Digital Photography & Lighting Tips, Techniques and Tutorials from Ian Pack

Off Camera Flash, An Introductory Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:10:00 +0000

On the 9th December 2012 I Ied a very successful one day introduction to using hot shoe flash and Speedlites (Speedlights for Nikon shooters) off camera. Before me I had one of the most interested groups I have worked with for a long time. I was supported by Chloe our wonderful model, who I have to say understood my well developed and sometimes warped sense of humour!

With a one day workshop I can only cover the basics and give a taste of what can be done with these small and versatile flash units. In the morning we worked through use of simple and inexpensive light modifiers and basic manual flash studio style set-ups.

In the afternoon we moved outside to work with eTTL off camera flash - the same principles apply whether you're a Canon, Nikon or other brand camera user, it's just the controls may be different.

What follows is a step-by-step breakdown of one shot in particular:

As you can see, the unlit, straight out of the camera frame is pretty grim! The background is messy and the camera in Av mode has metered for the sky leaving no foreground detail.

Add a TTL flash to liven it up and create a focal point - no exposure correction either on the camera or flash.

I prefer to connect the flash via a dedicated cable rather than the Canon STE-2 remote trigger or other TTL trigger - the advantage of a cable is it does not need setting up; is not reliant on batteries; is not subject to local RF interference - the leading brands of TTL radio triggers have been allocated a frequency range in the UK which is highly over populated and includes security alarms, medical & radio telemetry and garage doors; if you're working with an assistant you know they'll be at the end of the cable and not wandering off!

The Canon STE-2 remote trigger is about as much use a chocolate teapot outside, especially in high ambient light. Here, the range was too much and we couldn't get a direct line of sight as a result of using a Lastolite Ezybox to modify the flash.

On the flash is my (not so) secret weapon, a Rosco Cinegel #02 Bastard Amber gel to warm the flash lit part of the shot without affecting the background - a camera lens filter would color the whole frame - do it in post-production and you'll need to create a mask for a local correction.

In this frame the flash has been over exposed to give more detail, probably by 2/3 or 1 stop.

This frame shows why I chose to use the Rosco Cinegel #02 Bastard Amber gel to warm the flash lit part of the shot! Unmodified, the light from most Speedlites is a little cool for my taste. If Rosco Cinegel #02 Pale Bastard Amber is too warm for your liking there is always Rosco Cinegel #302 Pale Bastard Amber for a less pronounced effect.

So, here we go. The shot is now looking more how I previsualised it - the background has been made darker by under exposing by a stop or so in camera. Remember that the aperture controls the flash exposure, the shutter the ambient or available light exposure. Use the Exposure Compensation function of your camera to make this adjustment when shooting in Aperture Value mode (Av or A).

I decided to add some interest to the final frame by adding a couple of the workshop participants, making like paparazzi. The lights they are holding are not flash, but LEDs. One was a Rosco Litepad 3 inch disc, the other a TK Max cheapy.

BTS from Nick Lightbody, looking very much as the scene would to the naked eye.

Thanks for the shot, Nick.

Camera & Flash Settings:

Camera - Canon EOS 5D MkII

Lens - Sigma 70 - 200 mm f2.8 Apo EX DG OS - what a great lens.

1/60th

ISO 320

White Balance Daylight

Av - Aperture Value auto

Exposure Compensation -1.33

Auto focus, centre spot only

Flash - Canon 580 EX II

eTTL

Exposure Compensation +0.66, maybe 1 stop

Dedicated eTTL cable to camera

Gelclip

Rosco Cinegel #02 Bastard Amber - soon to be available with Gel Clip PLUS

Lastolite Ezybox

Paint Pole with VAL Spigot

Voice Activated Light Stand (VAL)

What this space for news of a new series of lighting workshops for 2012 - not just flash, but lighting for photographers; we intend to show you how to light in all circumstances and give you the knowledge and confidence with daylight, flash and continuous lights. These workshops will start with the basics (including some theory) and build your experience, understanding and confidence in a wide variety of lighting challenges and scenarios.

Foot Note: This was the first time I had used the Sigma 70 - 200 mm f2.8 Apo EX DG OS lens. Not as heavy as I thought and with easy handling compared to my favourite Canon 100 - 400 mm F4.5/5.6 L IS glass. This lens will see a lot more use over the coming months.

London Photo Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:47:00 +0000

Ben and I will be leading a London Photo Walk this Sunday, 15th January 2012. We'll meet outside the National Theatre ready for the off at 12:30 PM.

First of all we'll visit the Landscape Photographer of the Year 2011 exhibition and then take a late afternoon stroll along South Bank toward the Palace of Westminster aka Houses of Parliament where we'll conduct a mini low-light workshop with the opportunity to photograph Parliament as the sun goes down and flood lights come on.

More information may be found here: http://www.packshots.biz/ukphotowalks/London/index.htm

There are still a few places available, so if you're at a loose end on Sunday, come and join us for an organised and led photo walk. At the end of the walk there will be a brief Chimping Competition for what we consider the best image of the day - the winner will receive a mystery prize!

A couple of things to remember for this London Photo Walk a tripod and some sort of remote release; and make sure you check you images magnified on your LCD screen, what looks good full frame can really let you down when magnified, especially as I'll have my Hoodman Hoodloupe 3 with me!

We look forward to saying you on Sunday. If you're travelling from Brighton by train, let us know and maybe we can hook-up on the way into town.

And for those of you who wan to improve your low-light and open shutter photography skills, the next NPS Photo User Group (PUG) meeting on Monday 6th February 2012 will be dedicated to open shutter i.e. long exposure techniques at the Woolpack in Burgess Hill.

TTFN

Ian

NPS Photo User Group December 2011 Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:50:00 +0000

On 1st December 2011 we held our second NPS Photo User Group meeting, affectionately known as the PUG! Our first meeting in November was a great success with Jim Marks keeping the audience enthralled for well over two hours talking about his work, experiences and where he sees the future of photography.

