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The_Man_V.jpg
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david_c


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Camera: Canon EOS-450D Rebel XSi
Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM
Location: Basement guerilla studio
Date: Oct 20, 2008
Aperture: f/11
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/250
Galleries: Portraiture, Children
Date Uploaded: Oct 24, 2008

Viewed: 571
Comments: 11
Favorites: 0

 My first attempt at some basement-home-studio off-camera lighting with The Man. A 580EX II fired into an umbrella from camera right triggered by CyberSyncs. At 1/250th (one step less than max sync, because I can get 1/320 without banding on my XSi) and f/11 to kill the ambient light, the strobe was at 1/16 power...the backdrop is a $5 grey bedsheet picked up at Walmart.

Flipped the image horizontally for my new desktop wallpaper. I think I added a layer of Portraiture/Tones in luminosity blend, and burned some of the backdrop darker.

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AuthorThread
 11/03/2008 01:59:25 AM
Originally posted by SnapperL:
Well regardless of the ambient lighting i think this is a beatiful image. I'm not offering critiques or anything, i'm just curious why you didn't use a smaller aperature to blur the wrinkles out of that backdrop? :)


Not enough space in my make-shift "studio" to get decent separation between him and the background. I'm going to go out and find some real backdrop material eventually. Thanks for your comment!
 11/02/2008 10:40:29 AM
Well regardless of the ambient lighting i think this is a beatiful image. I'm not offering critiques or anything, i'm just curious why you didn't use a smaller aperature to blur the wrinkles out of that backdrop? :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2008 07:47:09 AM
Originally posted by david_c:
It's like they were the same guy, or something.

:-)


Shhhh, shhhh, shhhhhhhhh.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2008 06:30:57 AM
Fellas! WTF?!? My own little rant forum come to life.

GB, in fairness, I believe I have heard the "Tv=ambient control" maxim before. I was shooting full manual at 1/250 and playing with the Av/strobe output. Since the higher my Av value meant the darker my backdrop, I think that's what had me confusing myself.

v123 may be a dick, but he's a helpful dick and a dick with an eye for the image. In terms of actual Dv (dickishness Value), he's almost as bad as this guy that used to be around a while ago, routerguy666. It's like they were the same guy, or something.

:-)
 10/25/2008 08:23:40 PM
Originally posted by geoffb:
No, it doesn't only apply to an ambient-only situation. Why don't you go try it, as that seems to be the only way you'll be convinced. Set your camera and strobe up however you want; just make sure to have areas that are clearly ambient-lit and strobe-lit. Now, open or close the aperture 2 stops, while leaving everything else the same. You'll notice it affects EVERYTHING.


Yes, Geoffb, changing the aperture changes EVERYTHING as you say. EVERYTHING being the TOTAL EXPOSURE OF THE IMAGE which is THE SUM OF AMBIENT AND STROBE LIGHT. Changing the aperture does not and can not CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF AMBIENT LIGHT PRESENT IN THE OVERALL EXPOSURE. Only a progressively slower shutter speed will allow THE RATIO OF STROBE LIGHT TO AMBIENT LIGHT in the OVERALL EXPOSURE to increase in the favor of ambient light as the length of the exposure time is increased.

10/25/2008 08:13:30 PM
Originally posted by violinist123:
Originally posted by geoffb:
Aperture controls both ambient and flash. ISO controls both ambient and flash. Shutter speed controls only ambient.

Although your statement that a slow shutter speed lets in more ambient is correct, your claim that aperture does not control ambient is completely wrong. Shoot an ambient-only shot at f/4 and then again at f/2.8 (same shutter speed and ISO), and tell me the ambient doesn't change.


You're correct when talking about an ambient-only situation. Unfortunately, no one is talking about an ambient only situation, the discussion is about studio lighting and this image is a strobe lit shot. You've obviously confused controlling exposure and controlling the mixture of ambient and strobe light. The two are not the same, and the latter is both what I was referring to and what is referenced in the photographer's notes of this image.


No, it doesn't only apply to an ambient-only situation. Why don't you go try it, as that seems to be the only way you'll be convinced. Set your camera and strobe up however you want; just make sure to have areas that are clearly ambient-lit and strobe-lit. Now, open or close the aperture 2 stops, while leaving everything else the same. You'll notice it affects EVERYTHING.

Note, while you're at it, that the author of the article you linked to never claims that the aperture does not affect ambient light (which is your claim). He is simply ambiguous when he says it affects the flash exposure (choosing not to elaborate on its effect on ambient).
 10/25/2008 08:07:38 PM
Originally posted by geoffb:
Aperture controls both ambient and flash. ISO controls both ambient and flash. Shutter speed controls only ambient.

Although your statement that a slow shutter speed lets in more ambient is correct, your claim that aperture does not control ambient is completely wrong. Shoot an ambient-only shot at f/4 and then again at f/2.8 (same shutter speed and ISO), and tell me the ambient doesn't change.


You're correct when talking about an ambient-only situation. Unfortunately, no one is talking about an ambient only situation, the discussion is about studio lighting and this image is a strobe lit shot. You've obviously confused controlling exposure and controlling the mixture of ambient and strobe light. The two are not the same, and the latter is both what I was referring to and what is referenced in the photographer's notes of this image.
 10/25/2008 07:50:31 PM
Originally posted by violinist123:
Just so you know, aperture doesn't control ambient light. Shutter speed does. Shooting below sync speed lets some ambient light into the exposure.

*sigh*

Unfortunately, that's not correct. Aperture controls both ambient and flash. ISO controls both ambient and flash. Shutter speed controls only ambient.

Although your statement that a slow shutter speed lets in more ambient is correct, your claim that aperture does not control ambient is completely wrong. Shoot an ambient-only shot at f/4 and then again at f/2.8 (same shutter speed and ISO), and tell me the ambient doesn't change.

EDIT BELOW

Originally posted by violinist123:
You don't have a clue.

Congratulations on being a complete dick. What makes it funny is that you're still wrong about your claim. So, I can sit here and enjoy it.

Message edited by author 2008-10-25 23:57:57.
 10/25/2008 07:46:52 PM
Originally posted by geoffb:
Originally posted by violinist123:
Just so you know, aperture doesn't control ambient light.


Aperture controls both flash and ambient.


You don't have a clue.

David_C, here's a decent article on this fundamental piece of lighting theory. If you're in a rush, read the last 4 paragraphs link. Happy shooting.

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/25/2008 07:08:29 PM
Originally posted by violinist123:
Just so you know, aperture doesn't control ambient light.


Aperture controls both flash and ambient.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/25/2008 06:22:12 PM
Just so you know, aperture doesn't control ambient light. Shutter speed does. Shooting below sync speed lets some ambient light into the exposure.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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