Multiple Lighting Techniques for Wedding Photographer- Part 3
Mar 2, 2017 13:34:14 #
Multiple Lighting Techniques for Wedding Photographers- Part 3
Equipment:
I want to take out some time to talk about lighting gear.
I would like to start things off, gear wise, by telling y'all, I am not a GEAR HEAD. So much of the conversations on photo-forms and in the photo press have to do with equipment and too many photographer are insanely preoccupied with their hardware. Some of us, when we are not pleased with out results, tend to throw too much money at equipment but the underlying cause of our dissatisfaction my lie in out technique or application of our existing equipment. I have to admit, I like my gear, my gadgets and my electronics just as much as the next guy and in order to do the work we all need the appropriate tools of the trade. When some photographers admire the work of another professional, sign up for a course, or attend a seminar, they immediately and oftentimes erroneously think that the need to use the exact same equipment as their mentors, teachers or the photographers they wish to emulate. I have given many courses and seminars but I never endorsed any particular equipment and or sought out sponsorship from any manufacturers or suppliers. The techniques that I teach and the methodologies I suggest and recommend can be realized with a wide variety of lighting equipment. I have certain preferences in lighting gear and have modified some of mine to meet my own individual tastes and requirements but I am sure that the equipment most of you are now utilizing for wedding photography can be applied and/or adapted to the methods I am outlining here. Understanding how light and lighting equipment work is half the battle.
It is not always necessary to have all of the latest and greatest stuff and it is wise to carefully vet some of the advertising hype that is out there in photography magazines and in online promotions. I have some lighting gear that is 40 years old and it still works reliably, I generally maintain my gear well and use it until it disintegrates or becomes obsolete as long as remains dependable and I am getting the results I expect. Wedding photography, unlike studio work, can be very hard of equipment. We are working quickly, oftentimes feverishly and sometimes under harsh environmental conditions.
As I alluded to in my previous posts, I prefer flash heads or lamp heads with interchangeable parabolic reflectors with user-replaceable plug-in flash tubes.
I find that this configuration yields softer and more even lighting than most of the currently manufactured Speedlights and provide more versatility in lighting styles. An important feature of a metallic parabolic reflector is that it enables FEATHERING, that is utilizing the edge of the beam rather than the the center or “hot spot”its beam. This is a time-honored technique in fine portraiture that has many functions that I will elaborate on as this article progresses. Directing light from the edge of the beam to skim across the subject helps in the rendering of textures in skin tones and the emphasizing fine detail in bridal gown and flowers. The physical size of theses reflectors are not all that larger than the size of a typical Speedlight's lamp and reflector housing but because of their design, the lighting is surprisingly more efficient and aesthetically pleasing even without the use of light modifiers.
The manufacturers that are currently producing theses types of units are Lumadyne and Quantum (Q-Flash). I am not sure if Norman is still in business but they made some fine portable units that are still around on the used market. Sunpack made a number of moles in their “J” series. There may also be a few Chinese imports that have this kind of reflector and tube setup. If you are an old-timer like me, you might have an old Ascorlight, languishing away somewhere- they mad a beautifully designed lamp head. At one time Lumadyne marketed a head with a great and highly accurate auto-flash ,. The latest Q-Flash models have a Speedlight-like bodies, interchangeable reflectors and tubes and feature fully dedicated circuitry for Canon and Nikon TTL systems including data transmission and radio synchronization.
As for radio slave trigger systems, I stick with my Pocket-Wizards, they have never failed to operate reliably- I have used them over the past 20 years, even the older models. I have tested them and found that they work perfectly, even from several city blocks away and even through walls and floors on different from different floors and levels of a building. The radio frequencies used in theses units work surprisingly well because they are not subject to radio-frequency interference form other radio emissions. The signal punches through walls, metal structures and other obstacles where other units fail to operate properly. All they need is minimal maintenance, fresh batteries, clean battery contacts and the prevention of damage to their antenna. There are other good makes on the market and I hear tell they are fine. The ones mad by Quantum are extremely dependable. There are some made by Buff that are very compact and work well. There are also some lower priced models that are imported from China that had, at one time, some quality control issues that may have been solved by now- not sure. Reliability is of the utmost importance because you are depending on perfect synchronization for not only the aesthetic aspect of your second light but you are also, in many cases, basing you exposure on you off-camera light- it must fire each and every time.