The second meeting presented those who attended with a photography challenge, to reinterpret an image of Al Murray, aka The Pub Landlord.

Click here to see original image

Myself, Ben Potter and Chris Cook were on hand to explain the brief, offer guidance, ideas and assistance through the evening. The Flash Centre kindly provided Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX portable battery flash and Rosco Labs lighting correction and modification materials.

Once the group had warmed-up and began interacting and most important, asking questions and for help the yeas really started to flow.

We did help the group by showing them the extent of the retouching done to create the final image, by pointing out telltale signs, which I have highlighted in the overlay below.

The retouching has been highlighted in yellow. Even as a small image on screen the signs are there; look at the top of Al's head for the pale area between him and the background - more obvious signs and the fake catchlights in the jewelry and tie pin. Even the bar on which he appears to be leaning has been dropped in during post-production.

I'm pleased to say that a couple of the participants have submitted their reinterpreted images for a all to see.

Thanks to Nick & Bogusia Lightbody for this image. They lit the shot from camera left with one Elinchrom Ranger Quadra, modified with a Rotalux 70 cm Deep Octa soft box and balanced the shutter speed to give the shot background atmosphere from the ambient light. The glass in John's hand has been shot separately and dropped in during post-production. A good effort from what at first seemed a simple brief. Well done both.

The next image is from Nick Maddox, a regular visitor to both the PUG and other events and workshops we run. This is a straight shot, lit very much the same as Nick & Bogusia, but with John's head turned more to camera right. It looks as if Nick M has used a higher shutter speed as the ambient balance is not as bright.

Here Nick has dropped in both a glass and background in line with the reinterpretation brief. This is a cracking effort with excellent Photoshop skills - I suspect CS5 may have been used to extract John from the background! Nick has also replaced the glass and added some sparkle of his own. Again, another fine effort. Well done, Nick.

To end the evening, Ben & I did a quick and unscheduled lighting demo with the aid of 2 heads plugged into the Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX pack. We wanted a more considered image of John to highlight his luxuriant beard and wonderful features. If some of you are wondering where you have seen John before, he's the guy that the Coca Cola Company use as a model to guide the artists for all the CGI images they use of Santa.

Santa wondering what those pesky elves are doing now?

We decided that we didn't want any local ambient light in the shot so I dialed my shutter up to 1/160 th second on a Canon 5D MkII. The lighting is pretty simple - one Quadra head to camera left with the Rotalux 70 cm Deep Octa soft box and to camera right a standard Quadra head and 21 cm /8 inch reflector with a couple of layers of Rosco Cinegel #3006 Tough Spun to take the edge off the bare 21 cm /8 inch reflector.

Rough sketch of our lighting for the shot of John after the event.

John at the bar.
Wall behind, roughly 4 or 5 feet away.
Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX A head with 8 inch reflector and Rosco Spun.
Ben with light on adapted paint roller pole.
Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX A head with Rotalux 70 cm Deep Octa soft box
Me with Canon 5D Mk II, 24 - 105 mm f4 IS L Series glass

Our thanks to Nick Lightbody for this "still life" of Ben & I at work!

Ben came in useful as a VAL - Voice Activated Light Stand to position the second light behind John to bring detail to his hair and separation from the background. I must point out that we were working in an open pub, where it would have been impractical to place a tripod lighting stand behind he busy bar on Health & Safety grounds.

Our thanks go to Lance and his staff at The Woolpack in Burgess Hill for a warm welcome every time. The Woolpack has now been adopted as our home base for the National Photographic Society PUG (Photo User Group) in West Sussex.

Another advantage of working with Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX flash is that they are battery powered and totally portable; so have the advantage of not trailing mains leads, or having to find a power outlet when you're in a hurry. And if you're in the UK, as they are not mains powered, you will not (as far as I know) need a PAT (Portable Appliance Test) Certificate for them.

This is our favorite frame from our quick 5 minute portrait of John. There is little post-production here, just the usual tweaks in ACR to process the RAW files.

Our thanks to The Flash Centre and Rosco Labs for their support.

If you wish to hire or buy any of the products mentioned here, contact Simon Burfoot at The Flash Centre and don't forget to mention the NPS PUG in Burgess Hill.

We all hope that you all had an enjoyable Christmas and wish you well and a successful 2012.

London Photo Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:13:00 +0000

Thames Embankment, Lambeth Side

Ben & I have broken with tradition and are running the London visit to the Landscape Photographer of the Year and low-light mini workshop on Sunday 15th January 2012 - circumstances beyond our control (well, that's our story) prevented us from running the event in December, sorry!

We intend to meet outside the National Theatre on South Bank at 12:30 PM prompt. Ben & I will be there early, as we'd like to get maximum time at LPOTY exhibition.

The plan is to walk along South Bank with its' variety of photo opportunities to the Lambeth side of the Thames opposite The Palace of Westminster where we will conduct a mini low light workshop as the sun goes down and Parliament becomes flood lit at around 4:23 PM - this should give us about 2 hours at the exhibition.

For anyone travelling from Brighton or places close to the Brighton to London rail line, do let us know as it would be good to meet enroute on the train to London.

For more details of the event, please visit

http://www.packshots.biz/ukphotowalks/London/index.htm

The National Photographic Society Photo User Group (West Sussex) NPS PUG is bought to you in association with The Flash Centre & Rosco Labs.

Synology DS411+ NAS Enclosure FOR SALE

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:10:00 +0000

Digital photographers generate large volumes of image data on a regular basis. The biggest danger of working with digital files is the potential for lost or corrupted data. Apple computer users have a distinct advantage over PC users as Time Machine makes an easy to access backup of your system hard disk drive (HDD) and data on a regular basis with little or no intervention, but what do you do about preserving the integrity of your precious image files when stored on an external USB HHD?

