 Julie D. Fuhrman |
flash/strobe light, everythings washed out HELP! I shoot with a canon digital xt. I have two 150w bulbs that have a radio trigger (wireless) so they can be used as a slave for a flash. Both of these have soft boxes. When I set up my portrait, I am having to point both of my lights at the ceiling and only use them as a bounce flash. If I point them directly at the subject, my pictures are so washed out, all you see is white. I work in a 12x17 size room with white walls and ceiling. I am having to turn my exposer down all the way, and still getting washed out. The fastest sync I can do is 1/200. If I do anymore than that, it cuts off half of my picture. The pictures that I have taken with the bounce flash are not to my standards and no picture looks the same cause I am having to go in an manually fix them in photoshop. Am I placing my lights to close? What do I need to do!!! I see these portrait studios placing lights like 5 feet from the subject, flash goes off, picture is fine. I am climbing up the walls here. CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP ME!
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Debby A. Tabb |
Julie, can you tell me what kind of lights are you using? set the camera to 200/200 f22 and please take a test shot and post it. This way we can see what you are getting and can be some help. also, pan back and take a pic of your set up as well, Thank you, Debby
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Jon Close |
Flash exposure is controlled by the subject to flash distance, the lens aperture, the ISO setting, and the strobe output level (if adjustable). The shutter speed has little/no effect on flash exposure since the flash duration is typically much shorter than 1/500 sec. So yes, your lights may be too close for the ISO and aperture selected, or you need to select smaller aperture or lower ISO.
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Julie D. Fuhrman |
My iso is set at 400 and the lens that I have been using is Canon EF-S 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6. With this lens I am at least able to take a picture w/o any washing out but everything is set so low, like flash exp. The other lens that I use is a Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8, but I have found that if I use this lense _everything_ is white and I can't even take a proper picture. The only thing I have been using this lens for is low light portraits with the two 150w bulbs. My strobe output level is not adjustable. And Debby, as soon as I get home, I am going to take picture of what you are asking and post it.
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Debby A. Tabb |
Julie, This is all correct, but if you were to read through the Studio Photography threads (and they will help) you will see those who have different lights and lighting problems and how we fixed them. the camera settings I gave work consistantly with studio set up.( only small veriations may apply) At those setting (since we know what they are) and we can change those if needed. add knowing what your working with ( if adjustable or not, ect) *this will tell us , if we need/can turn a light head down or up. *if light placement is correct. *If we just pull back, we may run out of room or make your studio space uncomfortable for you. Also try a subject different then the Black dog in the White bowl if possible. Something as simple as a Teddy Bear ect. I hope this helps, Debby
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Alan N. Marcus |
Things to try: Reduce 400 setting to 100. You are currently bouncing two flash units off the ceiling. Bounce light is highly diffused; it is unlikely that you are receiving much benefit using two flash units. Consider using only one. Check to see if the flash unit can be reduced in power. If possible set them to the lowest setting. Light energy decreases with distance. In a bounce light situation, you might get some improvement by lowering the light fixture i.e. placing the unit closer to the floor. This will increase lamp-to-ceiling-to-subject distance. This is worth a try. Read the camera manual. You need to stop down. You should be able to shoot at f/16 or f/22. Small apertures are required under bright conditions. For portraiture you are advised to expose using the larger apertures such as f/5.6 or f/4. These larger apertures yield shallow depth-of-field which is considered desirable for portraiture. If you are unable to uses the larger apertures due to scene brightness you must resort to neutral density filters. Purchase a 4x N.D that’s two stops, you and get darker ones too. No neutral density filter? Use a polarizer it also acts as a ND filter. Off the wall test! This advice describes the making of an emergency ND filter substitution. Cut a piece of aluminum foil larger than the camera lens. With a little extermination you can figure out how to safely mount this foil sheet so that it completely covers the lens and is firmly attached. Try cellophane tape or rubber bands etc. Remove and with a sewing needle pierce the foil in the center and remount so the hole is centered on the lens. Shoot a test with foil in place. This procedure makes a pin-hole external lens aperture that supersedes your camera setting. Experiment with different size holes use a sharpened pencil to yield different size holes. This procedure is a valid way to make the most of a tiny lens aperture. It has some pitfalls. Tiny apertures yield extreme depth-of-field. Tiny apertures degrade lens performance by inducing an aberration known as diffraction. However, the foil is removable and the lens will emerge as good as new after you play around with the foil. More long-lasting arrangement, procure a spare lens cap, cut a large hole in its center. Glue foil over the hole and then pierce to make a tiny hole. Good luck,
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Debby A. Tabb |
I was writing as you posted Julie. I have to run, but will get back asap.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Just because a lens is a f/1.8 doesn't mean you have to shoot at 1.8 Adjust your aperture.
