 Amber scollick |
Shooting on White Backdrops
Ok..new to all this :) I have a Nikon D-50 ; I usually shoot outdoors no problems :)Now, I am trying to shoot indoors. I am getting the most horrible colors on my white drop. The walls in the room are tan is that part of the problem. I have a SB-600 flash on my camera and just a bought an alien Bee..I have it behind me..a light pointed at my drop..and one on the side of my little model. I usually have my camera set on automatic mode so I might need some helo with this..I just need help period. I need to get some shots this weekend on the white drop so badly ") I would really appreciate any help ..Thanks
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
W. |
Your white backdrop will only look really white in your images if it is lit 3 stops more than your subject is. So you need more AB's.
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Amber scollick |
can you please explain that a little more..how do I do this ? AB's are you speaking of the alien bee ? Do you think my tan walls are affecting it or no ? Thanks so much !
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
W. |
How? You get more Alien Bees to light the white background, or you dial down the light on your subject. Or both. Until the difference is 3 stops. Obviously you meter and expose for the subject. Therefore, adding more light to the background is the simpler solution. But also the most expensive, of course. If you have tan walls flanking the white backdrop then, yes, they will have an effect. But they will have an effect on the overall color temperature. Which concerns White Balance. It's got nothing to do with whether your background is white or not. That is an exposure thing.
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Amber scollick |
Ok..the lighting that I am using on the sides on back were just halogen lighting. I am trying to decide what lighting to go with on this. Would you suggest 2 umbrellas..a good brand ? Basically I am just beginning to set up the indoor studio and need lots of help ! I want to do it as cost effective as possible for the time being ; any suggestions ? I know you are probably going to think oh boy..how do I meter the lighting and tell the stops difference. I am so used to being outdoors and literally never mess with adjustments Thanks again
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
John H. Siskin |
Hi Amber, A custom white balance will also help with color. One of your big problems is that you are shooting on automatic. This means that the SB-600 is probably pre-flashing for focus. This triggers the Alien Bee to soon, so it is not working when you actually take the picture. If the Alien Bee was working your exposure would be way over. You can’t. I repeat can’t use a studio strobe or monolight on automatic. The camera can’t meter or control these strobes. I will attach some information from one of my classes about exposure with strobe. Thanks, John Siskin In teaching this class I keep trying to find ways to say that you have moved into the land BEYOND metering. When you use a strobe meter you get a response that tells you how to make a middle density, but it doesn’t tell you how to make it look right. There is no automatic way to make it look right, only the application of brains can do that. When I make a shot with strobes and a digital camera, the first thing I do is to put the camera on manual and I will pay no attention to the meter in the camera. The only things I pay attention to are the proof image on the camera back and the histogram. More than metering these two things tell you about your image. Let me suggest a plan for seeking the right exposure: 1) set the shutter speed to the sync speed, 2) set the aperture to your middle aperture, whatever that is on the lens you are using, 3) take a picture, it will be wrong, 4) move the aperture dial to let in more or less light based on test exposure 1, you can look at the histogram to help determine how much to change the aperture, but the proof image should tell you if you need to change a lot or a little, 5) more test exposures and changes of light placement and light power until the strobes are right, 6) change shutter speed to balance values between existing light and strobe light, this will require more test pictures. This same technique will work if you are mixing strobes and daylight. This was why the Polaroid bill was so high with film cameras, but with digital these test exposures are free, so we should not be afraid to make them. This is the essential trick with strobes, to evaluate and change our images in search of the right levels for our lights and our exposures. With the histogram and the proof image on camera or in the computer we have better tools for creating the right exposure than any meter could give us, but it does take repeated testing.
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Amber scollick |
Thanks John, I am going to try again tomorrow !!
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
John H. Siskin |
Hi Amber, Good luck. If your exposure starts off perfect something is wrong. Thanks, John Siskin
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Pete H |
Hello Amber, Without additional lights, you have to cheat. LOL You can select the backdrop in PS or any editing program and simply raise the "levels." Blow it out. In my opinion, you will need a minimum of TWO umbrellas or softboxes or one of each. Using the SB-600 is ok for exposure, but the lighting angle will produce harsh flat lighting.
Pete
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Amber scollick |
Should I buy continous lighting or flash lighting ? What is the minimum wattage I should be looking for ? Thanks Amber
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
W. |
Flash gets you most bang for your buck. 1,000/1,200 wattseconds for single person portraits. 2,000 wattseconds for small groups (3/4 max). But why don't you start with a large window facing north in the daytime? That's what Leonardo, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Vermeer worked with too, after all. And look what they created! Add a D-I-Y reflector and away you go! Have fun!
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Amber scollick |
The studio light set consists of the following items I found this package..would you say it is a waste..or would it get me started ? It is $200.00
Two 7 feet light stands Two reflector umbrellas (may be different than picture)
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
John H. Siskin |
Hi Amber, I think you need one light with at least 600 watt-seconds. A 150 watt-second light could be used for hair or fill. I would say don’t buy this kit. Check out Calumet & Alien Bee. More money, but really good gear. Thanks, John Siskin
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Amber scollick |
Even with the Alien Bee 800 I am currently using ? Thanks for all your help :)
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
John H. Siskin |
Hi Amber, I must have lost track of the B800. You could use these smaller strobes with the Alien Bee. Sorry, I should check these threads before I answer. Thanks, John Siskin
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Amber scollick |
that is ok..I really appreciate your guidance :) Thanks so much ! Amber
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
John H. Siskin |
Hi Amber! Glad to help. Thanks, John Siskin
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here
Report this Thread |
|||||||||||||||||
