 Mark Teixeira |
What kind of Flash should I use With digital should one use a Flash or hot lights to photograph individuals on site.
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Doug Elliott |
Mark, It is up to you. If you are shooting in natural surroundings then you should consider using flash. It is balanced to daylight. If you are shooting under interior incandescent lights you should use hot lights. It is easier to color balance to the light you are working with. Make sure you white balance to your hot lights. Shoot in RAW this will give you better color control when you download. If you have a Graytag Macbeth color chart use it in your first frame again for better color control. I shoot model homes. If I am on assignment in the daytime I use flash. I fire the flash with a radio remote, (Pocket Wizard). If I am doing night shots I use hot lights, and balance to the tungsten lights. If you are photographing individuals on location use an off camera flashes. I set one of my flashes on a light stand and measure the light output for one to one and one half stop under my ambient light reading. I might use a light modifier to soften the light. Since I like to be mobile while shooting people, I use battery operated flashes. If I am shooting a CEO or other executive it depends on the location where I will be shooting. I like to first scout the location be for I shoot. This allows me to bring the kind of lights I will need. I hope this information is helpful. Good Shooting and Merry Christmas Doug
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Mark Teixeira |
Thank you very much Doug. I am just starting out and have a lot to learn. You mentioned color balancing. Could you please explain how that is done. I am using a Canon 20D. Again thank you. Mark
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Doug Elliott |
Your camera manual will tell you how to set it up for color balacing using a white card. When you shoot a white card and download your image to your computer. When you see it on your screen it will be gray. If you are using Photoshop. Use levels first and adjust your image until you see the card as white. The rest of the images will be in correct color. A good book to use is Ready to buy? Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering. MORE BUYING CHOICES You can use your white card in most lighting condition. A important addition to your camera bag would be a Graytag Macbeth color chart. You should put this in the first frame. It has three important parts. A pure black, white and an 18 per cent gray. When you adjuct your image in Photoshop, you use Levels first,then Curves,and finally Hue/staturation. A good book is:
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Mark Teixeira |
I had problems with blond hair looking green in arena shots. I was using two hot lights -200W, 5 feet away. There are mercury vapor lights above the person I was shooting. Anyone with blond hair looks green. I hope setting the white balance will help. Thank you again Doug. You have given lots of info to work with. Really appreciate it. I will do some more reading on color balancing and check the local college if their are any digital photography courses starting January. Thanks
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