The solution is actually very simple, install a NAS or Network Attached Storage device. A NAS connects to your Ethernet/Cat 5/6 hard wired network and is accessible by any users given access rights. NAS devices can be configured in a number of ways to protect your data, the most common being the mirrored RAID array or RAID 1, where data is written to multiple HDDs, usually two. In the event of one HDD failing, your data is still available on the second RAID HDD.

I am in the process of upgrading my system and as a consequence have a spare Synology DS411+ NAS enclosure for sale. The enclosure is new and in the original box.

http://www.synology.com/us/products/DS411+/index.php

This is a self-contained box which plugs into your network to save your data. The enclosure will take up to 4 x 3Tb HDD which are not included, but can be bought inexpensively from www.ebuyer.com or similar. As well as saving your data these units can be configured as mail, ftp or web servers. The unit is easy to set-up and configure with automated or manual settings.

The Synology DS411+ NAS enclosure is a sound investment costing between £400 and £600.00. I'll accept £300.00 for this unit, plus UK mainland shipping at £12.50. Collection from Sussex may be available. Please contact me direct via http://www.packshots.biz/contact_us.htm

Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX Portable Battery FlashFOR SALE

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:29:00 +0000

Freeze action on location with the Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX A Head Flash

On location with Rotalux 70 cm Deep Octa - loverly light;-)

I have for sale, two used but in new condition and boxed Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX portable battery flash kits . These represent stunning value when compared to the new prices!

KIT ONE - 2 x A heads, 2 x batteries, power pack, leads, Skyport transmitter, fitted case. See here for more information. Bargain at £1,000.00 (one thousand pounds) saving £529 on the RRP

KIT TWO - 1 x A head, 1 x battery, power pack, lead, fitted case. See here for more information. Bargain at £800.00 (eight hundred pounds) saving £300 on the RRP

If you're interested do get in touch with me soon as at these prices the kits will not hang around long. If you're serious about your photographic lighting Elinchrom flash is a sound investment that will last you many years. I have Elonchrom mono blocs getting on for 20 + years old still in regular use.

Big light from a compact and powerful flash system.

Take your studio on location with the Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX Portable Battery Flash

These units are the natural progression for off-camera flash and Speedlite users* that need more power and versatility - a 400 joule Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX head in about 4 TIMES more powerful than the average Speedlite. So by the time you've bought 2 or 3 camera manufacturers brand hot shoe flashes for 400 quid each and the three or 4 Speedlite adaptor that some companies are selling to benefit from the combined power, you may as well buy into professional quality system flash. The RX models (with an adaptor, available separately) can be controlled by your iPhone using the new Elinchrom app!

Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX portable battery flash are compatible with the full range of Elinchrom light modifiers including the wonderful Octa 197cm lightbank using the EL Mount Adaptor - I even have a Elinchrom Light Shaper which is getting on for 30 years old which I use with these lights.

If you shoot video, there is also a very powerful daylight LED modelling light which serves as an effective light when shooting moving images.

* They also look the business. Some clients, commercial or otherwise will make judgements as soon as they see your kit. I have one or two where I know that if I turn up for a job with Speedlites (which incidentally they also own) they will not take any images I create seriously. So in some spheres what you've got, as opposed to what you can do with it does count;-)

All Quiet . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:04:00 +0000

Sorry if I've been quiet for the last couple of weeks but work has taken over, not that I'm complaining. I've been working at a client premises and outside of UK where Internet access is limited so am behind with a whole bunch of stuff including responses to email messages. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Ian

Worldwide Photo Walk Brighton 1st October 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:44:00 +0000

Once again Worldwide Photo Walk is nearly upon us and dare I say (fingers and limbs crossed) that the weather is looking pretty good for October! So please don't forget something to drink, sun screen and a hat. Those of you with experience of English weather may also want to bring waterproofs;-)

We meet at the bus stop by the Royal Albion Hotel as it's less crowded than in front of Brighton Pier.

Google Maps

Hotel Website

The bus stop is to your right of the front of the hotel, as if your were walking in.

Some of you may choose to drive to Brighton. The car park we recommend is London Road/Providence Place as it's reasonably secure and rarely gets busy. It is also close to the finish of the walk.

I have prepared a PDF file for you to download and print with information about the walk.

Do come prepared to create a whole load of images as there are a lot of photo-opportunites in store for you, starting with the Brighton Breeze VW Spilt Screen Camper Run on Madeira Drive.

Info here and here

We then move on to what for some is a compulsory stop on the Brighton tourist trail, the Royal Pavilion.

Info here

We intend to do a "quick" group shot with the Royal Pavilion as a backdrop. Is there such a thing as a quick group shot of 50 people, especially photographers?

Then onto the Fun Fair - this will present a different set of photographic opportunities and challenges. We will be around to help out, offer advice and tips or in some cases hinder.

At 5:00 PM there will be a Chimping Competition - for those of you not familiar with Chimping, more info here. The judging process for the Chimping Competition is very straightforward - you choose what you consider to be your best image from the day and display it on your LCD screen. Sorry film photographers, you'll fog your film beyond use if you take part:) We, Ben, myself and possibly Chris then look and the images and decide on a favourite. Our decision is final and correspondence will not be entered into. Judging may be swayed by means of bribes including booze, brown envelopes stuffed with crisp clean notes, preferably sterling and non-sequential numbers or other suitable means.

You will need to keep your eyes open on Saturday and look for images - I call this thinking with your eyes. To add another dimension to the event we are going to include 2 or 3 optional Fotothon style clues for you to interpret and get the grey matter functioning. In view of this, you may want to download and print a few of these - just in case!

There will be mystery prizes during the day.