I am a big fan of external power packs for a number of reasons. The Lumadyne, Quantum and Norman units feature much more power than most self contained Speedlights. There is a grater range of adjustable power outputs and in most modes, the recycling times are significantly faster. I don't like fussing with batteries furring weddings- just one more thing that can go wrong and cause delays. My power packs use Ni-cad or sealed lead-acid batteries that provide hundreds of full power flashes per charge. I keep spares on hand but seldom have to change the battery during a full day of shooting.
Of course, using multiple flash requires the maintenance of several units, battery management is important. The energy storage industry is very progressive and innovative. There are all kinds of new technologies whereby batteries are smaller, lighter in weight and have greater storage capacity. Each type of battery has specific storage capacity, charging rate (usually expressed in milliamperes or mA), ampere/hours and voltage output. Good battery maintenance for photographers does not necessarily require special test equipment or allot of time, You can maximize you batterer's efficiency, reliability and longevity by using the the specified charging equipment and most importantly understanding how charging cycles need to be conducted. Some kinds of batteries have “memory” issues, that is, they need to be mostly discharged before recharging- the don't “like” being partially discharged and topped off. Some other types of batteries do not have this characteristic. Most currently manufactured chargers ave circuitry that will somewhat rapidly charge a drained battery and automatically reduce the charging rate to a trickle or maintenance charge once the battery is fully charged. Some older charging systems do not have this feature and require that you monitor the TIME of each charging session or batteries can overheat causing eventual battery “death”. Overheated batters can even explode or cause fire and serious;y damage your equipment. If you follow the manufacturers recommendations as to battery care and maintenance, you will get more flashes per charge and longer battery life.
Flash tubes, generally speaking, last a long time- many thousand of flashes. Many years ago, the average wedding coverage averaged about 100 shots, Nowadays, depending on one's shooting style, each assignment can score thousands of shots. There are also lots of rapid sequence shots. All of this adds up and can affect flash tube performance, reliability and longevity. Heat build up is the enemy of most flash-cubes. Speedlights have relatively small linear flash tubes in a rather confined space where heat can build up. As flash tubes age, the electrodes that enter the tube tend to carbonize which shows up as a noticeable blackening near those electrodes. Although the tube will still operate with this condition, it is a sigh that it is nearing the end of its useful life. This build up of of carbon can cause a kinda “tungsten filament” effect like a light bulb and “momentarily glows” red when the current is applied thereby causing a red color shift in the resulting imagery. Carbonized tubes can also cause interment misfiring. Theses issues are less likely to prematurely occur with larger helical style flash tubes. Many of theses tubes have ventilation holes in their outer glass protective envelopes near their base or the envelopes are open ended. Some of theses portable lamp heads feature modeling lamps so Pyrex type glass is used to accommodate the additional heat generated by the modeling lamps. Since theses plug-in flash tubes are useer changeable, spare tubes can be kept on hand in the event of breakage and replacement of old will not entail repair costs.
The flashcubes, I use are UV coated to minimize the ultraviolet output that is intrinsic in most electronic flash units. This is not as much of a proclamation issue in digital photograph as it was with film, I do, however see, the odd bluish cast in wedding gowns, Sine of theses white fabrics have ultraviolet brighteners that fluoresce under under UV light and cause a blue or cyan/blue cast in gowns and veils that is very difficult to correct.
The ORIENTATION of the flash tube is another subject that should be noted.
Most of the light generated from the flash tube emanates for the SIDES of its coiled configuration- not it;s front end. That works especially well in combination with the structure of a parabolic reflector. This enables the light to strike the various points on the reflector's inner surface that accounts for its advantageous properties as to evenness of lighting and feathering possibilities. This also tells us that for efficient bare bulb operation, the flash tube has to be in a vertical orientation, In a horizontal position, in an indoor location, the majority of the light will project toward the ceiling and the floor rather than going out toward the subject. If the unit is mounted on the camera, there is a chance that the downward projection of the light can strike a wide angle lens and cause flare.