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Julie D. Fuhrman |
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Alan N. Marcus |
Hi Julie, In photography the lighting ratio is the key resource we have to control contrast. Our media is two dimensional (except for specialized cases). We must create the illusion of depth otherwise the pictures we make appears flat. We place a lamp known as the “main” high and to the side so that it shines on the subject from above to simulate midday sunlight. Actual placement is based on the subject’s face. Round face more to the side this creates shadows that give an illusion that the face is more oval. Oval face, light more frontal; this gives an illusion of a more rounded face. Long nose, adjust to cast short nose shadow. Short nose, adjust to cast long nose shadow. Remember – always high and generally off to the side. Now the main will cast harsh shadows that must be softened. We place a second light to accomplish this task. The second light is called a “fill”. A key mistake is to not realize that we are filling shadows for the camera’s view –not our view. We place the fill lamp at camera height and as close to the lens as we can without allowing this fixture to get in the way. The fill light is subordinate in power to the main. If the lamp is not adjustable as to brightness we must use distance as the adjuster. In your case the fill is placed further back. Measure the main to subject distance in inches. Multiply this measure by 1.4. This achieves a 3:1 ratio. The answer to this math problem is the fill to subject distance. Say the main is 40 inches back from the subject. Now 40 x 1.4 = 56. Place the fill at 56 inches subject to lamp distance. This may place the fill further back than the camera. That’s OK except be careful not to allow the fill to cast a shadow on the subject. Using umbrella or soft box lamps reduces the need for critical placement. So you are free to not exactly follow this recipe. Good luck, Alan Marcus
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Christopher A. Vedros |
You should try moving your subjects away from the background to reduce the background shadow.
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Julie D. Fuhrman |
ohhhh, that helps so much! So what do I do with the snoot/backlight placing? (like the one that is behind the subject off to the side lowest to the floor) (so my people do not look like cardboard cutouts?)
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Alan N. Marcus |
Hi again Julie, We are talking about the background lamp. We use such a lamp to overpower shadows cast onto the background by the main and the fill and to control background tone. You are trying to use this lamp with a snoot. A snoot causes this lamp to function like a spot and you actually need a flood. You would be best served if you removed the snoot and used this lamp bare–bulb. Place so that it is behind your most center subject. Its intensity, which you say is not controllable, i.e. no fractional power switch, can be controlled instead by placement i.e. lamp to background distance. By trial and error, adjust this lamp’s distance to background. As you move it closer to the background, the background is rendered lighter. As you move it further away from the background, the background is rendered darker. Trial and error distance changes are good for you as it will help you learn that you can cause the background to become very light or very dark, at your will. Now this lamp, with its snoot is actually used to accent something. It could be used as a hair light to give texture to otherwise blocked up hair. Or it could be used as a “kicker” we shine a light from the rear onto a shoulder as this provided separation from the background by causing the shoulder to be rimmed with light. Using a “kicker” is a little advanced for you, at this time. Using a bare lamp background lamp is easy and rewarding. Keep in mind, the main is usually kept high and off to the side. Always place the fill at lens height and near the camera. Alan Marcus
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Julie D. Fuhrman |
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Alan N. Marcus |
Hi again Julie, I maintain that the background lamp should be bare bulb. Using the barn door attachment is OK. The idea of the barn door is to restrict and control stray light. Now I will address not using a trigger and moving the lights closer for dim light conditions. This calls for some guess work on my part. I will assume by not using the trigger, the flash is not being used. I will assume this is the case and that the flash unit is equipped with modeling lights and you are using these as the artificial light source. OK – The flash component of the fixture is the standard method of artificially lighting a subject. The problem is, you can’t pre-judge what or how the light will fall i.e. enhance or deter. The modeling lights are used as guides to make this determination. I suppose one could use the modeling lights as the sole light source, but this presents some problems. The modeling light is generally too weak to be used in this way. The modeling light is not photo grade i.e. its color is too reddish and it is not regulated i.e. it is not repeatable. There is no rule against using modeling lights for a photo shoot. It’s like putting ketchup on filet mignon – some do most don’t. Good luck, Alan Marcus
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Julie D. Fuhrman |
lol I don't want to put ketchup on filet mignon! 8) How do you do low light photos? Instead of using three flash I would use one?
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Alan N. Marcus |
Please define for me, what is a low light photo? What are your atempting to acheave? Alan Marcus
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Alan N. Marcus |
Low Light? Maybe you are talking about “low key”? Photographers convey a low key mood or effect by placing heavy emphasis on the dark tones of a scene. This type of portraiture uses a very strong lighting, whereby the main is positioned to cast deep dark shadows. The fill is reduced way down in power -- this keeps the shadows strong and deep. The tonal range of the image is black and gray with an intentional omission of white or sometimes even light gray. Works best to set a strong masculine mood or perhaps a mysterious feminine disposition. Alan Marcus
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Debby A. Tabb |
Is this what you are trying to discribe, Dramatic lighting? If so this was done with no backlight,no fill, just the main.
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