New to Photography- lighting questions

[William W]

Tit Bits

Using the Modelling Lights: –
Viewing the scene through an ND16 or ND8 filter. . . AND having one's eye TRAINED will allow good quality Modelling Lights to be very useful for 'seeing' lighting nuances when the studio ambient light is at a low level.

However, as Colin has mentioned - most (Studio Portrait) Photographers 'know' the general area where to set the lights, anyway.

Using an ND Filter to view the scene is also of use for noticing the nuances in: Stage; Film and Television Hot Lighting Sets.

***

Digital Shooting Portraiture in the Studio, setting the Lighting and Exposure:-

With advent of Digital, many Portrait Studio Photographers are shooting and monitoring directly onto a Calibrated Monitor and that Monitor display is then is used to set the finer details of both the Lighting and also Exposure.

Although, I still use a Flash Meter, to establish the initial lighting set.

WW

[Colin Southern]

And the reason that studio strobes won't sync at the shortest sync time is that they have longer duration and are a bit slower to ignite

Yeah -- but once you get those babies cranked up there's no stopping them!

In all honesty, I don't think a lot of people really understand the differences between studio strobes and speedlights -- it's a lot more than just the massive power difference. For the reasons you mention, studio strobes are pretty hopeless at freezing action.

[Colin Southern]

Viewing the scene through an ND16 or ND8 filter. . . AND having one's eye TRAINED will allow good quality Modelling Lights to be very useful for 'seeing' lighting nuances when the studio ambient light is at a low level.

I'll bet an ND16 sharpens your manual focusing skills too

Personally I get a good feel for the lighting on the 40" tethered (TV) screen; overall the profiling of the TV sucks, but it's relative in terms of lighting -- if I can see the different levels then generally I can push/pull them using highlight/brightness controls (and digital GND filters).

Swap ya your 40 dec C for our 25 deg / rain / 99% humidity Bill

[William W]

I'll bet an ND16 sharpens your manual focusing skills too

. . . yer put the filter up to yer eye - not over the camera lens . . . but yer knew that -
but heavens . . . others might not get the joke . . .
I would not like to be party to some folk going and using ND filters for their studio shoots . . .!

***

Serious note:
Yes studio strobes are 'hopeless' for freezing action - Heather should note that if Child Portraiture is on the agenda, then sometimes it is necessary to control the action of the Children.

WW

[Colin Southern]

. . . yer put the filter up to yer eye - not over the camera lens . . . but yer knew that -
but heavens . . . others might not get the joke . . .
I would not like to be party to some folk going and using ND filters for their studio shoots . . .!

***

Serious note:
Yes studio strobes are 'hopeless' for freezing action - Heather should note that if Child Portraiture is on the agenda, then sometimes it is necessary to control the action of the Children.

WW

Actually,

I hadn't thought of that -- I must be getting old, but not as old as I thought I was. Must try it.

They say "never work with children and animals", but I disagree. Animals are fine!

[William W]

Actually, I hadn't thought of that -- I must be getting old, but not as old as I thought I was. Must try it.

ah! OK! -

Glad to assist, considering all the notes I have taken from you over the years apropos Post Production Sharpening.

Meanwhile I gotta go now - I think I'll have Pizza for dinner . . . see you later

[William W]

. . . and a casket of wine, perhaps.