B&H Photo Video Digital Cameras, Photography, Camcorders - … · 2005-01-14 · information you need to get started and succeed in the rewarding world of portrait photography. 8.5

Section14Books and Lessons

Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 818-821

CDs, DVD and Video Tape . . . . . . . 821

Web Photo School Lessons . . 822-829

Techniques forShooting Jewelry . . . . . . . . . 822-823

Product Photography forBusiness and the Web . . . . 824-825

Creating Special Effectsin Product Photography . . . 826-827

Senior Portraits:Using Litediscs Outside . . . 828-829

Book Excerpts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 830-851

Professional Secrets forPhotographing Children . . 830-834

Secrets ofLighting on Location . . . . . . 835-842

The Portrait . . . . . . . . . . . . . 843-851

Profes

sional

Lightin

gTh

e

for

Phot

o, V

ideo

, Cin

e &

The

atr

ical

Sou

rceB

oo

k

L I G H T I N G B O O K S

BOOKS & LESSONS

818PHOTO - VIDEO - PRO AUDIO

How to Operate a SuccessfulPhoto Portrait Studioby John GiolasJohn Giolas gives you all theinformation you need to getstarted and succeed in therewarding world of portraitphotography.8.5 x 11˝, 110p, over 100 colorand b&w photos, index,glossary. Softbound.

Item # AMHOSPPS ...........29.95

Learning to Lightby Roger Hicks & Frances SchultzA practical guide for all amateurphotographers who want tomaster the basics of photogra-phic lighting. The 200+ pho-tographs and 75 easy-to-followdiagrams of lighting set-ups,takes you step by step fromchoosing equipment and settingup a studio, to applying even themost subtle lighting techniques.160 pp, 105⁄16 x 63⁄4˝. Softbound.Item # AMLL ......................24.95

The Lighting CookbookFoolproof recipes for PerfectGlamour, Portrait, Still-life andCorporate Photographsby Jenni BidnerIncludes photos by top prosspecializing in major areas ofstudio work, including: fashion,boudoir and Hollywood, jewelryand food, automobile, children’sportraits and pet portraits. 144pages, 81⁄4 x 11˝. 160 color & 250B&W illustrations. Softbound.Item # AMLCB ...................24.95

Lighting for Still Lifeby Steve BavisterFilled with information andinspiration, this beautiful guideis an invaluable resource for theaspiring still life photographer.Fully illustrated in color andB&W. Softbound. 9 x 11". 160 pp.

Item # BOLSL .....................34.95

Basic Lighting Worktext for Film and Videoby Richard K. FerncaseCovers the fundamentals oflight science for anyone needingto know more about film andvideo lighting. Includes film andexposure, light setups, colortemperature shifts, etc. Includesline illustrations and diagrams.Softbound. 81⁄2 x 11˝. 109 pp.

Item # FOBLWTFV............44.95

Basics of Video Lighting2nd Editionby Des Lyver, Graham SwainsonThis fully updated edition is aprimer for anyone wishing tolearn about lighting a videoproduction. Includes lineillustrations and diagrams, plusa glossary. Softbound. 51⁄2 x 81⁄2˝.149 pp.

Item # FOBVL ....................24.95

Family Portrait Photographyby Helen T. BoursierTake great family portraits andmarket your work. Includes:posing, lighting, working withclients, shooting on location,attracting business, runningpromotions and presenting yourportraits effectively. Softbound.81⁄2 x 11˝. 128 pp. 100phtographs.

Item # AMFPP....................29.95

Hollywood Portraits ClassicShots and How to Take Themby Roger Hicks and Christopher NisperosHollywood-style portraits of theirown. Included are sections onequipment, processing, lightingand modern-day equivalents, plusa decade-by-decade galleryfeaturing vintage portraits of thestars. 144 pages, 81⁄2x111⁄2. 120 colorand 50 line drawings. Softbound.Item # AMHP .....................24.95

www.bhphotovideo.com


BOOKS & LESSONS

819ORDER & INFORMATION (212) 444-6641 • FAX: (212) 239-7770 (800) 947-7008

1-800-947-9941 • www.bhphotovideo.comPHOTO - VIDEO - PRO AUDIO

Lighting for Video, 3rd Editionby Gerald MillersonSolutions to everyday lightingproblems whether in amateur orprofessional video production.Illustrated in B & W. Softbound.51⁄2 x 81⁄2˝. 154 pp.

Item # BOLV ......................29.95

Light Science and Magicby Paul Fuqua and Fil HunterThis highly respected text, nowin paperback, has beenthoroughly updated and revised.Numerous photographs andillustrations provide clearexamples of the theoriesdelineated within the text, whilesidebars highlight speciallighting questions. Softbound. 7 x 10˝. 384 pp.Item # FOLSM....................39.95

Location Photography(Essential Skills)by Mark Galer M.Ed.Covers all the fundamental skillsrequired for locationphotography when usingDigital, 35mm SLR and mediumformat cameras working withboth existing light sources andintroduced light. Softbound.71⁄2 x 93⁄4˝. 192 pp. 8 page colorplate section.Item # FOLP .......................29.95

Mastering Flash PhotographyA Course in Basic to AdvancedLighting Techniquesby Susan McCartneyVitally important to allphotographers, lighting isthoroughly explored in this firstfully color-illustrated guide toflash techniques, from point-and-shoot to studio work. 144pages, 8-1/2x11. 160 color & 50B/W illustrations. Softbound.Item # AMMFP ..................24.95

Matters of Light and Depthby Ross LowelCalled “essentially practicaland praticaly essential”, RossLowell’s critically acclaimedMatters of Light and Depth isbeing published by Lowe-Light. Filled with photographs,illustrations, and decades ofreal world experience. 26 colorand 115 B&W photos, 12paintings.224 pages, 9 x 9˝.Softbound.Item # LOBMLD ................28.95

The Photographer’s Guideto Using Lightby Ted Schwarz & Brian Stoppeewith photographs by MikePocklington & Scott SheffieldLearn to apply theory to reality. Awide range of situations are illust-rated, from scenics, to portraits,to still life setups, with equalattention given to both simpleand complex lighting techniques.120 color illust. & 50 Lightingdiagrams. 144 pp. 81⁄4 x 11. paper.Item # AMPGUL ................19.95

Photographer’s Lighting Handbookby Lou Jacobs Jr.Learn how light affects everysubject that you photograph, andhow to use light to createstunning images. From landscapesmade in nature’s light to portraitscreated with the man-made kind,the techniques detailed in thisbook will help readers producestunning images of special placesand important moments. 128 pp.81⁄2 x 11˝. 130 color photographs.Item # AMPLHB ................29.95

Photographic Lighting(Essential Skills)by Mark Galer, John ChildCovers the essential informationfor photographers to understandand work with light. Eachtechnique is illustrated with thework of student photographers.Illustrated in color and B & W,plus 25 line illustrations and aglossary of terms. Softbound. 81⁄4x 113⁄4˝. 148 pp.Item # FOPL .......................29.95


BOOKS & LESSONS


Photographic LightingSimplifiedby Susan McCartneyFor aspiring photographersready to transform their workfrom average to expert, here isthe ultimate guide to lightingany subject & space effectively.The book addresses digitalcamars, is non-technical & easyto understand. 192 pages, 6-3/4x9-7/8”. 130 B&W andcolor illustrations. Softbound.Item # AMPLS ....................19.95

The PortraitProfessional photographersdiscuss the art and practice ofportrait photography. Experts,including Denis Reggie, FrankCricchio, and Don Blair, offerguidance on equipment,lighting, exposure, weddings,specialty portraits, and more.Over 150 illustrations.Softbound. 8-1/2 x 11". 120 pp.

Item # KOBP ......................24.95

Professional InteriorPhotographyby Michael HarrisThis book covers all types ofinterior, from residential toindustrial, outlines practicalsolutions to typical problems,and includes a unique insightinto the work of three leadinginterior photographers.Illustrated with stunning colorand B & W photographs.Softbound. 71⁄2 x 93⁄4˝. 184 pp.Item # FOPIP .....................34.95

Professional Portraitureby Annabel WilliamsLearn the secrets of capturingoutstanding professional-styleportraits. Fully illustrated incolor and B&W. Deluxe softbound cover. 9 x 10". 144 pp.

Item # SAPPQ ....................29.95

Professional Secrets forPhotographing Childrenby Douglas Allen BoxFeaturing lighting diagrams forevery image, this book coverseverything you need to creatememorable images of childrenof all ages. Included are:working with kids, posing,equipment selection, and specialevent photography. Softbound.128 pages. 8-1/2 x 11". 70 colorphotographs.Item # AMPSPCQ ..............29.95

Professional Techniques for theWedding Photographerby George SchaubThis completely new edition, isthe picture-taker's “bible” tolighting, posing, and takinggorgeous photographs that willincrease sales and profits. Thisbook details the latest trends inwedding photography, includingphotojournalism and B&W wed-ding photography. 144 pp. 150color & 50 B&W illus. 81⁄4 x 11".Item # AMPTWP ...............24.95

Secrets of Lighting on LocationA Photographer’s Guide toProfessional Lighting Techniquesby Bob KristBob Krist explains how toovercome the challenges thatshooting outside the studioposes. So, whether yourassignment is routine ordifficult, you’ll be able to deliverextraordinary photos. 144 pages,9 x 11˝. 175 color illustrationsand 30 diagrams. Paper.Item # AMSLL ....................24.95

Set Lighting Technician'sHandbook, 2nd EditionFilm Lighting Equipment, Practice,& Electrical Distributionby Harry C. BoxThis handbook provides studentsand beginning professionals withpractical, hands-on informationabout the day-to-day practices,equipment, and tricks of the tradeessential to the motion-picture setlighting technician. Illustrated inB & W. Softbound. 6 x 9˝. 432 ppItem # FOSLTHB ...............44.95

Check out the excerptson pages 843-851



For Any Inquiries Regarding Your Order, Call Our Customer Service:(800) 221-5743 • (212) 239-7765 • FAX: (800) 947-2215 • (212) 239-7549

L IGHTING BOOKS, CDs , DVD & VIDEO

BOOKS & LESSONS



Digital Photography Fundamentalsfor Basic Imaging, Disc OneDigital Photography Learning Center CD SeriesThe DPLC™ AdvantageDigital Photography LearningCenter (DPLC) is abreakthrough CD-ROM seriesthat contains lessons taught byprofessional photographers atWebPhotoSchool,www.webphotoschool.com.Learn from great lessons thatshow setups and results in a fun,simple format. Disc One of theDPLC is available for purchasenow and subsequent volumeson product and portraitphotography are currently inproduction.Through comprehensivelessons, you will learn how touse a digital camera to:• Email your photos• Prepare images for the Web• Do portrait photography• Do product photography• Do close-up photographyIf you're looking for the easiestway to learn about the modernphotographic process in aneasy-to-follow, step-by-stepstrategy, DPLC is your best andmost exciting opportunity.Item # PHCD......................14.95

Additional CDs coming soon!