Do feel free to hang around after the official close of the walk as there will be many more photo-opportunities. We may even venture back to the beach and Brighton Pier to create some slow shutter speed in camera SFX - click here for images from workshop Ben & led a couple of weeks back to give you an idea of what you could achieve.

Suggested Kit List
Remember, you are the one who is going to carry it, no Sherpas here! Ben and I will have our own kit to carry.

Note book and pen/pencil etc - useful for recording thing your camera metadata does not.
Camera & lenses* - any camera, including film.
Memory - loads - data backed up and formatted in the camera being used
Batteries - freshly charged
Tripod for low-light shots at the Fun Fair
Hot shoe flash or Speedlite and bits - may be useful for one of the Fotothon style clues we will give you. Can't say more.

* As many or few as you want. Zoom glass will always be more versatile than primes, but primes are lighter and generally better quality than kit zooms. Don't do what some have done in the past and have so many lenses that you miss shots because you can't decide the best lens - the best lens for any shot is the one on the camera at the time.

And remember, this walk is about creating some stunning and memorable images, having some fun along the way and meeting like-minded photographers - as far as we know any romances started on the WWPW have been kept under wraps.

Please do not forget to upload your images to the Brighton Worldwide Photo Walk page for us to select the one image which is put forward into the BIG prize competition.

That's it for now. No images, in this blog. Let's see what you can come with on Saturday and I may even feature a few in this blog sometime soon.

We're getting all excited about Saturday because it's about having fun - and this of you who know Ben & I will know what I mean:-)

TTFN

Ian

Flirting With Flash - Gemma

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:08:00 +0000

On Wednesday 14th September 2011, Ben & I presented a short low-light workshop of the Brighton Photographers Meet Up Group on Brighton beach. They are a great group with loads of enthusiasm, fun and a desire to learn.

There is talent in this group as the gallery images show. I'm always pleased to see great images produced during a workshop and the satisfaction gained.

At the end of the evening Ben & I shot a wee demo showing the group how to combine off-camera flash with the ambient low-light. Carina, one of the group organisers very kindly 'persuaded' a friend or a friend, Gemma to help us out.

Flirting with Flash - Gemma
A step-by-step guide to lighting with off-camera flash

Click on images to view larger

Background
Simple - a glamorous lady, in a stunning dress using the bright lights of Brighton as our backdrop.

Kit used
Canon 5D Mk II, 100 - 400 mm f4.5/5.6 L IS
1 x Canon 580 EX II Speedlite
1 x Frio Cold Shoe
Yong Nuo RF602 Radio Triggers
Lastolite Ezybox Hotshoe 54 x 54 cm

Step-By-Step

1. Too dark. 1/60th, f5.6, 320 ISO, WB daylight. Manual exposure.

2. That's better. More detail coming through. Open the shutter 2 stops more, 1/15th, f5.6, 320 ISO, WB daylight.

3. Add in the flash, which is a bit over exposed or hot. Flash at 1/8th power. Manual. Sorry Gemma;-)

4. The Big Close Up (BCU). Now, that's better. Flash power reduced by 2/3rd stop to 1/16 + 1/3rd. Working outside with no reflective surfacesclose by shows you the true light from your flash or modifier. Close to your model a very flattering light.

Remember that as you move the light further away the smaller it becomes in relation to your model. As you move the flash further away, the output is effectively reduced and the shadows have a harder edge. Working close means you can use lower power settings and a wider aperture for greater control over how the background looks.

When working with flash and ambient light you are lightinging planes with the shutter controling the ambient light plane and the aperture the flash or foreground plane in this case. I could have closed down the aperture to control the flash but wanted to maintain the look of the background so instead adjusted the flash power output.

5. The Long Shot (LS). Notice how the light is brighter at the top of the image. Remember that this softbox is only 20 inches square. For more even illumination for a full length shot we'd need bigger light or even a second smaller light. The bigger light was not practical as there were a few knots of wind blowing!

6. The Wide Shot (WS) or General View (GV). Here you can see the whole set-up. I try and work with at least an assistant where practical. In this case Ben Potter who is a very able photographer acting as my VAL or Voice Activated Lightstand. VALs have many advantages over conventional light stands:

They can carry your bags.
They keep an eye on your gear whre not otherwise distracted.
They will tell you when you have your lens cap on.
They communicate with the talent and abuse them as you're too far away 'cos you've decided that a 100- 400 is the best glass for this shot and you've left the walkie-talkie at the studio - true!
They hold the light in a (vaguely) constant position and move when the model moves. Remember we are working manual exposure here so no eTTL or iTTL to compensate for any changes in flash-to-subject distance.
With any luck they'll notice things you don't as you're to concerned about keeping the image sharp and in focus.

Key to the GV above:

Voice Activated Lightstand.
Paint Roller from DIY store, much cheaper than a boom pole made for photographers and just as good. I have a special adaptor that I designed to adapt the pole to the industry standard 5/8th inch/16mm spigot.
Canon 580 EX II Speedlite in Manual mode, with the zoom set to 24mm, held onto Lastolite bracket by a Frio Cold Shoe. The most valuable piece of blue plastic you will ever buy. They prevent your (expensive) Speedlite from falling out of the manufacturers crappy badly designed excuse for a fitting.
Lastolite Ezybox 54 x 54 cm collapsible softbox. More directional and therefore controlable than a translucent shoot-through brolly which would spread the light too much for this shot.
Giottos carbon fibre tripod. Even though I was using the lens Image Stabiliser, the guarantee and sharp image and take the load from my arm I rested my elbow on the tripod head. This is a great tip where you need stability and mobility.
Idiot Photo Bomber - we didn't see this until I started processing the images. Not a lot you can do but tolerate the idiotic sense of fun:-)

7. The Medium Long Shot (MLS). Notice how the position of the light give soft modelling/shadows to the shot and falls away making the lower part of the frame darker leading your eye to, and placing emphasis on Gemma's face.

