(Added Mono Conversions) Wife and a Play with a Snoot

Tintin124

Tintin124

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Bryn
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Being inspired by a number of people here and the encouragement recieved and liking the style Matt Granger did with a flashgun and a home made snoot I setup tonight and tried to shoot some and see what I could get.

I started with settings suggested by @The23rdman on this @simon ess thread http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/a-portrait-and-an-apology.559993/#post-6485964

And soon dropped the aperture to f4 to get the effect I wanted.

If you can comment on the lighting and any suggestions on where I can get tips on posing or how to improve the poses as we just bumbled along and my wife gets bored quickly. No comments on background as this is a practice only to learn lighting.

7/8 is how I started before the wife got back from her run.

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IMG_6867 by bthomas124, on Flickr

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IMG_6862 by bthomas124, on Flickr

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IMG_6865 by bthomas124, on Flickr

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IMG_6869 by bthomas124, on Flickr

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IMG_6870 by bthomas124, on Flickr

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IMG_6864 by bthomas124, on Flickr

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IMG_6852 by bthomas124, on Flickr

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IMG_6850 by bthomas124, on Flickr

:ty:
 
Which one's your wife?


Ohhhhh.... ignore me. Just re-read your post. doh.
 
Tbh Bryn, I'd try it on the stairs. (Oo er missus)

Watch Matt's video of the Jade Testa shoot on the steps.

I do like the colours but I hate the snoot effect in these shots as it just looks like you've gone bonkers with the vignette slider in Lr.

Exposure looks good though mate.
 
minnnt said:
Tbh Bryn, I'd try it on the stairs. (Oo er missus)

Watch Matt's video of the Jade Testa shoot on the steps.

I do like the colours but I hate the snoot effect in these shots as it just looks like you've gone bonkers with the vignette slider in Lr.

Exposure looks good though mate.
Click to expand...

Thanks mate will check that vid out as long as it's not nsfw as will be most likely watching there.

The other reason I tried it out was I thought the effect may suit the 'chucky' idea I have for Heidi (10 mth old).
 
As well as snooted, perhaps soften the light or distance to the background? There's some harsh shadows on some. Was the flash on the camera? Perhaps move off camera?
 
Byker28i said:
As well as snooted, perhaps soften the light or distance to the background? There's some harsh shadows on some. Was the flash on the camera? Perhaps move off camera?
Click to expand...

Thanks yeah it was a play so not too bothered about background but do understand what you are saying. Flash was off camera but was on axis.

When I get some proper lighting kit I can try the softening and maybe put some foam onto end of homemade snoot.
 
Tintin124 said:
Anything else you could add above what David has said?
Click to expand...
I could very well be wrong, but rarely would I think about using a snoot as a main light. I would normally use it if I want to direct some complimentary light to a scene such as a hair light or a bit of rim lighting. It is a very hard and concentrated light and not one that I would use without it being in conjunction with another light source. I get what you were after, but you might have benefitted from perhaps a beauty box or beauty dish- you get the same sort of effect; directional and concentrated light source, but is a bit softer and although has a quick falloff, is a bit more feathered.

But I could be totally wrong, this is just my thoughts.
 
Thinking about it, I have used a snoot as a main light. I'll try to dig it up.
 
sunnyside_up said:
I could very well be wrong, but rarely would I think about using a snoot as a main light. I would normally use it if I want to direct some complimentary light to a scene such as a hair light or a bit of rim lighting. It is a very hard and concentrated light and not one that I would use without it being in conjunction with another light source. I get what you were after, but you might have benefitted from perhaps a beauty box or beauty dish- you get the same sort of effect; directional and concentrated light source, but is a bit softer and although has a quick falloff, is a bit more feathered.

But I could be totally wrong, this is just my thoughts.
Click to expand...

Oh yes I need to make myself a beauty dish. I don't have any larger type soft boxes or beautydish etc but will bear it in mind if I want to try this type of shot again.

http://www.ishootshows.com/2010/02/09/music-photographers-diy-beauty-dish/

I will try a conversion to mono as that is what I have seen tends to be the use with a snoot.