CDs DVD

Shoot Smarter “ColorControls”Get in control of your color!In this 51 minute DVD youcan see first hand how to:Command neutral, warmer orcooler skin tone reproduction,Perfectly correct out the greenshift from fluorescent lights,Adjust the color temperatureof your strobes within 50K,Use CT and CC filters and gelslike a pro,Take the mystery out of colormeters,Either on film or digitalcapture, Will Crockett iswidely considered a master oflighting control from his 20years of creating client pleasingimages, his internationalseminar tours and by hisexpert testing, consulting andproduct testing for Fujifilm,Gossen and Sekonic.Here’s what’s inside this DVDtitle:Chapter 1 - Intro.Chapter 2 - Controlling Color

Temperature.Chapter 3 - Neutral Color

Temperature.Chapter 4 - Using Filters.Chapter 5 - Using Gels.Chapter 6 - Using Gel Strips.Chapter 7 - Measuring Color

Temperature.Chapter 8 - Filters & Gels on

Assignment.Chapter 9 - Color Control

Secrets

Item # SHCC....................44.95

Studio and CommercialPhotographybyJack ReznickiOne of New York's topillustration photographers, JackReznicki tells how to bring aclient's concepts to life in thestudio. Illustrated with over 125color and B & W photographs.Deluxe softbound cover. 8-1/2 x11". 160 pp.

Item # KOBSCP .................29.95

50 PortraitLighting

Techniquesfor Pictures

That Sell by John Hart

Item #AM50PLT

24.95

High SchoolSeniorPortrait

Photographyby Ellie Vayo(Paperback)

Item #AMHSSPP

29.95

ProfitablePortrait

Photography by

Roger Berg

Item #AMPPPQ

29.95

ProfessionalSecrets ofWedding

Photographyby DouglasAllen Box

(Paperback) # AMPSWP

29.95

StudioPortrait

Photographyof Children & Babies

by MarilynSholin

# AMSPPCB29.95

StorytellingWedding

Photographyby

Barbara Box

Item #AMSTWP

29.95

Wedding Photography: CreativeTechniques for Lighting & PosingSecond Edition by Rick FerroThere is more to shooting a strongmodel portfolio than simply takinggreat pictures of people.Photographers will also learn thebasic lighting setups andtechniques that will lead to greatphotos, and how to highlight amodel’s best features. Softbound.128 pages. 75 color. 81⁄2 x11˝Item # AMWPCLP .............29.95

L I G H T I N G L E S S O N SP H O T O F L E XBOOKS & LESSONS


There are many photographerswho absolutely dread thethought of shooting jewelry.After all, jewelry is often highlyreflective, very small in size,and can be difficult to workwith in creating a composition.

However, anyone armed witha few basic lighting tools and arudimentary understanding ofcamera and lighting methodscan truly work wonders.Thanks to manyimprovements in camera andlighting technology, the cost ofproducing professional-qualityimages has becomeremarkably inexpensive.

Topics Covered:

• Creating a custom shooting set

• Tips on shooting with a high end digital camera

• Using a macro lensattachment for close-up work

• Shooting with soft light tocreate interesting shapes

• Using light modifiers tocontrol light spill & contrast

• Precision lighting with afocusing light

• Basic retouching usingAdobe Photoshop Elements

Equipment Used:

Camera/ Media• Olympus E-10 digital camera

Item # OLE10• Olympus Macro Conversion

Lens Item # 200694• Lexar 160MB CompactFlash

card (replaced by 256MBItem # LECFJS12X256)

• Olympus 3040 digital camera(for set-up shots) (repl. bythe 4000 Item # OLC4000)

• Lexar 64MB SmartMediacard Item # LESM64MB

• Lexar USB CompactFlashreader Item # LERCFU

• Lexar USB SmartMediareader Item # LERSMU

• Manfrotto 3443 CarbonFiber tripod Item # BO3443

Lighting Equipment• 3 Photoflex Small Starlite kits

Item # PHSISDSK• 2 Photoflex Small Grids

Item # PHGS• Photoflex Boom

Item # PH3SB• Photoflex Boom Stand

Item # PHBS78• Photoflex Litedisc Holder

Item # PHLDHT• Photoflex LS-2218 Litestand

Item # PHLS2218• Dedolight focusing light

Item # DEDLHM (or LTMPepper 100 Item # LTP100)

• Photoflex LS-2212 LitestandItem # PHLS2212

• Tin foil Item # 100112

Background/ Miscellaneous• Rings and ring stands• Foam core

Item # GBFCB810• 3x4´ sheet of aluminum• Product shooting table

Item # SMTST18

For a modern jewelry look, wedecided to shoot these tensionrings against a sheet ofbrushed aluminum. Wepicked out two different sizesand secured them upright ongray ring stands. We placedthe smaller one in front so thatit would appear similar in sizeto the rear one from thecamera’s point of view (fig. 1).

We set up our first lightsource, a Small (16x24˝)Photoflex Starlite Kit, andpositioned it over the set toilluminate the tops of the ringsand sheet of aluminum Noticehow we propped up the sheetof aluminum by clamping aPhotoflex Litedisc Holder tothe edges and securing it to aLitestand (figure 2).

I mounted an Olympus E-10digital camera to a tripod and

zoomed all the way out on the lens to keep the ringsproportionally sized to eachother. I set the aperture downto f/11 to maintain a largedepth of field, set the shutterspeed to 1/30th of a secondand took a shot (figure 3).

Looking at the image playbackon the LCD, I realized that weneeded to be able to come incloser. Fortunately, Olympusmakes an optional macro lens attachment for the E-10 forsituations like this. I attachedthe lens, came in a littletighter, and took another shot (figures 4 & 5).

In this result shot, notice how

www.webphotoschool.com, ©2002 Photoflex

Figure 1

Figure 2

Excerpted from A Web Photo School™ lesson by Ben Clay.

Figure 4

Figure 5

Illustrations and copy reprinted with permission ofPhotoflex ©2002

Techniques forShooting Jewelry

Figure 3

Equipment Leasing Available

L I G H T I N G L E S S O N SP H O T O F L E X BOOKS & LESSONS



the attachment lens helpedour composition byminimizing the relative size difference between the rings. Even though the light from the overhead soft box had lit thetop and bottom of the ringsnicely, the sides of the ringsappeared dark and flat.To add more dimension to theshot, we set up another smallStarlite kit, positioned it off tothe left hand side and tookanother shot (figures 6 & 7).

The result shot shows a bigimprovement. The transitionbetween light and dark issmooth, and interesting shapesare formed by the addition ofthis second soft box.Next, we decided to addanother Starlite Kit to the rightside to balance the reflectionsof the ring. Without changingthe camera settings, I tookanother shot (figures 8 & 9).

Although this third lightsource filled in the dark areasand balanced the reflections, itstill maintained a good

contrast level to the shot and asense of dimension to therings.

The addition of both sidelights, however, brightened thebackground considerably. To keep the light solely on therings, we attached grids toeach of the side soft boxes, aset of louvers to the top soft

box and took another shot.Notice how the backgroundhas darkened, and yet the lightand reflections on the ringshave not changed (figures 10 & 11).

The result shot shows asignificant difference incontrast and overall feel to theshot, as the rings now popforward from the background.Finally, we decided to adjustthe amount of focus on therear ring. We wanted it to be recognizable, but not so muchthat it would draw attentionaway from the front ring. I opened the aperture up tof/4.5, adjusted the shutterspeed to accommodate for thecorrect exposure and took ashot (figure 12).

After the shoot, we opened thefinal image in AdobePhotoshop and used theRubber Stamp tool to erasethe metal clips that held up therings. We also boosted thecontrast a little more to make

the background appear evenfarther away (figure 13).

Additional lessons available at,www.bhphotovideo.com andon the Private section of thewww.webphotoschool.com haseven more and extendedlessons.

Figure 6

Figure 8

Figure 10

Figure 12

Figure 11 Figure 13

Figure 9

Figure 7

TECHNIQUES FOR SHOOTING JEWELRY

Techniques for

ShootingJewelry



Taking professional-lookingpictures for posters, catalogs orwebsites can be broken downto a few key elements: lightingequipment and technique,camera quality, subject matter,and an adventurous spirit. Aswith everything, the more youpractice, the better you get.But thanks to improved andmore affordable camera andlighting equipment, there hasnever been a better time tolearn how to take professionalphotographs.

Topics Covered:

• How to light an object tonaturally drop out thebackground

• Guidelines for capturing pro-quality digital images

• How to use basic computerimaging tools for cleaning up an image

• How and why to take detailshots of a product

Equipment Used:

Camera/ Digital • Olympus E-10 digital camera

Item # OLE10• Lexar 160MB CompactFlash

card (replaced by 256MBItem # LECFJS12X256)

• Olympus 3040 digital camera(for set-up shots) (repl. bythe 4000 Item # OLC4000)

• Lexar 64MB SmartMediacard Item # LESM64MB




• Adobe Photoshop Item # ADPS7M

• Apple G4, 1Ghz computerItem # APG41Z

Lighting• XL Photoflex SilverDome

Item # PHSDXL• Photoflex Starlite connector

Item # PHSR800SL• Starlite tungsten head

w/1000-watt lamp Item # PHLSL1000

• 4- Photoflex Starlite KitsItem # PHSLSDLK

• Photoflex Litedisc HolderItem # PHLDHT

• Photoflex LS-K0054Litestand Item # PHLSASII

Background• 9-foot Superior white

seamless background paper• Gaffer’s tape

LIGHTINGIn product photography,lighting is the most importantaspect of a great image. Youmay be shooting somethingvery beautiful, but unless youtake the time to light it well,its beauty may not be capturedin the final image.

To illustrate, we decided tophotograph this state-of-the-art mountain bike. Because ofits size and reflective qualities,the bike presents some photographic challenges.Since we wanted the bike to beon a white background forgreater layout flexibility, we setup a 9-foot white seamlesspaper background and tapedthe front edges to the floorwith gaffer’s tape. We proppedthe bike up by positioning theend of a Photoflex LitediscHolder under the saddle of thebike. In order to create thenecessary tension to keep thebike upright, we put a weightbag on the opposite end of theLitedisc Holder (figure 1).

Next, we lowered an extra-large Photoflex SilverDomesoft box that we keepsuspended by ropes from theceiling (the ropes run througheyehooks in the ceiling and aretied off to nautical cleatsmounted on the walls.) Wethen set up two largeSilverDomes and positionedthem on either side of thebike. Each soft box was lit upby a Photoflex Starlite lamp(continuous, tungstenbalanced) with a 1000-wattbulb (figure 2).

I attached an Olympus E-10digital camera to a tripod, setthe White Balance to match

the color temperature of thelights, and took a few shotsuntil I had adjusted theexposure just right.

Although the exposure of thebicycle is good, thebackground, because it is notlit separately from the bike, istoo dark. Also, the left handsoft box needs to be inchedout of the shot (figure 3).

To brighten the background,we set up two moreSilverDomes and positionedthem behind the first two. Weangled the direction of light sothat each soft box wouldthrow light on the backgroundbut not on the bike (figure 4).

Once the lights werepositioned, I checked throughthe viewfinder to make surethe soft boxes were out of theframe. Before I took anothershot, I reviewed the previousshot in the Playback mode andnoticed that the foregroundarea of the seamless paper wasnot quite white - more of alight gray. I opened up myFigure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4




Product Photographyfor Business and

the Web




PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY FOR BUSINESS AND THE WEB

aperture half a stop and tookanother shot.