8. The Head Shot (HS). The light here is just off to camera right (stage left), top in front of Gemma giving wonderful soft light with just the right amount of flattering modelling.

9. A shot from earlier in the session. Light to camera left (stage right). As I moved closer to Gemma the out of focus background became more pronounced. Even though I chose to use zoom glass for these shots, I will leave the zoom (generally) at one focal length and move away or closer as if I'm using a prime lens. Here the focal length was close to 400 mm on full frame and about 6.5 metres away, or 21 feet if you prefer;-)

I will be leading a variety of independent lighting workshops over the next few months. What this space or follow me on Twitter or facebook for updates.

Follow @ianpack

All the products mentioned here are available from The Flash Centre. Contact Simon Burfoot by email to place your order. simon@theflashcentre.com

Diffusing Flash and Speedlites

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:25:00 +0000

I think that many stills photographers limit their creativity by only using translucent white umbrellas or soft boxes as a means of diffusing their studio flash or Speedlites. Cinematographers and video professionals have been modifying and diffusing their hard often hot incandescent or tungsten light sources for decades with the aid of no more than simple diffusion materials.

The advantage of working with Rosco Cinegel diffusion materials is the ability to control the apparent size of your light source in relation to your subject modify how the shadows look.

Shown here are just five of the many and varied diffusion materials from the Rosco Cinegel range.

CONTROL - Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX head without diffusion

When looking at the following images look carefully at the density of the shadow behind Fred and also the hardness or softness of the shadow edge. The quality of the light on the face and shadows will also change. Click on the images to view larger.

# 3007 Light Tough Spun

Spun diffusion materials give a feathering effect to the light beam with minimal beam spread.

# 3008 Tough Frost

Frost difusion materials give a more diffused effect with moderate beam spread.

#3011 Tough Silk

Silk diffusion materials give directional diffusion and may be used with Rosco Photofoil or Cinefoil to create slashes or streaks of light. Notice the unidirectional lines in the material.

#3032 Light Grid Cloth

Grid cloth diffusion materials give dense diffusion with a wid ebeam spread and equate to the material used in soft boxes and translucent umbrellas for stills flash photography.

#3030 Grid Cloth

Just about all Rosco diffusion materials are available in differing densities allowing you to fine adjust the look and feel of your images. For those of you wanting to experiment with the materials Rosco supply a pack of 10" x 12" mixed sheets. The materials are also available as 20" x 24" cut sheets and 48" wide rolls.

I use #3030 and #3032 Grid Cloths as a means of creating a broad soft light source where others would use a cheap shower curtain. The materials are very colour stable so do not discolour or fade over time. By placing one or two flash heads or Speedlites about 3 feet behind a large sheet of Grid Cloth I can emulate the look of broad diffused light as if coming in through a window on a cloudy day.

Lighting Notes:

Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX head with standard reflector.
Gel frame approximately 8 inches from light source.
Light 4 feet from Fred, at 30 inches above eye level to camera lef, roughly 45 degrees.

Watch this space and I will publish some worked examples with BTS images and lighting design diagrams sometime soon.

All the products mentioned here are available from The Flash Centre. Contact Simon Burfoot by email to place your order simon@theflashcentre.com

Flirting with 02, 302 & 3420 - Creating Mood with Rosco Gels & Canon Speedlites

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:59:00 +0000

Back in June I was honoured to be asked to present a live Speedliting off-camera flash demo at the inaugural Central London SMUG.

What follows is a step-by-step walk-through of the creation of "Flirting with 02, 302 & 3420" - the lighting geeks among us will recognise the numbers as Rosco Cinegel references - flirting, well I do wonder what was going on between Alexandra my actress friend and the guy in the foreground!

Flirting with 02, 302 & 3420

Background
The idea behind this image was to create the mood of a restaurant candle-lit meal without the benefit of a candle in the shot.

Kit used
Canon 50D, 50 mm f1.4
2 x Canon 550 EX Speedlites
Manfrotto Nano stand 5001B
Manfrotto 175 Justin Clamp
2 x Manfrotto 026 Umbrella Adaptor
2 x Frio Cold Shoe
Yong Nuo RF602 Radio Triggers
2 x Gel Clip
6 mm Honeycomb Grid
Rosco Photofoil
Rosco #02 Bastard Amber Cinegel
Rosco #302 Pale Bastard Amber Cinegel
Rosco #3420 Double CTO Cinegel

Step-By-Step

1. Camera AV mode, aperture priority f2, 1/25th, ISO 320, WB daylight, RAW & JPEG.

2. Camera to M mode, manual f2.8, 1/60th, ISO 320 - ambient exposure dialled down to create background mood.

3. First flash added using settings above. Power approximately 1/64th, flash tube zoomed to 105 mm. Light was aimed to shoot through the wine bottle and glass to create the break-up effect on Alexandra's left arm.

4. Camera & flash settings unchanged. Gel Cip with Rosco #02 Bastard Amber & #302 Pale Bastard Amber Cinegel to give warmth simulating candle light. Honeycomb grid to create beam to flash. Remember that anything the is not perfectly clear that is placed in front of your flash will reduce the output. In this case the reduction in light output has contributed to the mood in the image.

5. The romantic mood of the image was spoiled by the background voyeurs! Separation from the background has added depth to the image and lifted the foreground ever so slightly. The accent/separation light was attached to the bar just out of shot with the Manfrotto 175 Justin Clamp. This was another Canon 550EX at 128th power roughly 2 - 3 meters from Alexandra. Didn't need oodles of power as it being used direct without bounce, just gel. Colour was added with a single layer of Rosco #3420 Double CTO (Color Temperature Orange) Cinegel and snooted with a double layer of Rosco Photofoil formed into a vertical slot snoot approximately 1 inch wide by 4 inches high - this controlled the spill of light giving the accent on Alexandra's hair and on the left of the guy in the foreground.