Most of the aforementioned information is derived form practical usage and experience. I did not want to get into too much electronic technobabble- just nuts and bolts stuff. There is much conversation about pixel counts, lens performance, files sizes and types and so much more in terms of cameras and lenses but there is little said about what is going on in our flash equipment. Knowing a bit more about photo related electronics makes for more savvy use of our lighting gear. This can also help to get the bugs out of existing gear and make us more well advised about future purchases of flash gear.
The next part of this article will talk about LIGHTING FORMS- where and how to place and maneuver your lights. Also, there are lots of misconceptions, controversies, promotional hype, myths and truths about light modifiers. I'll try to simplify all of that.
Meanwhile, y'all … don't lurk...participate! Give me some comments, arguments, input and questions and liven up this section- it's been kinda slow lately! That's how I have fun around here. Gotta get back to real work now. A big-time glamours job just came in...photographing a whole bunch of surgical supplies for an on line catalog. Well...it pays the rent!
Ed
Equipment:
I want to take out some time to talk about lighting gear.
I would like to start things off, gear wise, by telling y'all, I am not a GEAR HEAD. So much of the conversations on photo-forms and in the photo press have to do with equipment and too many photographer are insanely preoccupied with their hardware. Some of us, when we are not pleased with out results, tend to throw too much money at equipment but the underlying cause of our dissatisfaction my lie in out technique or application of our existing equipment. I have to admit, I like my gear, my gadgets and my electronics just as much as the next guy and in order to do the work we all need the appropriate tools of the trade. When some photographers admire the work of another professional, sign up for a course, or attend a seminar, they immediately and oftentimes erroneously think that the need to use the exact same equipment as their mentors, teachers or the photographers they wish to emulate. I have given many courses and seminars but I never endorsed any particular equipment and or sought out sponsorship from any manufacturers or suppliers. The techniques that I teach and the methodologies I suggest and recommend can be realized with a wide variety of lighting equipment. I have certain preferences in lighting gear and have modified some of mine to meet my own individual tastes and requirements but I am sure that the equipment most of you are now utilizing for wedding photography can be applied and/or adapted to the methods I am outlining here. Understanding how light and lighting equipment work is half the battle.
It is not always necessary to have all of the latest and greatest stuff and it is wise to carefully vet some of the advertising hype that is out there in photography magazines and in online promotions. I have some lighting gear that is 40 years old and it still works reliably, I generally maintain my gear well and use it until it disintegrates or becomes obsolete as long as remains dependable and I am getting the results I expect. Wedding photography, unlike studio work, can be very hard of equipment. We are working quickly, oftentimes feverishly and sometimes under harsh environmental conditions.
As I alluded to in my previous posts, I prefer flash heads or lamp heads with interchangeable parabolic reflectors with user-replaceable plug-in flash tubes.
I find that this configuration yields softer and more even lighting than most of the currently manufactured Speedlights and provide more versatility in lighting styles. An important feature of a metallic parabolic reflector is that it enables FEATHERING, that is utilizing the edge of the beam rather than the the center or “hot spot”its beam. This is a time-honored technique in fine portraiture that has many functions that I will elaborate on as this article progresses. Directing light from the edge of the beam to skim across the subject helps in the rendering of textures in skin tones and the emphasizing fine detail in bridal gown and flowers. The physical size of theses reflectors are not all that larger than the size of a typical Speedlight's lamp and reflector housing but because of their design, the lighting is surprisingly more efficient and aesthetically pleasing even without the use of light modifiers.
The manufacturers that are currently producing theses types of units are Lumadyne and Quantum (Q-Flash). I am not sure if Norman is still in business but they made some fine portable units that are still around on the used market. Sunpack made a number of moles in their “J” series. There may also be a few Chinese imports that have this kind of reflector and tube setup. If you are an old-timer like me, you might have an old Ascorlight, languishing away somewhere- they mad a beautifully designed lamp head. At one time Lumadyne marketed a head with a great and highly accurate auto-flash ,. The latest Q-Flash models have a Speedlight-like bodies, interchangeable reflectors and tubes and feature fully dedicated circuitry for Canon and Nikon TTL systems including data transmission and radio synchronization.