The result was much better.The background andforeground were now whiteexcept for the shadows underthe tires, and the bike was stillat a good exposure. The onlything to do now was todigitally remove the LitediscHolder from the shot.

I removed the SmartMediacard from the camera andtransferred the images to mycomputer. I opened the imageup in Adobe Photoshop andzoomed in on the area wherethe saddle and Litedisc Holdermet. Since the background wasall white and not textured, I opted to use the Paintbrushtool instead of the RubberStamp tool to paint over theLitedisc Holder. I set myforeground color to white andwith a sharp-edged brushpainted over the LitediscHolder (figure 5).

The overall shot of the bikewas now ready to be printed,posted to a Web page, or e-mailed. Because thebackground of the shot iscompletely white, it makes iteasier and cleaner to drop intoa white page for layout (figure 6).

COMMERCIAL TIPWe now have a clean, well-litimage of the entire bike.However, the most impressiveaspect of this bike is really inits details. Its front fork is notreally a fork at all. Instead, ithas a single shock absorbingconnection to the front wheelto allow a greater distance forthe shock to travel. It also hasa rear shock system that canbe adjusted to the level ofgrade you are riding, andboth shocks can be manuallyswitched off. It has disc brakeson both wheels and anindicator on the handlebars tolet you know what gear you’rein. It’s a top-of-the-line racingmountain bike and costsabout $4,000.

Unless you had seen this bikein person, it would be prettytough to make out all of thesedetails from just this oneimage. If you were in thebusiness of selling items likethis on the Web or incatalogs, it would obviouslymake sense to include somedetail shots. Simply put, themore visual information yousupply, the more value youwill convey to a potentialcustomer.

THE DETAILSTo create some interestingdetail shots, we decided touse the floor as ourbackground for a relativelyindustrial look.

And since these shots wouldbe taken close up, there wouldbe no need to create a naturaldropout of the background. We took down thebackground paper, steadiedthe bike next to a weightedLitestand, and positioned twolarge soft boxes in close tocreate a soft light in thereflections of each shot(figures 7-11).

By using diffused lighting tohighlight each detail, we werebetter able to convey thesuperior quality of the bike.

Additional lessons available at,www.bhphotovideo.com andon the Private section of thewww.webphotoschool.com haseven more & extended lessons.

Figure 11

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 8

Figure 7

Figure 6

Figure 5





The car above is a BMW 700series sedan, but you can'tdrive it because it's only 8inches long! With the help of agood digital camera, somebasic lighting equipment, anda little photo editing, thisphotograph comes very closeto looking like the real thing.

Product photography can notonly be a great selling tool foryour small business or auctionitems, but it can also be a lotof fun. This lesson walksthrough the steps taken tocreate this image and alsodemonstrates how to createdynamic detail shots usingdepth of field.

Topics Covered:

• Creating a smooth shooting surface

• Controlling light reflections• The importance of using

diffused light• Experimenting with

depth of field• Creating eye-catching

detail shots

Equipment Used:

Digital Camera and Media• Olympus C-5050 Zoom

camera Item # OLC5050• SanDisk 128MB SmartMedia

card Item # SASM128MB• USB Olympus SmartMedia

reader Item # 200803• Sturdy tripod Item # BO3443

Lighting Equipment• Photoflex Small Starlite Kit

Item # PHSLSDXSK• Photoflex Medium Starlite

Kit Item # PHSLSDMK• Photoflex Boom

Item # PH3SB• Photoflex Boom Stand

Item # PHBS78• Shooting table

Item # SMTST18• White background paper

Before we began building theshot, we activated the built inflash of the camera and took asnap shot similar to what youmight find up on eBay. Built-in flashes can work well in lowlight situations or to serve as afill light outdoors, but rarely

does this type of lighting lenditself to studio photography, asit tends to render objects asflat and dimensionless.To compare the differencebetween this result and ourfinal result, we've placed thetwo here side by side (figures 1 & 2).

As you can see, the effect ofeach image is very different:one looks like a cheap modelcar while the other looks asthough it could be a shot froma real car ad.

To start, we first rolled a 4-foot wide sheet of whitebackground paper onto acurved shooting table andplaced the car at a slight angle.We set up a PhotoflexMedium Starlite Kit andpositioned it 3/4 overhead torender a soft shadow underthe car.

We then mounted the camerato a tripod, set the exposureand focusing modes to

manual, set the White Balanceto Tungsten (light bulbsymbol). For a closer look atthese processes, check out thelessons on this CD entitled,"Controlling Depth Of Field inProduct Photography" and"How To Set Your WhiteBalance Indoors".We set the aperture to f/2.4 tocreate a limited depth of field,focused on the front of the carand took a shot (figures 3 & 4).

Notice how the f/2.4 aperturesetting has made the back halfof the car in out of focus. Thishelps to draw the focus to thefront of the car. Reviewing theresult, however, we realizedthat the car still looked like amodel car because ourperspective was different fromhow we would normally viewa real car.

So, we lowered the cameraangle to a more even level,refocused, and took anothershot (figures 5 & 6).

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 5

Figure 4

Figure 6

Creating SpecialEffects in Product

Photography






The result was better, but nowwe wanted to make changes tothe lighting. We wanted thebackground to be muchdarker to create more contrastto the shot. We wanted the carto "pop" forward so that itwould look more three-dimensional.

So we took the SilverDomesoft box off the LiteStand andplaced it on a Photoflex BoomStand so that it would bedirectly overhead, and angledit slightly forward to keep thelight off the background.

Without making changes tothe camera, we took anothershot (figures 7 & 8).

The result was greatlyimproved as now it had a muchgreater sense of depth. Noticehow the windshield is muchmore apparent than before.This is due to the reflection ofthe soft box overhead.

The shot was very close now,but the left side of the carseemed a little dark. So we setup a Small Starlite Kit andpositioned it to the left side ofthe set and again, angled itslightly away from thebackground (figure 9).

This time we took two shots.We wanted to comparedifferent depths of field, so wetook two exposures: the first atf/2.4 @ 160th of a second andthe second at f/10 @ 1/25th ofa second (figures 10 & 11).

The results reveal a differentlook to each. Figure 10 bringsthe attention to the front of thecar, while figure 11 renders theentire car in sharp focus.Remember, there is no"correct" shot here, onlyalternatives to different looks.At this point the car looked

pretty real. To enhance theimage a little more, we copiedthe f/10 version to thecomputer, opened it up inAdobe Photoshop, and digitally"turned on" the lights. For amore in-depth look at this andother digital processes, visitwww.webphotoschool.com(figure 12).

THE DETAILSNext, we decided to create somedetail shots to more effectivelydemonstrate the finecraftsmanship of this model car.We pulled the Small Starlite Kitout of the set and moved thecamera in closer toward the car.We opened the hood, focusedon the engine and took twoshots: the first at f/10 @ 1/25thof a second and the second atf/2.4 @ 160th of a second (figures 13, 14 & 15).

Notice that everything infigure 14 is in focus, whereasin figure 15 your attention isdrawn straight to the engine.This technique is particularlyeffective when you are tryingto draw your viewer'sattention to a particular detail. Next we spun the car around, closed the hood, opened the trunk ,and took two moreshots at the same settings(figures 16 & 17).

As a small business owner orauction seller, these tools andtechniques can be veryvaluable to you, particularly onthe web. For instance, there aremany more details and featuresto this model car: the car doorsalso open, the steering wheelmoves the front wheels, andthere are even odometer andrpm gauges. The more youdemonstrate on the web, themore interest you will receive.

Remember to experiment withthese techniques and mostimportantly, have fun!

Additional lessons available at,www.bhphotovideo.com and onthe Private section of thewww.webphotoschool.com foreven more and extended lessons.

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY FOR BUSINESS AND THE WEBCREATING SPECIAL EFFECTS IN PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 16

Figure 17

Figure 14 Figure 15





Most people assume thatprofessional portraiturerequires expensive camerastrobes for good results.Strobes can work beautifullywith portraits, particularlywhen used with soft boxes, butthey are not necessary in manysituations. Armed with equip-ment to modify sunlight, youcan achieve fantastic results.

Topics Covered:

• The importance of using a stylist

• Choosing the rightbackground

• Diffusing sunlight using Litediscs

• Using a Litedisc to create a fill light

• Using Litediscs to create a hair light

• Setting up a portable, digital workstation

• Transporting equipment

Equipment Used:

Camera/ Media• Olympus E-10 digital camera

Item # OLE10• 2 Olympus 3040 digital

cameras (for set-up shots)(replaced by the 4000 Item # OLC4000)

• Lexar 160MB CompactFlashcard (replaced by 256MBItem # LECFJS12X256)

• 2 Lexar 64MB SmartMediacards Item # LESM64MB




Software • Adobe Photoshop Elements

Item # ADPE2

Lighting Equipment• 52˝ Photoflex White

Translucent Litedisc Item # PHLD52WT

• 42˝ Photoflex Soft Gold/White Litedisc Item # PHLD42WG

• 2-22˝ Photoflex White/SilverLitediscs Item # PHLD22WS

• Photoflex Litedisc AttachéItem # PHACLD

• 4- Photoflex Litedisc HoldersItem # PHLDHT

• 5- Photoflex LS-2218Litestands Item # PHLS2218

• Photoflex MulticlampItem # PHMCUSM

• Photoflex ADW Umbrella• 4- Photoflex Weight Bags

Item # PHWB• Photoflex Navigator

Transpac case Item # PHMKB

Miscellaneous• Foldable wooden table• Foldable wooden chair

In preparation for this lesson,we brought Gwen, our hair/makeup stylist, on location to

give Angela, our 15 year-oldmodel, an elegant look. WhileGwen worked on makingAngela’s clothing, hair andmakeup, we scouted nearbyfor a location with a goodbackground (figure 1).

We found a large hedge anddecided to shoot into theshadow side so that our modelwould stand out from thebackground. I set up thetripod and mounted an

Olympus E-10 digital camerato it in the vertical position.Once Angela was prepped, ourstylist brought her out to thelocation. It was near noononce we started and the suncast short, high-contrastshadows on our subject (figure 2).

As a starting point, I took ashot without any lightmodification. I minimized thecamera’s aperture to f/11 toensure that both the modeland background would be insharp focus and set the shutterspeed to 1/60th of a second. I took a shot, set the camera toplayback, and reviewed theexposure in the Playback

screen (figure 3). (One of thegreat things about shootingdigitally is that you can adjustyour exposure on the spotthanks to the Playbackfeature.)

Although the exposure wasgood, the contrast between theshadows and highlights wastoo great.

To reduce the contrast, I decided to set up a Photoflextranslucent Litedisc overheadto diffuse the sunlight. Sincethere was a slight breezeblowing, I wanted to stabilizeour Litedisc setup. Our

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Senior Portraits:Using Litediscs

Outside






SENIOR PORTRAITS: USING LITEDISCS OUTSIDE

assistant, Ross, grabbed a 52˝translucent Litedisc, attachedit to a Photoflex LitediscHolder, and secured it to aLitestand with an attachedweight bag. Then hepositioned the Disc so that itwas over Angela’s head andshoulders (figure 4).