It's fun this learning stuff. :)
 
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Tintin124 said:
Thanks yeah it was a play so not too bothered about background but do understand what you are saying. Flash was off camera but was on axis.

When I get some proper lighting kit I can try the softening and maybe put some foam onto end of homemade snoot.
Click to expand...

Always fun making home made light modifiers. Baking paper works well as does tissue. Sometimes you can peal the layers of tissues to thin them if needed.
 
minnnt said:
Just watch for hot spots when making diy stuff.

If you go through my flickr stream Bryn, my #Selfie shot was snooted from the side.
Click to expand...

Nice, power turned down so minimal harsh lighting - works well.
 
minnnt said:
Just watch for hot spots when making diy stuff.

If you go through my flickr stream Bryn, my #Selfie shot was snooted from the side.
Click to expand...

I remember that and I was planning a hoodie shot. Interesting.
 
Byker28i said:
Always fun making home made light modifiers. Baking paper works well as does tissue. Sometimes you can peal the layers of tissues to thin them if needed.
Click to expand...

Cheers for the Tips... the irony it will only be half the cost of an actual real beauty dish if you buy the parts they recommend as they are american brands.

Its finding the british equivalents which is the hard part. the american bowl is huge.
 
Card works for small temp trials. I needed a narrow slit to edge light a model car so made this
138490647.jpg

138490649.jpg


which produced
138032860.jpg


That then got upscaled to a large carpet roll with a flash gun at either end for using on a full scale car
138490644.jpg


138440326.jpg


There's a whole exercise I did on messing with light settings
http://www.pbase.com/byker28i/assignment4&page=all


So well worth messing about, you only waste time but learn lots.
 
Byker28i said:
Card works for small temp trials. I needed a narrow slit to edge light a model car so made this
138490647.jpg

138490649.jpg


which produced
138032860.jpg


That then got upscaled to a large carpet roll with a flash gun at either end for using on a full scale car
138490644.jpg


138440326.jpg


There's a whole exercise I did on messing with light settings
http://www.pbase.com/byker28i/assignment4&page=all


So well worth messing about, you only waste time but learn lots.
Click to expand...

Thats Blooming brilliant... on the full scale car how did you manage the multiple firing required to cover the whole car... would it have not been easier with constant lights.

Just realised you said carpet roll so I'm guessing it was rather long.
 
About 8 feet long, cheap wireless triggers on the flash guns all set to the same channel so they trigger at the same time. The flashguns were held in place at the end of the tube with car sponges. Sticky foil tape lined the box and backing paper over the slot to diffuse the light.

The whole lot was suspended from two stands and that's more or less the image from camera with a bit of post to tidy up the dark background
 
Just come across this thread which is interesting to me because I recently had my first go at using flash for a portrait.

(Don't think I can get the permission of the mother in law to post it though) but ......

... in the original images did you consider bouncing the flash off a wall or big sheet of card to soften the shadows?
 
Elines said:
Just come across this thread which is interesting to me because I recently had my first go at using flash for a portrait.

(Don't think I can get the permission of the mother in law to post it though) but ......

... in the original images did you consider bouncing the flash off a wall or big sheet of card to soften the shadows?
Click to expand...

Tbh no I didnt guess could use that method till I can get some stands and modifiers. Though when I tried in the past not had much success but that may be cause I didn't block off direct light to the subject.
 
The one I did came out quite well and all I did was to bounce the flash off a plain wall on one side of the face and have a sheet of white card on the other to reflect some of the flash back. I attached a black sheet of foam to the underside of the flash to stop direct flash on the person.

I can't find the exact you tube video I followed but it was essentially this one but using black instead of white foamy sheet stuff
 
Elines said:
The one I did came out quite well and all I did was to bounce the flash off a plain wall on one side of the face and have a sheet of white card on the other to reflect some of the flash back. I attached a black sheet of foam to the underside of the flash to stop direct flash on the person.

I can't find the exact you tube video I followed but it was essentially this one but using black instead of white foamy sheet stuff
Click to expand...

Would you mind sharing your image? I would be interested to see what you got, was the wall painted white? At the moment the my intention is to work with single light source (no reflectors or ambient) just so I can learn when I would require said second source.
 