As for radio slave trigger systems, I stick with my Pocket-Wizards, they have never failed to operate reliably- I have used them over the past 20 years, even the older models. I have tested them and found that they work perfectly, even from several city blocks away and even through walls and floors on different from different floors and levels of a building. The radio frequencies used in theses units work surprisingly well because they are not subject to radio-frequency interference form other radio emissions. The signal punches through walls, metal structures and other obstacles where other units fail to operate properly. All they need is minimal maintenance, fresh batteries, clean battery contacts and the prevention of damage to their antenna. There are other good makes on the market and I hear tell they are fine. The ones mad by Quantum are extremely dependable. There are some made by Buff that are very compact and work well. There are also some lower priced models that are imported from China that had, at one time, some quality control issues that may have been solved by now- not sure. Reliability is of the utmost importance because you are depending on perfect synchronization for not only the aesthetic aspect of your second light but you are also, in many cases, basing you exposure on you off-camera light- it must fire each and every time.
I am a big fan of external power packs for a number of reasons. The Lumadyne, Quantum and Norman units feature much more power than most self contained Speedlights. There is a grater range of adjustable power outputs and in most modes, the recycling times are significantly faster. I don't like fussing with batteries furring weddings- just one more thing that can go wrong and cause delays. My power packs use Ni-cad or sealed lead-acid batteries that provide hundreds of full power flashes per charge. I keep spares on hand but seldom have to change the battery during a full day of shooting.
Of course, using multiple flash requires the maintenance of several units, battery management is important. The energy storage industry is very progressive and innovative. There are all kinds of new technologies whereby batteries are smaller, lighter in weight and have greater storage capacity. Each type of battery has specific storage capacity, charging rate (usually expressed in milliamperes or mA), ampere/hours and voltage output. Good battery maintenance for photographers does not necessarily require special test equipment or allot of time, You can maximize you batterer's efficiency, reliability and longevity by using the the specified charging equipment and most importantly understanding how charging cycles need to be conducted. Some kinds of batteries have “memory” issues, that is, they need to be mostly discharged before recharging- the don't “like” being partially discharged and topped off. Some other types of batteries do not have this characteristic. Most currently manufactured chargers ave circuitry that will somewhat rapidly charge a drained battery and automatically reduce the charging rate to a trickle or maintenance charge once the battery is fully charged. Some older charging systems do not have this feature and require that you monitor the TIME of each charging session or batteries can overheat causing eventual battery “death”. Overheated batters can even explode or cause fire and serious;y damage your equipment. If you follow the manufacturers recommendations as to battery care and maintenance, you will get more flashes per charge and longer battery life.
Flash tubes, generally speaking, last a long time- many thousand of flashes. Many years ago, the average wedding coverage averaged about 100 shots, Nowadays, depending on one's shooting style, each assignment can score thousands of shots. There are also lots of rapid sequence shots. All of this adds up and can affect flash tube performance, reliability and longevity. Heat build up is the enemy of most flash-cubes. Speedlights have relatively small linear flash tubes in a rather confined space where heat can build up. As flash tubes age, the electrodes that enter the tube tend to carbonize which shows up as a noticeable blackening near those electrodes. Although the tube will still operate with this condition, it is a sigh that it is nearing the end of its useful life. This build up of of carbon can cause a kinda “tungsten filament” effect like a light bulb and “momentarily glows” red when the current is applied thereby causing a red color shift in the resulting imagery. Carbonized tubes can also cause interment misfiring. Theses issues are less likely to prematurely occur with larger helical style flash tubes. Many of theses tubes have ventilation holes in their outer glass protective envelopes near their base or the envelopes are open ended. Some of theses portable lamp heads feature modeling lamps so Pyrex type glass is used to accommodate the additional heat generated by the modeling lamps. Since theses plug-in flash tubes are useer changeable, spare tubes can be kept on hand in the event of breakage and replacement of old will not entail repair costs.