I opened the aperture a halfstop and fired off another shot(figure 5).

The resulting shot was greatlyimproved. The Litedisc hadminimized the contrast, yetstill revealed the direction ofthe sun. As a photographer,you could stop at this pointand have a great end result. Toillustrate additional lightmodification, we went on todevelop the shot further.

Next, we wanted to add a

reflective Litedisc to bouncelight into the shadows ofAngela’s face and create acatch-light in her eyes. Rosspulled out a 42˝ softgold/white Litedisc andpositioned it so that the whiteside was reflecting. As I lookedthrough the lens, I let Rossknow where the Disc shouldbe positioned. Once we foundthe right spot, Ross securedthe Litedisc Holder to aLitestand weighted withanother weight bag and stoodto the side where he couldmake minor adjustments(figure 6).

Since the Litedisc brightenedthe overall shot, I closed downthe aperture half a stop toaccommodate and tookanother shot (figure 7).

Notice how the shadows underAngela’s eyes have been greatlyminimized, and the reflection ofthe Litedisc shows up in her eyes.

Next we wanted to separateher hair from the background,while giving the shot a sunnierlook. So we set up two 22˝silver/white Litediscs onHolders and Stands, andpositioned them in the rear sothat the silver side of the Discsreflected hard light into bothsides of Angela’s hair (figure 8).

The reflectors helped to giveseparation from thebackground nicely, but thehard light revealed the straystrands to the point wherethey were a little distracting.Gwen came in and worked onher hair while I adjusted thecamera settings. I wanted tocreate even more separationby softening the focus on thebackground, so I opened theaperture up all the way to f/4,set the shutter speed toaccommodate the properexposure and took a shot(figure 9).

Notice how the combinationof the brightly lit hair and thesoft focus of the backgroundhelp to create a greater senseof depth to the shot.

Although the shot looked

good on review of the LCD,

something seemed to bemissing. The tonal range ofthe subject was much moredynamic than that of therelatively static background.So we decided to move to theother side of the hedge wherethe direct sun gave it morecontrast. After previewing thebackground through thecamera lens, we brought thegear over to the other side andset up the same lightingscenario (figure 10).

With no change to the camerasettings, the result showed thatthe background was nicely outof focus, but now it seemed totie in better with Angela’s look(figure 11).

Additional lessons available at,www.bhphotovideo.com andon the Private section of thewww.webphotoschool.com haseven more & extended lessons.

Figure 5

Figure 6 Figure 8

Figure 7

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

L I G H T I N G L E S S O N SS T U D I O I M A G E SBOOKS & LESSONS


Published by Amherst Media, Inc., ©2002 by Douglas Allen Box

Excerpted from “PROFESSIONAL SECRETS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING CHILDREN” by Douglas Allen Box

SistersPage 12

POSE. This is the basic dancepose. I like to use it when I’mworking with children, and inprom or engagement sessions.

As you can see, using this posehere resulted in a full face ofthe little girl and a 2/3 view ofthe older girl. When I set upthis pose, I had to decidewhether to raise the small girlup to the older girl’s height tobring their heads together, orto keep them at their realheights. I chose the latter.

PROPS. The girls had theirdresses and hairpieces for aspecial party. They make for anice feel in the portrait.

BACKGROUND. To makethis window, I purchased a setof frames used for double-glazed windows. I built aframe for them to rest in using1“x 6” boards. A set of sheerswere hung in front of theframes. I then hung curtainsto create the appearance of areal window.

PHOTOGRAPHY. This is oneof the few photographs in thisbook that uses a fill light.Most of the time I use areflector for fill. I used it thistime to help lighten thecurtains. The problem mostpeople have with a fill light isthat they use too much power.This causes the photograph tobe overfilled, giving a flat lookto the faces. I set the full lighttwo stops below the mainlight. The film used wasKodak VPS.

PSYCHOLOGY. Often it isbest to have a parent in the

room while a child is beingphotographed, but it can alsobe detrimental. I like to makethat determination when Imeet the child. Whatever mydecision, I ask the parents tocooperate with me. One of thebenefits of having a parent inthe rooms is that they canwatch for little things like amisplaced strand of hair, or awrinkle in the clothing. If aparent is watching the session,I ask him to move out of thechild’s sight. This keeps thechild’s concentration on me,yet allows the parent to see theway I work with their child.

THE PROBLEM MOST PEOPLE HAVE WITH A FILL LIGHT IS THAT THEY USE TOO MUCH POWER.

Item # AMPSPCQ ..............29.95

Illustrations and copy reprinted with permission ofAmherst Media, Inc.©2002 Douglas Allen Box


L I G H T I N G L E S S O N SS T U D I O I M A G E S BOOKS & LESSONS



I SET UP THIS LITTLE BOXING RING USING YELLOW CORDINGPURCHASED AT A FABRIC STORE.



You Should HaveSeen the Other Guy!

Page 14

POSE. This is my youngestson. When he fell and bumped

his eye on a table and got ablack eye, I saw anopportunity to create a funphotograph. I set up this littleboxing ring using yellowcording purchased at a fabricstore. The cords were simplytied to light stands in front ofthe high-key background.

PROPS. I borrowed thesesboxing gloves from a friendand put my son in his redbathing suit. I did series ofphotographs including severalposes with his older brother.One was an “action” shot. I letthe older boy put on one gloveand hold it pressed against hisbrother’s cheek like he washitting him. The hardest partwas keeping them from reallysocking each other.

BACKGROUND. Creating

this background was reallysimple. I used white paper andyellow ropes.

PHOTOGRAPHY. I mountedtwo small Photogenic FlashMaster light heads from theceiling and pointed the lightsabout halfway down on thebackground. The light thenevenly illuminated the whitepaper background. The mainlight was the umbrella with thelight through it. The film usedwas Kodak VPS.

PSYCHOLOGY. Whenworking with your own

children, an extra measure ofpatience is required, at least itis for me. I don’t know why Iexpect my children to be morecooperative than my client’schildren. In fact, I shouldexpect less since they know meand know what they can getaway with. I have decided tomake the sessions fun and notjust an opportunity to try outa new set or technique. Mybest advice is this: make agame out of the session. Thisparticular session was both funand easy to set up, a formulathat always makes for greatimages.

Item # AMPSPCQ ..............29.95






Sit Like This?Page 23

POSE. I placed a smallpillow in the seat and askedthe mom to place herdaughter in the chair. Then,I had the mom call the girl’sname. When she turned, Itook the photograph.

PROP. I think half of thechildren in my area under

the age of ten have beenphotographed in this chair.It is the greatest prop I haveever used. It works because itis small and the seat tipsdown in the back. I havephotographed children asyoung as two months in it!

BACKGROUND. Thebackground in this image issimply white paper. Ibrought the paper down tothe floor at the back of theroom and taped it downusing clear packing tape.When I took this image, Iused white fur on the floor. Idon’t use this anymore,because it doesn’t go whiteenough. As I mentionedearlier, I’ve found that aconcrete floor painted whiteworks best. A commercialphotographer once offeredme some great advice: Buyyour paint in a five gallonbucket. After you paint thefloor with a roller, store theroller in the paint, in thebucket; this way, you won’tneed to clean the roller every

time you use it.

PHOTOGRPAHY. I decidedto include this image, anolder photo, because itshows the wrong way to lighthigh key. Notice the shadowsand dark shading around thechair. I had pointed thebackground lights too fardown, preventing the lightfrom bouncing to theforeground.

The way I meter the high-key background is to haveone stop of light more on thebackground than on thesubject. Using an incident

light meter, if the light onthe subject is f-8, I adjust thebackground light to read f-11. I like the lights to behigh-mounted on theceiling, or on tall light-stands. I have found goodresults if the lights are 2’-3’from the background,pointing down abouthalfway. The light hits thepaper and bounces towardthe floor where the subject isstanding. This keeps thefloor white around thesubject. Even though thelighting here is not perfect, itis still a very nice image of avery sweet young lady.

THE LIGHT HITS THE PAPER AND BOUNCES TOWARD THE FLOORWHERE THE SUBJECT IS STANDING.

Item # AMPSPCQ ..............29.95


L I G H T I N G L E S S O N SS T U D I O I M A G E S BOOKS & LESSONS





Tough GuysPage 26

POSE. Posing brotherstogether this closely cansometimes be challenging.

I usually start with themfurther apart and slowly, asthe session proceeds, bringthem together. The slight tiltof their heads gives a feelingof caring and closeness. Theselittle guys may not care foreach other right now; butsomeday they will.

PROPS. Jean jackets with noshirts make for a simplephotograph. This focuses allof the attention on their faces.

BACKGROUND. Thebackground is a gray blotchymuslin background from LesBrant (see the resourcessection in the back of thisbook). I placed it about eightfeet behind the boys to throwit out of focus.

PHOTOGRAPHY. The lighting used in the image is a modified butterfly lighting.Butterfly lighting is achieved by placing thelight over the camera, and in the areabetween the camera and the subject. Thelights used were Photogenic Flash Masters,which are reasonably priced and veryversatile. I’ve used them for almost fifteenyears and have had almost no problems.The Larson 42” soft box was placed aboveand to the left of the camera. The reflectoris placed low and to the right of thecamera; I tilted it back and forth to visuallyfill in the shadow area. A hair light, placedhigh to the right, and a background lightseparates the subjects from thebackground. A coken 083 soft focus filterwas held in front of the lens. Exposure was1/60 second at f-8; the film used was KodakT-Max 400, rated at 200.

PSYCHOLOGY. Both of these brotherswere in a good mood for this session.However, if siblings don’t want tocooperate, I quickly get their minds off thephotography session by talking aboutsports, fishing, school-or anything that willtake their minds off what we are doing.

Item # AMPSPCQ ..............29.95


THESE LITTLE GUYS MAY NOT CARE FOR EACH OTHER RIGHT NOW, BUT SOMEDAY THEY WILL.





Simple in WhitePage 29

POSE. Several things can belearned from the simpleportrait. The posing is very

basic. The child’s weight wasplaced on her back foot, hershoulders were turned awayfrom the light, and her facewas turned back toward light.It is classic feminine posing,with the back shoulder slightlydropped and the forward footpointed toward the camera.

PROP. Adding the bear, doll,and book creates the look of agirl’s room. I kept the light offof these props to preventthem from becoming tooprominent. The white dressand bare feet complete thissimple look.

BACKGROUND. The whiteroom seen here appears inother images in this book. Topersonalize it, I propped uppaneling against the fakewindow and added thewindow seat. (You can also

see the painted floor that Imentioned earlier!)

PHOTOGRAPHY. Notice theplacement of the umbrella andreflector. I usually place mylight source in just thisposition, with the back side ofthe apparatus slightly in frontof and feathered past thesubject. This way the mainintensity of the light goes pastthe person and hits thereflector. I place the reflectoron the other side of thesubject in the same position.Carefully turn the reflectoruntil you see that it gives you

the maximum light return.

