Messages

1

Lens Gallery / Re: Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

« on: May 20, 2013, 01:18:18 AM »

6d doesn't need a flash when theres bright city lights.

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Lens Gallery / Re: Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

« on: May 20, 2013, 01:16:32 AM »

 

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Lenses / Re: Who do you recommend for Lens Rental?

« on: May 19, 2013, 08:35:37 PM »

For local rentals in Atlanta I use http://aperturent.com

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Black blob problem

« on: May 04, 2013, 12:24:40 PM »

For instance, I fail to see how, if you are shooting in manual as you advise, you are ever at  "the vagueries [sic] of in-camera metering from shot to shot." whether in a studio or not.

Vagueries is a legal spelling, according to Wiktionary, albeit a fairly rare one.

I assume what the author means is that in-camera metering gives you an overall measurement of the shot as a whole, but it will vary from shot to shot as people change angles and their tuxes reflect more or less light.  Therefore, it isn't as ideal a tool as an intern walking around with a good light meter and taking measurements at various parts of your set.

That said, this is me speaking with my video hat on.  I have no idea how you would do the same thing when using flashes without really annoying the heck out of your subject. 

As for the other comment, the usual goal is to light and expose the shot properly so that you don't clip any important white detail and so that important dark detail doesn't get lost in the mud.  What constitutes "important" white/dark detail, however, varies....

Will reflectors help me avoid the necessity of using a 4 light set up.

Depends on the look you're trying to achieve.  I've seen a lot of nice portrait shots taken with only a key light and a fill.  That said, sometimes you want a backlight on the person and/or a light on the background.

I'd be surprised if a reflector were ever useful as an alternative to a backlight or a background light, but you might be able to get away with using a reflector instead of a fill light in some situations.  I'm not sure how well that would work in practice—it would depend in part on on the number of people in the shot, on how reflective the reflector is, and on whether you can come up with a position where it reflects enough of your key light or backlight to do any good without blocking the shot.

Damn I'm really trying to avoid buying another Profoto Kit. I need some back light alternatives.

5

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Black blob problem

« on: May 02, 2013, 06:04:51 PM »

1. better lighting
2. shoot raw and learn raw processing
3. learn what contrast means.

I realize my technique needs improvement, I'm just getting started with the studio lights.

I just started shooting raw as well and post processing has been very easy.

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Black blob problem

« on: May 02, 2013, 06:03:17 PM »

Shooting a black object is not so much about pumping kwatts of light to it or raising shadows. Its all in the reflections /highlights. Play around with some reflectors and/or big softboxes and you'll see you can actually shoot anything black with great definition even in a dark room.

thanks for the help.

Will reflectors help me avoid the necessity of using a 4 light set up.

http://www.modelmayhem.com/education/photography/5959-building-your-set-softbox-by-softbox

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Black blob problem

« on: May 02, 2013, 12:26:40 AM »

The wiki article says that i would need to take multiple pictures at different exposures and combine to get the detail right. Is that the only way?

No, it only says you need to do that when the DR within the scene exceeds your sensors abilities, that is not the case here, you are controlling the amount of light so you are controlling the DR.

I didn't really imply you should follow the zone system, I meant if you don't expose some of the black as grey it will all be a blob! 

Here is the most important bit from the wiki "The key element in the scene is identified, and that element is placed on the desired zone; the other elements in the scene then fall where they may."

Now you are controlling the light, so you need to make sure the scene is contained within your cameras DR, if you decide that detail in the dark shadows is important (your key element) you need to expose so the very darkest areas of the scene are black, but that most of the black suit is grey Zone I and II, without blowing the highlights in the white shirt. Then adjust your blacks and shadows sliders in post to get the suit where you imagined it. If there is not enough contrast in the suit to separate the detail you need to use a levels curve control to spread out the tones in the suit.

I've used Nik software to increase the exposure in the target area but for some reason the area became noisy and grey. I'll eventually get it right. I'll do as you say and properly expose the target area and see how it goes, I think thats the best solution.

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Black blob problem

« on: May 02, 2013, 12:13:58 AM »

Agree with what has been suggested by pbd & mt. spokane. 