The image above is as the RAW file came out of the camera without any Tweeks in ACR or post-production.

6. The final image with ACR adjustments and the distracting window in the background retouched by Ben Potter.

7. Lighting design.

A relatively simple shot to create using simple gear. I have variations on this shot which I'll post in future.

TTFN

Ian

All the products mentioned here are available from The Flash Centre. Contact Simon Burfoot by email to place your order simon@theflashcentre.com

Are Your Photos Newsworthy? Two Bright Lights and SmugMug partner to streamline the process of getting photos featured.

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:14:00 +0000

Are Your Photos Newsworthy? Two Bright Lights and SmugMug partner to streamline the process of getting photos featured.

Well worth a look. Wonder if this is applicable to UK market? I'll take a look see.

Ian

Elinchrom Ranger Quadra Flash FOR SALE

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:17:00 +0000

A friend wants to upgrade his flash and has the following FOR SALE: Elinchrom Ranger Quadra 2 head 'S' set, controller, 2 x batteries etc all in hard carry case. A bargain at £900. Contact me direct and I'll put you in touch ianpack(a)packshots.biz - just replace the (a) with the @ symbol;-)

Shoreham Air Show 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:21:00 +0000

RAF Merlin HC Mk3
Shoreham Airport sits next to the River Adur over looked by the spectacular chapel of Lancing College

Saturday & Sunday 20th & 21st August 2011

From little acorns do mighty oaks grow and Shoreham Air Show has to be on of the finest examples of this I have seen. In 1989 Don Bean MBE and his wife decided to start a small event in a hangar at Shoreham Airport in West Sussex to raise money for the RAFA Wings Appeal. The Shoreham Air Show has grown year on year since and continues to grow. It is the only event of its' kind in the UK run entirely by volunteers.

Don and his team work flat out for the whole year planning and negotiating a varied and breath-taking display of civil, military, fixed and rotary wind aircraft. They also plan extensive ground displays and entertainment for aviation widows/widowers (those whose partners are leaft behind whilst the other oohhs and aahhs over buzzy things in the sky for over seven hours). On the ground there will be childrens' entertainment, crafts, charities, a variety of static displays and of course beer and food.

On Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st August the air show gates will open early with the flying display schedules to start at 10:30 AM going on until around 5:00 PM when the spectacular Avro Vulcan will make an appearance.

Justyn Gorman with his Extra 300L

During the show the Shoreham based pilot will display his awesome aerobatic skills in the Extra 300L. Justyn has developed a new display this year drawing influeneces from aerobatics champions Diana Britten and Xavier de Lapparent. Justyns display contains some thrilling manoeuvers and gyroscopic tumbles pulling high G-forces during the display without the benefit of a g-suit from which fast jet pilots benefit.

A somewhat draughty position!

One of the highlights of the show is sure to be the utterly fearless Brietling Wingwalkers perched atop the wings of 1940s vintage Boeing Steerman biplanes. This year Shoreham is one of the few venues to see all four Steerman in the wing perform together.

Great skill and concentration is required from the pilots when flying in close formation

The list of displays may be found at the Shoreham Air Show website. Do go along and prepare to be amazed at the skill and dedication of the pilots and also raise money for a very worthy cause, the RAFA Wing Appeal.

Photography White Balance Technique

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:12:00 +0000

There will be times when you go out with a specific image in mind and as in England the weather will let you down.

Making the most of cr4p natural light!

Ben & I went out with the intention of doing a test shot for a series of new images we're working on. We really wanted the warm light from the setting sun to provide a backdrop for the shot of Kim on the beach. And as is the norm here, the cloud came over and obscured the sun giving us boring, flat grey sky with no clouds for interest.

The main light was to be be an Elinchrom Quadra Ranger RX modified with a Rotalux 70 cm Deep Octa. I could have gone with any number of lighting designs here but opted for warmth in the sky with direction from the Octa. As I did not have my Rosco CalColor gels with me I used a Rosco product called #3072 or 1/2 Blue Grid Cloth.

My thanks to Ben Potter for this BTS frame showing the lighting

This is a fabric or textile similar to the rip stop nylon used to make sails or parachutes. Rosco Labs have created an accurately colour corrected textile to raise the colour temperature of your lights. #3072 or 1/2 Blue Silent Grid Cloth is used primarily in the film and theatre industries for modifying light sources over a large area in studios or stages. I have found it very useful when using soft boxes or similar light modifiers with stills photography.

The technique used here I mention in my blog back in January 2011 and have to thank American photographer Rolando Gomez for the inspiration. Once mastered, this white balance technique which I have dubbed "Cross Balancing" is pure workflow.

First of all you need to decide the colour you want to change to sky and ambient light. Then look at a colour wheel and choose the colour opposite the final choosen colour, this is the complimentary colour. This colour wheel has been extracted from the Rosco booklet Filter Facts which I strongly recommend you download and keep for future reference. If you light (i.e. are a serious stills or video photographer) sooner or later you will need to refer to it.

9 Steps for Cross Balancing workflow:

Decide on backgound colour.
Select CalColor gel.
Correct and modify light source.
Take white balance reference where model/subject will be.
Preferably set custom white balance in camera so you can preview what's happening.
Get your shots.
Post-production white balance. Remember to shoot RAW as any in camera custom white balance will only affect the JPEG/preview file.
Adjust image.
Print or publish image(s).

White balance is essential with this technique.

The uncorrected image, a bit cool for my liking . . .

The final image white balanced in post-production/processing.

Here is the finished image. The skin tones look more natural and the shadows have picked up the false colour of the ambient fill light.

Another lighting idea to try soon.