CLOTHING. A book of“proper” clothing samples isan indispensable tool for anyphotographer. Proper clothingselection is critical to the finalquality of the image and apoint where clients often needguidance. It is best to ask aclient to bring several outfitsranging from causal to formal.Ask your clients to bringseveral items that they wouldlike to have included in theportrait so that you can tellthem which of the items willphotograph best.

Item # AMPSPCQ ..............29.95



L I G H T I N G L E S S O N SO N L O C A T I O N BOOKS & LESSONS



Published by Amphoto Books, ©1996 by Bob Krist

Excerpted from “SECRETS OF LIGHTING ON LOCATION” by Bob Krist

Tennis CoachPage 56

Long Island, New York.Nikon FE2, Nikkor 105mmtelephoto lens, Kodachrome64 exposures for 1/125 sec. atf/11.

I photographed TonyPalafox, a famous tenniscoach who has worked withJohn McEnroe and other

players for a cover profile inBoys’ Life magazine. Since thestory was to include a seriesof how-to sequence shots aswell, I had to do the shoot atPalafox’s home, which had atennis court. I set up thecover shot in his garage, usinga 9-foot wide roll of blueseamless paper as a backdrop.I then positioned a mediumChimera softbox with aDyna-Lite 500 watt-secondhead covered with a blue gel

on the floor behind mysubject. I aimed this assemblyup at the background.Another medium Chimera,with a Dyna-Lite 1000 watt-second head, provided themain light from the left of thecamera. A 38-inch Flexfill onthe opposite side of thesubject provided somebounce fill. I suspended thetennis balls from the garagerafters with clear,monofilament fishing line.

Item # AMSLL ....................24.95

Illustrations and copy reprinted with permission ofAmphoto Books,©1996 Bob Krist Tennis Coach

L I G H T I N G L E S S O N SO N L O C A T I O NBOOKS & LESSONS




Pharmaceutical

LabPage 63

West Point, Pennsylvania.Nikon FE2, Nikkor20mmwide-angle lens, tripod,Kodachrome 64 exposed for1/2 sec. at f/8.

The key here was to isolatethe elements of the scene,

each with its own light,rather than to produce awash of light (right). Afterturning off the overheadfluorescents, I aimed aDyna-Lite head with a gridspot at the scientist andcovered the white computermonitor with black velvet sothat it wouldn’t burn out(below). Next, I highlightedthe machine behind himwith another Dyna-Lite headwith a grid spot. I then

placed an Enertec NE-1bare-tube head connected toa Dyna-Lite powerpack andcovered with a blue gelinside the cage-like structurebehind the scientist’s head.Its omnidirectionalillumination highlightsseveral different areas of thecage. Finally, a small, low-powered, red-gelled Sunpack444D lights the computerkeyboard, simulating theglow from the screen.

Item # AMSLL ....................24.95

Illustrations and copy reprinted with permission ofAmphoto Books,©1996 Bob Krist


Pharmaceutical Lab






Battery-PoweredFlash Units

Pages 68-69

Once you findyourself headed on the road tomultiple-flash ownership anduse, you have to make severaldecisions. First, you have tochoose between battery-powered and alternating-current (AC) flash units.Naturally, both types haveuseful features, and in truth,you’ll eventually end upneeding some of each for acomplete lighting kit.

The primaryadvantage to working withbattery-powered strobes is theindependence they afford youwhen it comes to powersources. You don’t have toworry about the availability orthe voltage of the power; yousimply set up your units andfire away. In addition, battery-powered units are generallysmaller and cheaper than theirAC-powered counterparts.Many photographers’ battery-

powered systems consist oftwo or three of their favoriteshoe-mount flash units, alongwith some high-voltage batterypacks for quick recyclingtimes. This is the length oftime that the batteries need toreturn to full power afterbeing discharged. Waiting forfour AA batteries to recycleyour lights in multiple-flashsetups is like watching grassgrow.

Unfortunately, youmust pay a hefty price for theindependence of battery-powered flashes. They aregenerally less powerful andslower to recycle than ACunits. Fast flash recycling isimportant when you’rephotographing people and youneed to catch fleetingexpressions and/orinteractions. Nothing is morefrustrating than seeing a greatmoment in the viewfinderbefore the flash has finishedrecycling.

Most battery-operated units run in the 100to 400 watt-second range,although a few systems aremore powerful (and moreexpensive). When you workwith high-power battery units,like the 1200 watt-secondunits, you get only about 50full-power shots from abattery with a multi-secondrecycle time. (This is themanufacturer’s estimate. I’venever owned a battery-powered strobe that deliveredmuch more than about 50percent of the manufacturer’sclaims about the number ofshots a fully charged batterywill provide in the real worldof actual use. This isn’t to say

the companies are dishonest;they are just incredibly luckywhen they run their tests!) Sounless you carry a bagful ofheavy and expensive sparebatteries, you may findyourself out of juice by thetime you finish `takingreadings, tweaking lights, andshooting Polaroids.

Another importantpoint to consider is the type ofbattery your strobe systemsuse. Although nickelcadmium(Nicad) batteries have beengreatly improved during thelast few years, the typicalNicad rechargeable battery issubject to the effects ofmemory. These batteries mustbe fully discharged before youcharge them. If you routinelyuse only a portion of thebattery’s power, say half,before recharging, soon thebattery will deliver one half ofits power. The term “memory”describes this tendency.

You can combatbattery-memory effects twoways. One approach is to usebatteries that aren’t subject tomemory effects, such as gelcells; these are sealed lead acidbatteries. The batteries I use topower the HS 350 High-Voltage modules, which runboth my Armatar 300 and myNikon strobes, are gel cells,and I find them convenient touse. I don’t have to worryabout the discharge cycle; Isimply recharge and go on tothe next location. Your otheroption is to use a conditioningcharger with your Nicads,which fully discharges abattery before beginning therecharging cycle.Unfortunately, not every

battery manufacturer offers aconditioning charger, sophotographers are left to theirdevices to find ways to fullydischarge their batteries.

Nevertheless, I knowmany working professionalswho use nothing but battery-powered strobes are quitehappy with the arrangement.Ian Lloyd, who is based inAsia, is often called upon toshoot in out-of-the-waylocations like logging campsand remote villages, as well asin more mundane locationslike offices and factories.Danny Turner is a medium-format, location-portraitspecialist. He carries several1200 watt-second battery unitsand does most of his workwith one 4 x 6-foot softbox.He rarely makes more than 50exposures per sitting, so thebattery capacity is fine. And henever has to worry aboutextension cords, portablegenerators, or inverters whenhe wants to shoot out of rangeof AC power.

If you want tobounce or diffuse your lightsand shoot at f/8 or higher ona medium-speed film, you’llbe out of luck with mostbattery systems. The high-voltage battery packs requiredto run even 100 to 400 watt-second strobes are heavy,especially when you considerthe weight of the batterychargers you must carry inorder to recharge them. A bagof battery-powered strobes,with rechargers and sparebatteries, can easily outweighan AC system that has thecapacity for far greater lightoutput.

Item # AMSLL ....................24.95


L I G H T I N G L E S S O N SO N L O C A T I O NLIGHTING




Casino PenthousePage 68

Atlantic City, New Jersey. Nikon FE2,Nikkor 24mm wide-angle lens, Koda-chrome 64 exposed for 1/125 sec. at f/5.6.

Plenty of light poured into thewindows of the high-rollers’ penthouse atTrump Casino when I was shooting a storyTravel and Leisure magazine. Naturally, thefarther I moved away from the windows, themore the light dropped off. So I decided tosupplement but not overpower the windowlight. I bounced three Dyna-Lite 500 watt-second heads, two from a M1000x powerpackand one from a M500x powerpack, off theceiling to fill this huge room.

Massachusetts. Nikon 8008S,Nikkor 80-200mm zoom lens,tripod, Kodachrome 64 exposed for1/8 sec. at f/4.

Initially, I set up two Dyan Lite headsbounced into umbrellas to illuminatethis scene in the faculty lounge ofWilliams College. While I used themodeling lights to focus, I noticedwhat a nice quality they had. BecauseKodachrome 64 has an appealing

golden glow when exposed undertungsten lights, I decided to shootusing only the available light fromthe windows, lamps, & modelinglights. The professor and the studentwere engrossed in their conversation,so I was able to shoot a fair amountof film. I knew that I would losesome frames to lack of sharpness dueto movement; but I didn’t want tointerrupt my subjects’ interaction bypopping off the strobes.

Item # AMSLL ....................24.95


Professor with StudentPage 69


CasinoPent-house

Professorwith

Student






AC-PoweredFlash Units

Page 70

The most compellingreason to use an AC-poweredunit is the unlimited numberof flashes available-once youlocate a power source andconnect the unit to it. If you’reshooting 15 to 20 rolls of filma day on location assignments,an AC-powered system willprobably be the better choicefor you. This also holds true ifyou like to diffuse your lights,shoot at apertures of f/8 orsmaller, or shoot withmedium-format film, whichrequires small apertures forsufficient depth of field.

Another advantage ofAC strobes is their modelinglights. These built-in,continuous lights give you apreview of what the flash itselfwill look like in the finalphotographs. Modeling lightscome in handy when you wantto check for reflections but noPolaroid testing is possible.These lights also increase thegeneral available-light level,which, in turn, makes focusingeasier.

Although the lightssound great on paper, a coupleof real-world considerationsmake modeling lights lessuseful than you would initiallythink. First, in all but thedarkest locations, there isusually enough available light

to make it difficult to see theeffects of the modeling lights.So in the end, you can’t becompletely sure of what theflash will look like unless youshoot a Polaroid. Also, theheat that the modeling lightsgenerate can cause problemsin enclosed diffusion devices,such as softboxes. And ifyou’re blending flash andavailable light, you shouldturn off the modeling lights offunless you specifically needthem. If you don’t, themodeling lights will affect yourreading since you’re using aslow enough shutter speed toregister the ambient light.Despite their shortcomings,however, modeling lights aregood to have.

HeavyweightWrestlers

Page 70

Indianapolis, Indiana.Nikon FE2, Nikkor 180mmED telephoto lens,Kodachrome 64 exposed for1/125 sec. at f/4.

I made this shot oftwo teenage scouts wrestlingwhile photographing theExplorer Olympics for Boys’Life magazine. I need a greatdeal of flash power thatcould recycle quickly inorder to catch the action. Iset up four Dyna-Lite heads,one in each corner of themat, and bounced each one

into a Photek 51-inch whiteumbrella. I ran two heads,each with 250 watt-secondsof power, off one Dyna-LiteM500x pack, and anothertwo heads with 252 watt-seconds of power each offanother. This broad-lightingarrangement enabled me toshoot the action from anyside of the mat with main,

fill, and background lights.Using a long ED lens madeout of extra-low-dispersionglass toned down the flarefrom the backlights. Tominimize the number ofwires, I used a Wein SSRinfrared transmitter to tripthe built-in slave eyes of theDyna-Lite M500xpowerpacks.

Item # AMSLL ....................24.95

Illustrations and copyreprinted with permission ofAmphoto Books,©1996 Bob Krist



Plaza AthenéeLobbyPage 76

New York City. Nikon FE2Nikkor 24mm wide-anglelens, tripod, Kodachrome 64exposed for 1/4 sec. at f/5.6.

