be a good thread to try. You can ask the photographer questions on their shot and techniques, and make comments about the photo and ways to improve or suggestions. The only rules are to include your data as in shutter speed, iso, aperture and focal length, flash setup including what type of flash power levels and what light modifiers you used. This is so we all can learn from each other. You can also take a picture of your lighting set up also.

I would also recommend building a diagram of the shot using the free lighting diagram creator.

Creator / Home - Online Lighting Diagram Creator - Tools for photographers

Here I will start.

This is my daughters Christmas card photo we took today.



Canon 20d
100 iso
f6.3
75mm
1/125

Strobist:
Vivitar DF400MZ 1/1 power on boom pointing at backdrop triggered optically
Nikon SB24 1/1 power 1/4 cto gel shoot through umbrella upper camera right triggered via cactus v4

[candleman]

heres a "nice: but not perfect attempt.. i'll move the background light behind the person next time.

Sb24 snooted at various powers onto the background (causing partial hair light and visable in left temple)
Sb600 camera right in backed shoot through at 1/8th for fill
Sb28 camera left bounced in backed softbox umbrella, down @ 45 degrees, at 1/4 power
Triggered with Cactus V4's

Camera: Nikon D80
Shutterspeed: 1/160
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 56 mm on a 24-70 f/2.8
ISO Speed: 200

(iso 200 to save battery juice and use a stop less on each strobe)



background light at 1/8th


background light at 1/16th


heres the set-up

it would probably pay to hold the camera straight

[OsmosisStudios]

Candleman: that background effect is awesome!

[i speak in math]

Here's a recent one:

From Strobist

Nov 11, 2009
Model: PENTAX K20D
ISO: 400
Exposure: 10.0 sec
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 50mm
Flash Used: No
Strobist info: lp120 at 1/2 power from camera left (15') triggered with cactus v4

On a side note, this shot was a little tricky, technically.

I needed a 10 sec exposure to get the candle light where I wanted it. But that would have left the soldier marching by nearly pitch black and completely blurred. I tried a played around with the flash and found 1/2 power looked about right. When the next soldier walked by, I blinded him using the test flash mid shot.

Problem? Yes. The candles had burned into the frame (10 sec exposure, remember?). When I flashed the soldier, it left his image superimposed over the luminaries. This made him look transparent and ghost-like.

I had to catch the soldier in between the luminaries so that none of them shown through him.

I hooked up my cactus triggers instead of using the test flash button myself. I used my voice activated boom to hold the flash and looked through the viewfinder. When the soldier got to the perfect spot, I hit the shutter.

[bhursey]

What umbrellas are those? I love the effect also I need to get another cactus v4 so that I can have 3 flashes. I have not messed to much with snoot's yet.

Im doing Lillies 10 month shoot hopefully tomorrow. Because of my lack of a non wrinkled backdrop. I have to blow it out with my back flash.

This was my reflective 2 light setup I did this summer. At that time my back drop was just dry cleaned and ironed flat. So basically the only option will be to at least have one flash on the backdrop. Normally I shoot with the key light to the slight camera left or right any other ideas? As you can tell I don't have much room.

[AlphaBjerke]

This is a great idea and it will really help me as I learn to use lighting. I have been thinking that there must be a book that shows a picture and then shows a diagram of the lighting setup. Do you know of a book like this?

[LoveDSLR]

Originally Posted by AlphaBjerke

I have been thinking that there must be a book that shows a picture and then shows a diagram of the lighting setup. Do you know of a book like this?

You can try these two links first:

Online digital photography lessons and tutorials: Web Photo School

Photoflex Lighting School | Lighting Lessons | BASIC LIGHTING | PORTRAIT INDOOR

[i speak in math]

Here's one from just minutes ago. I haven't taken many self portraits so I thought I'd give it a try. I was going for a hi-key look, but didn't quite hit the background with enough light.

From Strobist

Nov 15, 2009
Model: PENTAX K20D
ISO: 400
Exposure: 1/60 sec
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 50mm
Flash Used: No
Strobist info: Vivitar 2800-D with umbrella 3 ft on axis and above. LP120 on background at 1/4th power. Triggered with cactus v4

Creator / Home - Online Lighting Diagram Creator - Tools for photographers

[candleman]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Candleman: that background effect is awesome!

thanks bud its not technically correct being off to the side like that.. but hey.. i like it too i will make an attemp next time to get the background light symetrical.

Originally Posted by i speak in math

I had to catch the soldier in between the luminaries so that none of them shown through him.
.

nice shot and good thinking Eric .. i did something similar, but i had to do two exposures, one for the background, one for the subject.. which was a person.
the background was streaming vehicles lights on a highway

Originally Posted by bhursey

What umbrellas are those? I love the effect also I need to get another cactus v4 so that I can have 3 flashes. I have not messed to much with snoot's yet.

both umbrellas are backed.. i know they are not "typical" strobist type stuff.. but they do the job the way i want.
i chose the backed ones to save light.. i dont like shooting through and loosing half of it out the back. they also take up less vertical height as they dont have to dangle on the end of a long umbrella shaft when doing typical 45degree light as above in my set-up shot.

also.. and this is a long shot... less likely to blow over as it doesnt act like a parachute in the wind.

maybe i'm cray and dillusional.. but it works for me.

the one on the left
Its very much like a softbox, and i find to be more directional than a bounce umbrella.
the strobe literally sits inside the back of the flap and i set the strobe to its widest mm setting to spread the light as much as possible inside the umbrella. inside its silver.
as yu can see its not made specifically for speedlights.. but i just tuck the little flaps over the back of the flash and its all gravy.
it is limited i that it can only shot horizontally or angled shooting "down" for obvious reasons.

the one on the right
basically just a shoot through, but has a white backing so you dont loose half your light out the back.
i use it for spreading a my fill light.. sometimes as a key light for kids because its less directional.. and kids move.
thjis one can only shoot horizontally or angled up.

i've got a "normal" white umbrella with removable cover (so i can shoot through or bounce) to make up for those quirks.

[sybren]

Here's one of my favourite "strobist" shots:



and of course the lighting setup. Not as nice as yours ;-)