TTFN

Ian

All the products mentioned here are available from The Flash Centre. Contact Simon Burfoot by email to place your order simon@theflashcentre.com

Worldwide Photo Walk 2012 - Brighton

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 10:17:00 +0000

Well, it's official Worldwide Photo Walk will take place over the weekend of 1 & 2 October 2011.

More information may be found about the worldwide event over at Scott Kelby's blog and the official Worldwide Photo Walk website. If you're in the Brighton, UK area on Saturday 1st October Ben Potter & I will be leading the Brighton event, with maybe a couple of Fotothon style clues thrown in for a bit of fun! More information about the Brighton event will be posted here, just as soon as Ben & I have come up with a fresh new route for 2011.

Ben & I have led the Brighton Worldwide Photo Walk for the last 2 years - here's a wee promo we created in 2009 for the event.

We look forward to meeting everyone on the 1st October. I'm sure that there will be some famililar faces and maybe even some new ones!

TTFN

Ian

Elinchrom 70 cm Deep Octa

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:25:00 +0000

On Wednesday Ben & I joined a small group of photographers on Brighton Beach to help them improve their skills shooting with a tripod.

Earlier in the evening we had done a test shot so I had my Elinchrom Ranger Quadra RX with me and a 70 cm Deep Octa soft box.

I thought that it would be fun to get a quick shot of the group "for the record". Camera on a tripod 1 second exposure, f5.6, 320 ISO. For me it's good to get out and just shoot for the sake of it and the Brighton Photographers MeetUp Group made both of us feel very welcome. Thanks guys.

All the products mentioned here are available from The Flash Centre. Contact Simon Burfoot by email to place your order simon@theflashcentre.com

Mac OS X Lion to DVD

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:44:00 +0000

Well, the OS we've all been waiting for has finally been released by Apple, but only as a download from the App Store. So if you're like me and want a DVD "just in case" you can either wait for Apple to release a disk later in the year at a premium price of $70 or make your own DVD, which is simple if you remember to close the auto-installer after Lion has downloaded.

If you go to the following link you will find detailed, yet simple instructions on how to make you very own bootable Mac OS X Lion DVD:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20080989-263/how-to-create-an-os-x-lion-installation-disc/

I have just made my own DVD and it works!

Photographers Beware - Bracknell Forest Borough Council

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:10:00 +0000

I am in the process of researching a project and came across this statement in a document published by Bracknell Forest Borough Council.

Please keep a copy of the Agreement and return it the Communications and Marketing Team
at: Easthampstead House, Town Square, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 1AQ.
• I understand that in the context of data protection legislation, a photographer taking photographs
working on commission for the Council will be considered as a "data processor". The Council's
agreement to work with me is on the basis that I work under instruction from the Council;
• I understand that the Council will only work with photographers who guarantee to act appropriately to
prevent unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage
to, personal data including photographs;
• The copyright for the photographs I produce when commissioned by the Council will be owned by the
Council. These photographs may be used by the Council for any purpose it wishes (subject to the
Council’s compliance with data protection). I am aware that permission has not been given to me to
use the photographs for any purpose.
• I understand that I may not disclose the photographs to any other person unless specifically required to
do so in order to fulfil the requirements of photographic work to be undertaken for the Council.
• I understand that if I wish to disclose or use a photograph for any purpose of my own I must obtain the
prior written permission of the Council.

http://www.whitegrove.bracknell-forest.sch.uk/pdfs/photography-guidelines.pdf

You have been warned, Bracknell Forest Borough Council want your intellectual property!

Canon Off-Camera Flash - Outdoor PR Images

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:34:00 +0000

Last Wednesday I attended a meeting of our local business association at the Plumpton College, a land based college close to the South Downs in East Sussex. We had a wonderful evening hosted by Des Lambert, the college Principle.

Des Lambert, Principle, Plumpton College talks to BHBPA members about the college and the extensive estate it farms within the South Downs National Park

Needless to say I took a camera Speedlite with me. Just a shame that my trusty friend and VAL (Voice Activated Light Stand) Ben wasn't there, but he ended up fire-fighting a crisis at the publishers he works for!

As is the case in England, the weather wasn't really on my side so I needed to do a little enhancing to get some decent images. The create the above image of Des I took the Canon 580 EXII Speedlite off-camera left with an eTTL lead; the Canon 5D MkII was set to Av mode with the background under exposed by a stop or so for a little drama. The Speedlite was set to over exposure by 2/3 stop. By doing this I placed emphasis on the main subject, Des and the people in the background receed. A wide stop adds to the background de-emphasis.

Image processing and post-production were carried out with Bridge and Photoshop. Basic exposure tweeks in Bridge then a few local adjustments in PS using a dodge/burn adjustment layer.

As you can see from this unlit image, the light was pretty flat and boring and needed a bit of a lift.

This shot of Des was lit and exposed very much as the first. You can see the effect of the Speedlite by the light area in the image. The darker area was not lit by the flash and is the ambient exposure recorded by the camera sensor.I would have preferred to light this shot from the right rather than the left to place more emphasis on Des's face. The trouble was no Ben, but I still got a usable shot.

To get this image I had to move a way from the group. Don't be shy about getting into a different position to get your images; run with the crowd and you'll get run-of-the-mill images. Change your position and point-of-view (PoV) and you'll create images that stand out from the crowd.

Have a great weekend and keep an eye open for news of the Fotothon winners to be announced tomorrow - providing they all respond to our notification emails!

Ian

Fotothon 2011 - Winners Chosen

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:39:00 +0000

Chris, Ben & I, together with serious input from Charlie Waite & Nigel Atherton means that very shortly we will be announcing the Fotothon Brighton winners. The task has not been easy; the standard of entries has far exceeded our expectations with some real stunners. The overall winner is well deserved and everyone who entered is to be congratulated.