I shot this lobbywhile working on an articleabout small, elegant New YorkCity hotels for Travel &Leisure magazine. I wanted abroad, open light thatsimulated the weak daylight

coming in from the windows off to the left. To achieve thiseffect, I bounced three Dyna-Lite heads, one M1000x and twoM500x powerpacks set at 500 watt-seconds, into three Photek51-inch umbrellas. Ipositioned one unit offto the right of thecamera. I then arrangedfor another Dyna-Liteto come in from theleft, aiming it at theconcierge and bellhop.Finally, I set up thethird unit in the far rearof the lobby so that ittoo came in from theleft. I used a longshutter speed to burn inthe ambient light.



Item # AMSLL ....................24.95







Charleston, South Carolina.Nikon FE2, Nikkor 28mmwide-angle lens, tripod,Kodachrome 64 exposed for1/4 sec. at f/8.I photographed this bed andbreakfast as part of a storyabout Charleston for Travel& Leisure magazine. Thelittle available light cominginto the room had to beboosted. I wanted to mimic

the open quality of ambientillumination, so I placed onDyna-Lite head with 500watt-seconds of power to theright of the camera andbounced it off the whiteceiling. Next, I bounced asecond Dyna-Lite head offthe ceiling near the bed withonly 250 watt-seconds ofpower because I wanted thelight to drop off slightly.

Barksdale House Inn

Page 77


Item # AMSLL ....................24.95





Moonlights VersusPack-and-Head

SystemsPage 78

AC strobe systems comein two basic incarnations.With monolights, thegenerator and the head arecontained in the same housingwhich sits on top of thelightstand and gets pluggedinto the wall. Pack-and-headsystems feature generatorpacks that are separate fromthe flash heads. The generatorsare plugged into the wall, andthe heads are plugged into thegenerator. Both systems haveadvantages and drawbacks.

Self-contained monolightseliminate the need to carry alot of head extension cords.You can place them far awayfrom each other withoutworrying about having toconnect them to one another.If you have three or fourmonolights with you and oneof them develops a problem,

the others will continue tofunction unaffected.

One disadvantage ofmonolights is weightplacement. Since they containboth the generator and thehead, they tend to be heavierthan regular flash heads. Sohaving 5 to 10 pounds, plus anumbrella or softbox, sitting ontop of an 8-foot lightstandisn’t the most stablearrangement. The otherdisadvantage is powerdistribution. Even if you needonly a small, low-powered popof flash in a certain area ofyour setup, you must stilldedicate an entire monolightto do the job.

Pack-and-head systemsprovide a little moreflexibility than monolights interms of power distribution.

You can run three or fourheads off one powerpack,sending different powerlevels to each head ifnecessary, or sending all thepower through just one head.Flash heads tend to besmaller than monologhts andare more stable on alightstand.

In terms of thedisadvantages of pack-and-head systems, a failure in apower generator can severelyaffect your ability to finish ajob. This is especiallytroublesome if you’rerunning multiple heads offone pack. In addition, sinceall of the flash heads must beconnected to the packs, youneed long extension cables ifyou want to place the headsfar away from one anotherand the powerpack.

Young Boywith Blocks

Page 78

Ridgewood, New Jersey.Nikon 8008S, Nikkor 80-200mm AF zoom lens,

Fujichrome 100 exposed for1/125 sec. at f/8.

For a story about theimportance of fantasy inchildren’s play for WorkingMothers magazine, Iphotographed Jonathan, myyoungest son, playing with his

blocks. To light him, I set up aDyna-Lite head in a mediumChimera softbox with 250watt-seconds coming from aDyna-Lite M500x powerpackto the right of my camera. Iwanted to keep a high-keyfeeling, so I bounced anotherhead from another Dyna-Lite

M500x powerpack set at fullpower off the ceiling behindJon. Because this was 1 to 11/2 stops brighter than themain light, it provided anappealing rimlight andhairlight on my son, as well aseffectively illuminated thebackground.

Item # AMSLL ....................24.95



L I G H T I N G L E S S O N SP O R T R A I T S BOOKS & LESSONS



Lighting EquipmentPages 21-25

Electronic FlashThe primary type of

lighting used in portraitstudios is electronic flash.Flash has three majoradvantages: it’s extremelypowerful, it produces almostno noticeable heat, and it isbalanced for daylight films.Also, the short duration of aflash exposure is good atstopping motion, which ishelpful in glamour or fashionportraits where you maywant the models to swirl ortwirl, but you don’t wantthem to appear blurred inthe picture. Onedisadvantage, of flash is thatyou have to judge yourlighting effects from therelatively dim light of themodeling lamps.

Though there are manybrands and models of studioflash from which to choose,they are divided into twobroad categories: modularpower packs in which a

single power supply providespower to a number ofdifferent flash heads, andmonolights in which thepowers source and light headare housed in a single self-contained unit.

Power Packs: In this typeof system, each of the headsis connected to central powersupply by a cable. Thecamera must be alsoconnected to pack (via a PCcord) so that the flash headswill fire when you press theshutter release. Alternatively,some power packs work withan infrared transmitter thatattaches to the camera. Theadvantage of a remotetriggering system is obvious:it lets you move about thestudio without being tied to(or tripping over) a PC cord.

Flash power packs areavailable in a wide variety ofpower outputs, ranging froma few hundred to severalthousand watt/seconds. Ifyou plan on working withtwo or more heads from asingle pack, you willprobably need a powersupply that producessomewhere between 400 and2000 watt-seconds. Anythingless powerful won’t producethe power you need,particularly of you’rediffusing the light onworking with large-formatcameras; more power isalways nice, but increases inpower do not come cheaply.

Perhaps the greatestadvantage of using a power-pack flash system is theversatility with which youcan adjust the power thateach one of the flash heads isgetting. In turn, you can alter

the lighting ratios ormanipulate lighting effects.Most power packs offer achoice of either“symmetrical” (each headgets the same amount offlash power) or“asymmetrical” (each headcan be given a differentamount of flash power)power distribution. Manyoffer a choice of distributionmodes. The benefit of usingan asymmetricalarrangement is that you canadjust the lighting intensityof each head individually.This enables you to maintaina constant amount of light toa give head (by turning thepower up or down), even ifyou change the light-to-subject distance, or if youadd or subtract filtration, etc.For even greater control,many packs also offer afeature called a “powervariator” that enables you toadjust the total output ofpower to all headssimultaneously whilemaintaining the exactdistribution.

The chief drawback of a

power pack system is the lackof portability for locationwork. Even if you knowyou’re only going to needone flash head, you must stillbring along the power packand cables. Also, many packshave higher voltagerequirements and cannot besafely plugged into just anyelectrical outlet, so forexample, you may not beable to use your pack for afamily portrait on locationusing household current.

Monolights: Nearlyanything that can be donewith a power pack and headscan also be done with severalmonolights. The onlydifference is that you have toadjust each light individually.If you get to the point ofusing three or four lights inyour lighting set-ups,carrying that manymonolights will be a heavierproposition than bringingone pack and several flashheads.

Most monolights arecomparatively inexpensive.You can buy one light to startand then add additional

Published by Silver Pixel Press , ©Eastman Kodak Company, 1993

Excerpted from “THE PORTRAIT” a Kodak Publication

Portable reflectors for studio or location work come in many styles, shapes and colors.

Gary W

helpley

Item # KOBP ......................24.95

Illustrations and copy reprinted with permission ofSilver Pixel Press,©Eastman Kodak Company, 1993

L I G H T I N G L E S S O N SP O R T R A I T SBOOKS & LESSONS


lights as you need or canafford them. Also, since theyaren’t connected to a centralpower pack, monolights canbe placed anywhere on a setand at any distance from oneanother: if you have an outlet(or an extension cord), youcan put the light anywhere atall. And virtually allmonolights are safe forplugging into a household oroffice outlets, whichenhances their locationappeal.

Finally, if you are usingmonolights and one lightburns out, you still have theothers. If a power pack fails,it is unlikely that you willhave a backup power pack.

Accessories for ElectronicFlash

Most flash heads comestandard with a polishedparabolic reflector, whichcreates very intense, but highcontrast lighting which is notparticularly flattering forportraits. A number differenttypes of light-modifiers canbe used to soften this light,including umbrellas,softboxes, and fabric frames.

Umbrellas are available

in reflective and shootthrough varieties. Reflectiveumbrellas, in which the lightis aimed into the umbrellasand away from the subject,are used to spread and softenthe light. Shoot-throughumbrellas, in which the lightis aimed at the subjectthrough the fabric of theumbrella, creates a similar,but slightly more directionallighting with a central “hot”spot.

Soft boxes are available ina wide-range of sizes andshapes to create the softestlighting effects. Some let youaim the head through thefront diffusion panel directlyor bounce off of an interiorreflective surface.

Fabric frames arecollapsible plastic frame andfabric panel sets which arepopular and versatile. Oneframe can be covered with avariety of interchangeablefabrics for reflecting,absorbing, or diffusing light.Hot Lights

Continuous-sourceartificial light or “hot” lightsuse either tungsten orquartz-halogen type lampsand have color temperature

of 3200-degrees K, whichmeans you either have to usea tungsten-balanced film orfilter up to a daylight colortemperature (at the expenseof about one stop in lightoutput). Tungsten lamps andfixtures are available in avariety of powers, with themost popular being 500, 750,1000 and 2000 watts.

One nice aspect of usinghot lights is that what yousee is what you get. Becauseyou’re viewing your subjectunder fill light, you are lesslikely to find any lightingsurprises in the final image.Also, since there is no suddenburst of light, your modelswon’t blink or flinch as manypeople do with flash. A singlehot light when combinedwith flash is also useful for apleasing creative effect. Forexample, you may wish tocreate a warm fill or edgelight.

The chief disadvantageof hot lights is that…well,they are hot. In order to getthe amount of light you needto light a portrait(particularly a groupportrait), you will needseveral lamps. These manylights will have your modelswilting and the brightnessmay cause them to squint.

Accessories for Hot LightsSeveral companies make

soft boxes and umbrellas thatare safe for use with hotlights. But because of theheat produced by hot lights,most of the light-modifyingdevices used with strobescannot be safely used. Becertain that you’re usingdiffusion materials intendedfor use with hot lights.

On LocationFor a lot of location

work, one or more portableflash units will provide all thelighting power that you need.There are basically two typesof portable strobes available:automatic flash anddedicated flash units. Automatic flash units use aflash-mounted light sensor tocontrol the flash output.Dedicated flash units shareexposure information withcompatible cameras, andflash output is monitoredand controlled from the filmplane by the camera’selectronics. Dedicated flashsystems are very accurate. In choosing a portable unit,here are some features toconsider:

Power: The more, thebetter. Choose a unit with aguide number of about 110or higher. Lower power unitswill provide enough powerfor direct-flash photos, butvery often you’ll be bouncingor diffusing the flash whichuses up light.

Power Selection: Theability to adjust the output ofthe flash makes it much moreversatile. In fill-in flash shots,you will want the ability toturn down the power of theflash.

Aperture Selection: Pick aunit that offers a choice of atleast four automaticapertures so that you cancontrol depth of field.