Elines said:
Just come across this thread which is interesting to me because I recently had my first go at using flash for a portrait.

(Don't think I can get the permission of the mother in law to post it though) but ......

... in the original images did you consider bouncing the flash off a wall or big sheet of card to soften the shadows?
Click to expand...

If your using on camera flash, what you can do is point the flash backwards and use a reflector held behind your head. Looks a bit awkward but works.
Or you use a small voice operated mobile flashgun and reflector holder (child) for off camera
 
Tintin124 said:
Would you mind sharing your image? I would be interested to see what you got, was the wall painted white? At the moment the my intention is to work with single light source (no reflectors or ambient) just so I can learn when I would require said second source.
Click to expand...

Higher Management's mum agreed to me practicing portrait photography with her as the subject on the understanding that I would not publish them on the net. But now that she has seen them and is pleased with them she may give the ok - if so I will post them.
 
Elines said:
Th...............................

I can't find the exact you tube video I followed but it was essentially this one but using black instead of white foamy sheet stuff
Click to expand...

Found it - the black foamy thing:

http://neilvn.com/tangents/about/black-foamie-thing/

If you read through it and follow links he explains somewhere why (in his view) black foam is better than white, but I think it is really a question of what you want to do eg white will be a better reflector with the flash head pointing upwards - as is demo'd in the first video
 
Thanks strangely I have seen this video before.

I have in the wings to make a flash diffuser for bouncing off the walls >> HERE << costs about £5 total to make. But there is another page that takes it to another level which I can't seem to find at the moment but it link is on home PC and an very old post of mine.
 
Ok - I have now got permission to post the image - although HM's mum did ask 'Will I be on the tele?' - mind you - she is 95 and not very IT savvy:)

8934-1414775196-fe1f4f083e724444efb159f8281c14c8.jpg


The set up was:

  • Canon 550 D with kit lens (18 - 55) with yungnuo flash on camera but with a black foamie thing on the underside
  • the camera was on a tripod and the flash was pointed at the wall to the left as you look at her. The black foamie thing on the underside of the flash meant that there was no DIRECT flash on her - hence the very soft shadows
  • she was sitting by a window (obviously you can see that:)) but I also added a sheet of white card to the right as you look at her to reflect some of the flash back on to her (ie the flash that had bounced off the wall)
I took lots of trial shots of an empty chair to try and get the flash right but still had to take maybe 15- 20 of her when she was sitting down. (The whole purpose of the exercise was to give me some practice at shooting portraits.)

I and she (and her daughters) are pleased with the outcome BUT one mistake I think I made was that I don't think I checked that the legs of the tripod (Manfrotto) were fully pulled out at the top hinge. Whatever the reason the images weren't properly vertical and so when I corrected that in PP the knitting needle was clipped. I have tried to conceal that a bit by the border.

This was my first portrait (excepting only a go at the brilliant TP Megameet last year when someone else had arranged the basic set up). and certainly the first where I had to arrange everything.
 
minnnt said:
That's a lovely shot, very nice.

Can I ask why tou didn't just bounce it over your head though? Seems like a lot of faffing around to me. BUT what you did obviously worked.

:clap:
Click to expand...

Thanks for your comments on the actual picture.

Re not bouncing it over my head ....

.... I take it you mean having the flash pointing away from her so as to hit the facing wall which would then bounce on to the ceiling (or travel straight back) and then on to her - giving a very soft light (as it would be a large light source) and so give very soft shadows.

I didn't consider it because her chair is in the corner of a long room and the flash would have had to bounce against a piece of dark furniture about 7 yards away, then travel another 7 yards on the way back to her. I didn't test it but I assumed there would be negligible effect.

When I tested with the empty chair, bouncing off the adjacent wall seemed to give a soft enough light, and so I didn't need to try any other methods.

Not really any faffing around with the reflectors because the wall was a given, and I couldn't move the chair much (although I did a bit) and the white card was clamped to a stand that was easy to reposition. I did have to move the tripod/camera though.

Most of the faffing around was in adjusting the flash. I used auto-flash but had to try out different 'zooms' on the flash because I had no idea what effect changing the zoom would have (and have since forgotten so I will have to start again on that :))
 
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