We will be contacting all winners within the next 48 hours to get the high resolution original files together with model release forms where applicable.

Our thanks to both Charlie & Nigel for their support in this venture. Without the support of everyone involved Fotothon would not have evolved to where it is in such a short time.

Ian

News from Moo - The Online Printing Company

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:03:00 +0000

Online printing company MOO now has round and rectangular stickers, 40% off until the end of June! http://moo.com/link/h7ar

Well worth a look.

I'll be back in the loop soon after neglecting the blog for sometime. A lot going on at present with some exciting new content coming soon.

Ian

Fotothon 2011 - Galleries are Live

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 19:20:00 +0000

A massive thank you to everyone who turned out for Fotothon yesterday. The Fotothon crew had a great day and met some wonderful people.

Entrants have now started to upload their images to the galleries at http://fotothon.smugmug.com/ContestGalleries and if the Chimping Contest yesterday is an indicator of the talent out there and quality of images created, we are going to have our work cut out with the judging.

Have to go now in order to get ready for a full day tomorrow, including the first London SMUG where I'll be doing a short lighting live demo "Strobology - The Art & Craft of Photographic Lighting with Small Flash". I have a couple of set-ups to show, so if you do come along, bring your camera,as there may be an opportunity to get a few shots!

And last of all, we must not forget everyone who made Fotothon such a success, you know who you are, come into the spotlight and take a bow. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Check out the Foto Thon Facebook page for comments and feedback on the event so far.

Fotothon 2011 - Entry Fees

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 11:22:00 +0000

We've had a few queries regarding entry fees for Fotothon 2011, so I thought it best to clarify a few points:

You're welcome to turn-up and pay on the day, even if you have not registered. But do bear in mind that we will not have the facility to take payment by any form of plastic card - cash only on the day.
If you do want to come along on the day and need to pay by plastic then you'll need to go to our secure online booking page and make your payment before registering at the start point.
Fotothon will be checking-in entrants from 10:30 AM with the event running "officially" from 12 Noon to 11:59 PM. You can enter at any time on the day up until 5:00 PM at Eclectia Gallery & Studio, Brighton Marina Village.
Buy One, Get One Free offer has been extended to 11th June, so it's not too late to book.

See you on Saturday - 4 days and counting!

Ian

Fotothon 2011 - 7 Days & Counting

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Pack) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 15:09:00 +0000

Here at Fotothon HQ we're busy bringing everything together for next weekend - yes, Fotothon 2011 Brighton is less than a week away. Chris, Ben & I would like to thank all those involved in bringing the event together and for supporting the event.

Website
The guys at www.smugmug.com and www.fastlinemedia.com have done a cracking job of revamping www.fotothon.co.uk and developing an uploader for entrants which is simple to use. Thank you Justin, Markham & Rocky, it's good to know you're on the team.

Smugmug
Rocky from Smugmug will be joining us in Brighton on the 11th June - she is travelling from the USA to meet everyone and be part of the fun that is Fotothon 2011 BRIGHTON! There's also another reason, Smugmug are launching a series of SMUGs - Smugmug Meet Up Groups in the UK - SMUGs are where photographers meet, socialise, talk photography and normally there will be a guest speaker. The first UK SMUG will be London on Monday 13th June and then back to Brighton on Tuesday 14th for the inaugural Brighton SMUG at Eclectia Gallery & Studio, Brighton Marina Village.

I'll be at the first UK SMUGs talking about Strobology - The Art & Craft of Photographic Lighting with Small Flash. It's a bit like Strobist but I respect David Hobby so will not use his trademark name. At the Brighton SMUG there may be an opportunity to get onto the beach for some shots with a model* - if you're interested in this register your interest at the SMUG MeetUp.com page above - the more the merrier.I may even have some Elinchrom Quadra Ranger RX 400j battery flash with me;-)

Big light from small flash - Strobology

Eclectia Gallery & Studio
Kirstie Blake at Eclectia Gallery & Studio is the Fotothon saviour - you may have noticed our change of start venue? I can't say too much, I'm sure you'll understand. Kirstie has stepped in and agreed that we may use her studio as both our start and Chimping Venue.

Car Parking
We've have a few enquiries concerns regarding car parking in Brighton on what looks like a busy sunny weekend - in our experience parking at Brighton Marina is easy and free, especially if you aim to reach us before 11:00 AM. There's big car park close to the studio and if all else fails there's always Asda across the way, but there you'll have to pay or do your shopping!

A fine example of Brighton Street Art by Banksy

Companions
Bring along a companion. It's a bit like having a golf caddy along with you - a non-player that yo can bounce ideas off and a second set of grey cells to work with you. Non-entrant companions need not pay an entry fee.

Entry Fees
This weekend there's a 2 for 1 offer at www.fotothon.co.uk, but you will need to go to the secure online booking form to find it!

Also checkout our supporters - they all have been given free tickets for their customers, if it's not obvious that they are offering them, contact them and ask, you never know, you could benefit from a freebie;-)

Students
Come on students - we're doing a special rate which means when you book a group you get your ticket for LESS THAN HALF PRICE - there's also a student prize provided by Rosco Labs of a Litepads 12v LED lighting kit valued at over £500! If you're not part of a group you can get your ticket as a concession for £12.00.

Camera Clubs
Why not have a day out by the seaside? There's the Special Cook Camera Club trophy for the best club entry. Why not have your own competition on the side, be spontaneous and come and join the fun. As a group you can also book using Student/Educational group rate, effectively giving you half price tickets.

Keep any eye on this blog over the next few days for content that may help with the clues - we're not releasing the clues until we see you the 11th June - but the information here may just give you some help. . .

We all look forward to seeing you next weekend.

Ian

* If the tide is low come prepared to get wet - I've a couple of ideas for shots we may be able to do in the water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!