Tilt and Swivel: Theability to tilt and swivel yourflash simultaneously meansthat you can bounce the flashoff of a reflector or wallwhether you’re shooting ahorizontal or verticalcomposition.Fill light from the reflector opened the shadows on the left side of the subject’s face.

Gary W

helpley

Excerpted from “THE PORTRAIT” Published by Silver Pixel Press, ©Eastman Kodak Company, 1993





FiltersFilters come in an array

of styles and a rainbow ofcolors to perform all mannerof technical and creativetasks. The three basic stylesof filters are gelatin squares,glass or resin drop-in filters,and glass screw-in filters.

Gelatin SquaresKODAK WRATTEN

Filters are sold in gelatinsquares in a wide variety ofstyles, including colorcorrection, neutral density,color conversion, etc. Thesefilters are designed for use inindividual filter frames thatattach to the lens with afilter-frame holder. Wrattenfilters have a uniformthickness of about 0.1mmand provide superb opticalquality.

Glass or Resin Drop-in FiltersThese filters are typically

sold in either three-or four-inch squares and aredesigned for a special filterholder that attaches to thefront of the lens or onto a“compendium-style” lensshades (see photo). The bestquality filters are those madeof either glass or opticalresin.

Glass Screw-in FiltersThese filters thread onto

the front of the lens. Theyare very rugged and goodones have excellent opticalqualities. However, if yourlenses have different frontdiameters, you have to buyduplicate filters or adaptersto fit those different lenses.

Filters for PortraitsFor most portrait

situations, the two groups of

filters that you will probablyuse on a frequent basis aresoft focus and light balancingfilters.

Soft Focus: There aredozens of different styled ofsoft focus filters on themarket. Manufacturers useall sorts of optical tricks tocreate their diffusion effectsincluding frosted plastic,black or white netting, glassdimples, and etched surfaces.Each of these styles is usuallyalso available in a variety ofintensities. The only way toknow which filters work foryou is to try several brandsand styles.

Light Balancing: One ofthe technical challenges ofoutdoor portraiture is thatthe color of sunlight isn’tconstant; it can change withthe weather and the time ofthe day. The best way to copewith these changes is byusing light-balancing filters.There are two series of light-balancing filters. The 81series are yellowish in colorand are designed to warm upcolors by lowering the colortemperature of cool daylight(with daylight films). The 82series filters are bluish incolor and are designed toraise the color temperatureof existing light.

BackgroundsPainted muslin,

splattered canvas, metalizedfabrics, seamless paper, rearprojected scenes-if there’sone thing there s no shortageof in portraiture, it is achoice of creativebackground materials. Andthe backgrounds that you usecan have a powerfulinfluence on the mood andimpact of your portraits. The

color, texture, and style ofthe background are allfactors that must be matchedto your subject.

Seamless PaperThis is the most basic of

photographic backgroundsand it comes in a widevariety of solid colors. Itmakes an excellent choicewhen you need a plainbackground to color thescene, without distractingfrom the subject. One of thenice qualities about seamlessis that when the backgroundgets dirty or crinkled fromuse, you can simply unroll afresh supply and cut away theold.

Muslin and CanvasThese are the most

popular portraitbackgrounds in use today.They are typically eitherpainted or dyed and featurean eclectic array of patterns,ranging from a “marbelized”look to “streaked” and“splattered” designs. Bothmuslin and canvasbackgrounds are sold in

hand-painted and mass-produced versions (and arepriced accordingly). Manycompanies also give you theoption of special-ordering aparticular blend of colors, orspecifying a certain design.

Muslin is a much lighterfabric than canvas. One of itsmain advantages is that it canbe “covered” or “shaped” tofit around props or models.Canvas backgrounds areconsiderably stiffer and aredesigned primarily forcreating vertical or evenlysloped backgrounds. If mostof your portraits are done onlocation, muslin makes abetter choice because its lightweight means you can roll itup and pack it in a carrysack.

ProjectionStill another type ofbackground system that isused successfully by portraitphotographers is front orrear projection. Projectionsystems allow you to projectan almost infinite variety ofscenic backgrounds or otherimages behind your subject.

Selecting the right props is vital to creating the desired mood & feeling.The studio even supplied the white outfit for this tender portrait.

Doug H

offman




Exposure andLighting Techniques

Pages 28-36

The more you know aboutthe tools and photographicmaterials you use, the greater

will be your ability to createthe pictorial quality you want.No matter how imaginative ordelicate your portrait lightingmay be, it will not carry overinto the print unless youunderstand the key factorswhich influence quality. Thefollowing six steps are vital tocreating top-quality imageswhen using color negative film:

1. Select the appropriateequipment for the desiredlighting effects.

2. Determine the main, fill,and background lightintensities for a desiredlighting ratio.

3. Establish a workingexposure index (film speed)for your standard lightingcondition.

4. Determine exposure indexesfor other lightingconditions.

5. Modify your lightingtechniques, as needed, forconsistent, professionalportrait results.

6. Establish appropriatelighting techniques forportraiture.

Step 1: Select the EquipmentThe lighting equipment

you select will determine thequality of your photographs.You will need a fill light, amain light, a background light,and a hair light. Always keepthe contrast of thephotographic light in mindwhen selecting lightingequipment. Diffused reflectors,umbrellas, and bounce lightsare considered low-contrast,soft-light sources because theyproduce a soft shadow edge ofthe subject’s features. Spotsand parabolics are consideredhard-light sources. The hard-light sources produce a moredefined shadow edge, giving

more shape to the subject’sfeatures than low-contrast,diffused light sources.

Fill LightThe fill light illuminates

the shadows of a photographicsubject and is the only lightthat photographically registersthe shadow on film. It alsoraises the illumination level inall areas of the subject.

The fill light patternshould be soft and expansivein nature and should create aneven wall of light at thephotographic plane. It shouldilluminate a single subjectevenly from head to toe and bewide enough to cover a largegroup completely.

The fill light should not beevident in the finalphotograph; therefore, itshould be a low-contrast lightsource, as nonspecular andnondirectional as possible.

Published by Silver Pixel Press , ©Eastman Kodak Company, 1993

Excerpted from “THE PORTRAIT” a Kodak Publication

These are some of the popular equipment options that are available whenyou require a low-contrast light source.

Low-contrast lighting produces a soft shadow edge and vreates a gentler mood.

Dav

id Z

iser

Photogenic Skylighter

Umbrella System

Bounce System

Strobasol Soft Box

Item # KOBP ......................24.95

Illustrations and copy reprinted with permission ofSilver Pixel Press,©Eastman Kodak Company, 1993





Main LightThe main light has two

functions, one mechanical andone aesthetics: Its mechanicalfunction is to establish thecontrast quality of the light andthe lighting ratio. Its aestheticfunction is to illuminate thesubject’s eyes and to shape theface to its best likeness.

The main light should be adirectional light source thatproduces more contrast thanthe fill light. It determines themood of the photograph by itscontrast quality. The higher thecontrast, the stronger thestatement about the subject’sfeatures. The lower the contrast,the softer the statement andgentler the mood portrayed.Feathering the Main Light:Photography “masters” prefermain-light reflectors designed tocreate a light pattern that isbrighter in the center with lightgradually falling off in intensitytoward the edges. This qualityenables the photographer toadjust the light by “feathering”which is the technique of using

“penumbra” of the light sourceto achieve even illuminationacross the facial plane with softspecular high-lights. Thephotographer strives for goodgradation of tones andsmoothness between thehighlights and shadows of thesubject’s features.

Feathering cannot beachieved with the principal lightsource aimed straight at thesubject’s face. This wouldilluminate the face with thebrighter center spot (the“umbra”) of the main lightpattern. The effect is achievedwith the soft, feathered portionof the main light pattern (the“penumbra”), also referred to asthe edge of the light.

To find the correctplacement of the pattern of lightso that the face is properlyilluminated, move the mainlight pattern up and down untilthe intensity of light on theforehead and chin are the same.The intensity of light must alsobe the same in the highlights onthe shadowed side of the face

and on the cheeks. Do this byswinging the reflector from sideto side until specular highlightscan be seen and the five planesof the face are illuminatedevenly.

When properly positioned,the main light should producethe desired scene contrast fromshadow to highlight without theneed for “barn doors,” “scrims,”or “gobos.” In portraiture, themain light should act as amodeling light to project thespecular highlights, gradatingthe tones from specular todiffused to subtly illuminatedshadows. Barn doors ordiffusers are not recommendedon the main light. Barn doorsdiminish the feathered edge ofthe light pattern, and diffuserschange the quality of themodeling light into a broadflood light.

Guide Point: To achieve the“masters touch” of featheringlight, the main light shouldproduce a circular pattern that isbrighter at the center andgradually falls off toward the

edge. At two feet from the umbra(the bright center of the pattern),the light should be a halfstop lessin intensity.

Illuminating the Five Planes ofthe Face: The position of themain light determines theaesthetic effect of the light onthe subject. Once you positionthe main light at the necessarydistance, you can adjust it torender the desired aestheticeffects. The highlights created bythe main light should illuminatethe five planes of the face(forehead, left and right cheeks,nose, and chin), defining thefacial contours and creating theeffect of dimension.

Illuminating the Eyes: To lightthe eyes properly, lower themain light until a specularhighlight is reflected in thesubject’s eyes, then continue tolower it until you illuminate thecolor of the eyes. When themain light is adjusted properly,the eyes will have highlights anda crystalline appearance and thecoloring will be clearly visible.

Knowing how to properly rate and expose your film will help you achievethe optimum negative under every type of condition

The penumbra, the soft edge of the circular light pattern, allows you tofeather the main light.

Dav

id Z

iser

Parabolic Reflector





Illuminating the Nose: Themain light also shapes thesubject’s nose. Position thelight so that a nose shadow iscast onto the shadow side ofthe face. When the shadow issmooth in tone, the light is inthe right position. To checkthis, move the main light untilthe shadow of the bridge ofthe nose just touches the whiteof the eye on the shadow sideof the face. Stop at this precisepoint. If the shadow from thebridge of the nose moves intothe white of the eye, the eyewill become dull and begin toappeal smaller.

Guide Point: If the subject hasone eye that is larger than theother, you can take advantageof this phenomenon by placingthe shadow from the bridge ofthe nose into the white of thelarger eye.Main-Light Patterns

You can position themain light to create fourdistinct lighting patterns forportraiture. Butterfly: The principal light is

pointed down at a 45-degreeangle directly into the frontalplane of the face. This type oflighting is used to enhance theglamour of a subject with highcheekbones and a beautifulface.Open Loop: The principal lightis pointed down at a 45-degreeangle and off to the side of thenose, forming a loop-typeshadow from the nose. Thistype of lighting brings outbrilliance in the coloring of theeyes more successfully thanclosed-loop lighting.Closed Loop: This type oflighting is also known as short,Rembrandt, or trianglelighting. It is normally usedwith low-key lighting. Theprincipal light is pointed downat a 45-degree angle and 45degrees one side of the face,with the shadow side of theface toward the camera.Broad Lighting: This style oflighting alters the facialfeatures the least and does theleast amount of correction.Broad lighting places threequarters of the face in

highlights. A low-contrast,broad main-light source worksbest for this type of lighting.Broad lighting is normallyused with high-key lightingsetups.