The flashcubes, I use are UV coated to minimize the ultraviolet output that is intrinsic in most electronic flash units. This is not as much of a proclamation issue in digital photograph as it was with film, I do, however see, the odd bluish cast in wedding gowns, Sine of theses white fabrics have ultraviolet brighteners that fluoresce under under UV light and cause a blue or cyan/blue cast in gowns and veils that is very difficult to correct.
The ORIENTATION of the flash tube is another subject that should be noted.
Most of the light generated from the flash tube emanates for the SIDES of its coiled configuration- not it;s front end. That works especially well in combination with the structure of a parabolic reflector. This enables the light to strike the various points on the reflector's inner surface that accounts for its advantageous properties as to evenness of lighting and feathering possibilities. This also tells us that for efficient bare bulb operation, the flash tube has to be in a vertical orientation, In a horizontal position, in an indoor location, the majority of the light will project toward the ceiling and the floor rather than going out toward the subject. If the unit is mounted on the camera, there is a chance that the downward projection of the light can strike a wide angle lens and cause flare.
Most of the aforementioned information is derived form practical usage and experience. I did not want to get into too much electronic technobabble- just nuts and bolts stuff. There is much conversation about pixel counts, lens performance, files sizes and types and so much more in terms of cameras and lenses but there is little said about what is going on in our flash equipment. Knowing a bit more about photo related electronics makes for more savvy use of our lighting gear. This can also help to get the bugs out of existing gear and make us more well advised about future purchases of flash gear.
The next part of this article will talk about LIGHTING FORMS- where and how to place and maneuver your lights. Also, there are lots of misconceptions, controversies, promotional hype, myths and truths about light modifiers. I'll try to simplify all of that.
Meanwhile, y'all … don't lurk...participate! Give me some comments, arguments, input and questions and liven up this section- it's been kinda slow lately! That's how I have fun around here. Gotta get back to real work now. A big-time glamours job just came in...photographing a whole bunch of surgical supplies for an on line catalog. Well...it pays the rent!
Ed
Mar 2, 2017 16:30:46 #
Hey Ed, another well thought out article.
I am currently toying around with getting battery-powered studio strobes. I'm hoping to get the best of both worlds with studio light flexibility, and more portable. Not good for the ceremony, but great to set up, and be able to turn them on and off ,as well as adjust power from my triggers. Of course, thatall comes with a cost, but a guy can dream, can't he?
I am currently toying around with getting battery-powered studio strobes. I'm hoping to get the best of both worlds with studio light flexibility, and more portable. Not good for the ceremony, but great to set up, and be able to turn them on and off ,as well as adjust power from my triggers. Of course, thatall comes with a cost, but a guy can dream, can't he?
Mar 3, 2017 21:40:02 #
bkyser wrote:
Hey Ed, another well thought out article.
I am currently toying around with getting battery-powered studio strobes. I'm hoping to get the best of both worlds with studio light flexibility, and more portable. Not good for the ceremony, but great to set up, and be able to turn them on and off ,as well as adjust power from my triggers. Of course, thatall comes with a cost, but a guy can dream, can't he?
I am currently toying around with getting battery-powered studio strobes. I'm hoping to get the best of both worlds with studio light flexibility, and more portable. Not good for the ceremony, but great to set up, and be able to turn them on and off ,as well as adjust power from my triggers. Of course, thatall comes with a cost, but a guy can dream, can't he?
Bob, I have a set of Bowens Gemini strobes with a Vagabond Mini for power. I use it most of the time for the formals after the ceremony. What you run into is a greater recycle time as compared to speed lights at 1/4 power. You need to count one Mississippi two Mississippi and then shoot again. Finding a place to plug them in directly helps. Once I used them for the father daughter dance as it took place just a few yards from where we did the formals. Managing light seems like it is always an experiment.
Ed, thank you again for the wealth of knowledge. My issue with where my mind goes, but the part that raised my eyebrows the most was at the end when you said you were shooting surgical supplies for a catalog. Wow bright shiny odd shaped things would be a huge challenge to light properly.
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