The shot seems to have been taken with white fluorescent light coming from the left casting deep shadows in the already dark clothing. It appears more of an issue with the lighting than the camera.

A few more points - 

What camera were you shooting with. I have this weird problem with my 5D3 and the 6D which "seem" to underexpose by 1/2 or 2/3 of a stop. Maybe you are experiencing a similar phenomenon.  I usually compensate this by ETTR and bringing down the highlights in post.

I shoot with a Canon 6D with Profoto D1 studio kit. No light meter though so my exposure is random. Not that I'm any good anyway, Im just learning.

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Black blob problem

« on: May 01, 2013, 11:52:57 PM »

How do I get the photo to show the detail in dark black clothing?

You need to light and expose for it. So you need the light at the right angle to show the texture and you need to expose so that the texture is not all in Zone 0, to show detail and texture some of your black must be exposed at Zone I or even II. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_System

Is this a dynamic range limitation?

Absolutely not, you are controlling the light and the dynamic range in a studio environment.

The wiki article says that i would need to take multiple pictures at different exposures and combine to get the detail right. Is that the only way?

When I set the aperture and shutter speed it's for a given for the exposure of the light at a specific point in the scene so taking multiple pics makes sense, but is that the only way? Should I just make my camera adjustments based on the darkest area of the photo?

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Black blob problem

« on: May 01, 2013, 11:37:40 PM »

How do I get the photo to show the detail in dark black clothing?

You need to light and expose for it. So you need the light at the right angle to show the texture and you need to expose so that the texture is not all in Zone 0, to show detail and texture some of your black must be exposed at Zone I or even II. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_System

Is this a dynamic range limitation?

Absolutely not, you are controlling the light and the dynamic range in a studio environment.

Thanks for the info. I need to up my technical skill sets.

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Black blob problem

« on: May 01, 2013, 11:26:28 PM »

Sorry.

12

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Black blob problem

« on: May 01, 2013, 11:18:48 PM »

Ok here is the issue, whenever I do a studio shoot and the subject is wearing black (regardless of the back ground color) the photo shows just a black blob unless i turn up the exposure in post which just makes the black more grey.

How do I get the photo to show the detail in dark black clothing?

Is this a dynamic range limitation?

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Street Photography Advice...

« on: April 30, 2013, 08:38:11 PM »

I was in Jakarta last month with a 6D 24-105 Kit.

I'd say take the 5d and 16-35 and you'd be set for street photography, take the 70-200 if you have room if not, just take the 85.

One or two locals did not appreciate me taking pics so I'd go wide angle so you can look one way and still get everyone in the shot without causing a disturbance.

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Lighting / Re: Should I buy a Speedlite?

« on: April 28, 2013, 02:54:31 AM »

I suggest avoiding on-camera flash like the plague, unless there's a white ceiling or wall off which to bounce that flash.  For pics of two people, a fast lens isn't as helpful as you'd think - yes, you can keep ISO down with f/1.4 or f/1.8, but DoF will be thin, and prom couples would prefer to both be in focus, I expect.  Of the two options, I'd get the 430EX II, but get it off-camera with a light stand, umbrella, and 'dumb' wireless triggers.

But I'd recommend neither.  A one-Speedlite portrait isn't going to make many people happy. My advice - rent.  Lensrentals.com has a two-monolight kit (with stands, wireless triggers, one softbox and one umbrella, for $133 + $35 shipping for a 5-day rental.

I decided the mono lights will be better for me. Now, one more question for you sir. As you may know the 6D has no sync port.. so would you suggest a hot shoe adapter with an extra PC sync port so I could use a moonlight with no triggers? Or another better alternative?

See if your local shops can rent you a profoto D1 air kit and you wont need the sync port. One local shop has them here for $100/day.

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Software & Accessories / Re: How to achieve this amazing editing effect ?

« on: April 22, 2013, 11:01:12 PM »

I'm actually doing a Workshop end this month with Pak Rarindra here in Jkt, dropped a 2 week Dive Trip so I could attend a 4 Day Private Workshop, My skills as a Landscape Photographer hopefully will be improved.

I should've sought this guy out during my trip to Jakarta last month.