When in doubt, use eitherclosed-or open-loop lighting.They are the most effectivelighting techniques for givingtexture and depth to thephotograph.

Guide Point: When using openand closed-loop lighting, bothsides of the nose should not beilluminated. The side of thenose nearest the camera shouldbe completely shadowed. Theshadow from the bridge of thenose cast into the eyedetermines whether you useopen-or closed-loop lighting.The main light should not cast

a shadow of the bridge of thenose into the opposite eye.

Background LightThe background light, like

the main light, has an aestheticfunction. It separates thesubject from the backgroundto keep the subject fromappearing as a cutout imagepasted onto the background.When the background light ispositioned correctly, the resultshould be soft glow ofbackground illuminationappearing between thesubject’s ears and shoulders,thereby achieving an effect ofdimension. Dimension canalso be created by aiming thebackground light toward thecamera from behind thesubject to rim the subjectcompletely with highlights.

In this high-key portrait, strong background lighting provided maximumseperation for the subject. The low-contrast main-light softly illuminated the face.

Fran

k C

ricch

io

The hair light should produce a soft glow that just picks up and illuminatesthe hair on the shadow side where the main light leaves off.

Fran

k C

ricch

io




Guide Point: The glow shouldnot show above the subject’shead or down around the waist.It should be brighter on themain-light side than on theshadow side of the subject. Theresult will be a light trap (aglow completely surrounded byshadows), which is undesirableby today’s photographicstandards. If any glow shows onthe shadow side, try tominimize it.

Hair LightThe hair light should be a

glow of light that matches themain light in contrast quality.It should produce theappearance than it is acontinuation of light from thesame direction as the mainlight, giving highlight anddetail to the chair. You can usea low-watt second main lightinstead of the usual spot-typehair light to pick up andilluminate the hair on theshadow side.

The effect of the hair lightshould be a soft glow and notan attention- getting type oflight. The eye will always bedrawn to a bright highlightsurrounded by shadowbecause it is a high-contrastarea. The brightest area of aphotograph will not alwayspull the eye to that spotbecause it is possible to have alarge, bright area without highcontrast. Keep this in mindwhen you place your hairlight. Remember, a hair lightshould not call attention toitself in classical portraiture.Step 2: Determine the CorrectExposure

Maintaining consistentillumination and lightplacement are essential inestablishing the correct color-negative exposure. The

following procedure forestablishing correct exposureis based on using KODAKVERICOLOR III ProfessionalFilm (VPS). You can adaptthis procedure to other colornegative films as well.

In the following densitytests, you will photograph theKODAK Gray Scale next toyour subject’s head and usethe 1.90 reflective referencepatch on the scale to measureshadow density. The 1.90reflective reference patchrepresents the blackest blackthat will have detail in the finalphotograph.

You will achieve thecorrect density aim points byfirst getting a D-min(minimum density) reading ofa clear piece of processed film.You are actually reading thedensity of the orange-magnetamask of the film. This requiresa color transmissiondensitometer set on the StatusM red filter setting. If youdon’t have a densitometer,your local professional colorlab should be able to help you.

The D-min reading ofprocessed VERICOLOR IIIFilm will run fromapproximately 0.12 to 0.20density units. Your goalduring these tests is toproduce a shadow density of0.10 to 0.20 units above thefilm-base D-min for a totaldensity 0.22 to 0.38 (or 0.30plus or minus 0.08 units).

Guide Points: The purpose ofdetermining the main-light andfill-light intensities is toestablish a lighting ratio thatgives you a density difference of1.00 from black with texture towhite with texture. This willenable all detail in yournegative image to be recorded

when the image is printed onphotographic paper.

Fill-Light Density TestUse only the fill light in

this test. A soft,nondirectional, non-specular,nonevident type of lightsource such as one 800-wattsecond Photogenic Skylighteror the equivalent in umbrella,softbox, or bounce light(s) isrecommended.

The bottom edge of thefill light should be 6 feet fromthe floor and 12 feet from the

subject. The subject should beseated 6 to 9 feet in front ofthe background, and thecamera should be moved inand focused for a tight close-up. Ask your subject to hold aKODAK Gray Scale and aKODAK Gray Card (18%reflectance) angled slightly toavoid picking up reflections.The black square on the scaleshould have an image on thenegative of at least 1/4-inchacross to enable an accuratereading on a transmissiondensitometer.

Density aim points for Kodak Vericolor III (VPS) and Pro 400 (PPF) Film areindicated on the H & D curve for a full-range print.

The setup for the fill-light test.





Beginning at f/5.6, makea series of exposures at eachhalf f-stop. An informationcard indicating the f-stopused in each exposure shouldbe included in the picturearea. Have the film processedand make densitometerreadings of the densities ofthe 18% gray card and theblack square on the scale (thelightest square on thenegative) before making thesecond test. The exposurethat gives you a Status “M”red filter transmissiondensity of 0.30 unit from theblack square on the grayscale is the f-stop you shoulduse to make your main-lighttest photographs. Thiscorrelates with a density of0.65 from the gray card.With these readings, youshould have enough densityto see detail in the shadowsof your image.

Guide Point: The gray-carddensity in the fill-light test isonly 0.65. The gray-carddensity with illumination

from both the main light andthe fill light will read 0.85. Itis important to rememberthat when set correctlyexposure meters will readexposures to give a 0.85 gray-card density. Therefore, donot use a procedure thatmeters only the fill light foryour exposure.

In some situations, youmay prefer to work with alarger or smaller f-stop. Youcan then achieve the sameresults by increasing ordecreasing the intensity ofthe fill light(s). If you doublethe fill-light intensity to1,600 watt-seconds, close thelens aperture by one full f-stop. If you halve the fill lightto 400 watt-seconds, openthe lens by one full f-stop. Besure to test this methodbefore you attempt to make aphotograph.

Main-Light Density TestAfter adding the main

light, the scene brightnesspoint to strive for (aimpoint) should be a difference

of 1.00 unit of density fromhighlight to shadow. Thedensity difference shouldnever exceed 1.00 unit,which is the contrast rangelimit of color paper. This1.00 unit of densitydifference represents thedifference between thepreviously determined fill-light shadow density of 0.30and a soft diffused-highlightdensity of 1.0 produces onthe white references of thestep scale by both the mainlight and the fill light. Whilea white card would probablyregister as high as 1.90density units on the negative,remember that when colornegative density values gobelow 0.30 or above 1.30,exceeding a densitydifference of greater than1.00, this detail will not berecorded on color paper.

For a head and shoulderstest of an average subjectwith medium skin tones,place the subject 6 feet fromthe background. Keep the800 watt-second fill light inthe same position as in thefill-light test. Ask yoursubject to hold the gray scaleand gray card. Use the samef-stop that rendered the 0.30unit reading of shadowdensity during the fill-lighttest. Again include aninformation card in eachexposure, noting the lightunits used, the power setting,and the distance from themain-light flash tube to thesubject’s chin.

Before making the test,be sure that the inside of thereflector is clean and free ofdust, dirt, and grime bywiping it with a clean cloth.If your main light is aPhotogenic Studio Master II

unit, place it so the flash is ina feathered position 45inches from the subject’schin. This will model thesubject’s face properly. Maketest exposures at 25, 50, 100,and 200 watt-seconds.

If your main light has afixed output, you may adjustits intensity by moving itback to variouspredetermined distances. Thedistances should be 35, 45,63, 95, and 125 inches. Theidea is to reduce the intensityof the light by half each timeyou move the unit. If yourequipment is not efficient atthese suggested distances,make your first test at thedistance at which your lightfunctions best. Thenmultiply this distance by 1.4to find the next distance toposition your main light inorder to cut your lightintensity in half. Forexample, if your first test is at10 feet, your next test wouldbe at 14 feet (10 feet x 1.4),and the third test would be at19.6 feet (14 feet x 1.4).

Note: This system does notwork for expansive lightsourceequipment such as umbrellas.

In the main-light test,your lights should be set upexactly as they will be formaking portraits. If the mainlight is feathered in the test,it should be feathered whenmaking portraits.

When you have your testroll of film processed, ask thelab to read and record thefollowing densities for eachexposure:• Diffused highlight of the

flesh.• The white references step.• 18% gray-card references.The setup for the main light test.






This will tell you which of themain-light intensity settings ordistances register a diffusedflesh highlight density of 1.10n the subject’s forehead. Thegray side of the KODAK GrayCard that receives the sameillumination as the subjectshould read 0.85 density. Thewhite reference step shouldread 1.30.

When the 0.30 shadowdensity in the fill-light test issubtracted from the 1.30diffused highlight density ofthe main-light test, theremaining 1.00 densitydifference is the scenebrightness. This densitydifference can now producecolor negatives that will printwith full detail in both theshadow and highlight ends ofthe exposure scale. The 1.00-unit density differencebetween highlights andshadows assures that thenegative matches the color-paper scale which, as noted

previously, can handle a 1.00-unit density spread.Guide Point: This 1.00-unitdensity difference is achievedwith a 4:1 lighting ratio. In a4:1 lighting ratio, with a fixedfill light behind the camera, themain light is 1 1/2 stopsbrighter than the fill light. Ifyou want or need less density inthe highlight areas of the print,the lighting ratio can be loweredby using less light from themain light. Do not reduce thefill light.

Adjustments for Skin Tones:When photographing a blackperson, it is not necessary toincrease the f-stop exposure,since the exposure was basedon a 1.90 reflective black,which is darker than the skintones.

Note 1: All densities aretransmission Status Mred filter densities.

Note 2: Black densities are

referenced from a 1.90reflective black, using aKODAK Q14 GrayScale.

Note 3: Diffused highlight fleshis referenced fromforehead above nose.Diffused flesh is (WhiteDensity) – (greengamma x .30).

Note 4: Aim point for black isbased on +0.10 to+0.20 above base fog(D-min).

Note 5: White density is +1.00above black.

Note 6: Gray Card = Blackwith texture +1/2distance to white.

Note 7: Subtract 0.04 fromnormal values for filmscoated on ESTARSupport (i.e.,VERICOLOR III Film).

Background-Light DensityTestThe fill light and main lightshould both be operating with

the watt-second settings and atdistances found to be correctin the fill- and main-lighttests. The f-stop setting shouldbe f/11, as determined by thefirst test. Again make a testwith the background light at25, 50, 100, and 200 watt-seconds and include andinformation card for eachsetting. When the film isprocessed, ask for 4 x 5-inchprints with equal density inthe diffused highlights of theface. This test will identify thecorrect watt-second setting forthe desired background lightglow, enabling you to matchthe subject’s clothing tones tothe background tones.

Once you have completedthese tests, you will havecalibrated your equipment andall photographic variables sothat you will know exactly theeffect that these methods willproduce in low-key and high-key portrait photography.

The goal of these tests is to establish the conditions under which you can consistently produce negatives that will print a full range of subject tones.

Fran

k C

ricch

io

Fran

k C

ricch

io

Documents

B&H Photo Video Digital Cameras, Photography, Camcorders - … · 2005-01-14 · information you need to get started and succeed in the rewarding world of portrait photography. 8.5