Uploads from Studio d'Xavier, tagged alienbees

Tuesday Truth: Lighting

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:15:27 -0700

I know nothing about lighting. The formulas I once used for balancing flash to ambient light when I was shooting film are long forgotten. One of my old Vivitar 283 speedlights is covered with notes I wrote to myself about guide numbers and such, but I can't tell you what they mean anymore. I once knew what "short" lighting is, but to be honest, I can't tell you if it means the forward part of the face is lit or in shadow. I keep a Gossen Luna-Pro light meter hanging on my tripod from my film days, but today I can't even remember how it works.

Yet as a photographer I am honored to have students visit my studio to learn about studio lighting. I tell them the most important aspect of lighting is direction. How does your light illuminate the image? Where do your shadows fall? What are you trying to say? And does the lighting scheme you choose help or hinder that concept? I could honestly care less about color balance, ratios of light and shadow, and the esoteric minutia that obsess some photographers. For me, it's all about the image. Is the lighting supporting that or hindering the concept? I set up what I think I want, I take a shot, and if I don't like it, I move things around and adjust intensity or modifiers until I get what I want. Digital photography allows me to do that. I take advantage of it.

We're Here! : Tuesday's Truth...

Running out of ideas for your 365 project? Join We're Here!

Strobist: AB800 with HOBD-W overhead. AB800 with Softlighter II camera left. AB800 with flagged 7 inch reflector camera left. AB1600 with 60X30 gridded softbox camera right. Reflector at 6:00 AB800 open behind white faux suede camera left. Triggered by Cybersync.

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March 5, 2013

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:47:08 -0800

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

I kept this simple. After the Flew Bayou shoot the studio needed to be cleaned and swept out. I had all my gear to one side, so I framed it up, did a non-pose pose under the raw fluorescents, and voilà! I had my 365 and We're Here shot for today.

We're Here! : If you had just one shot?

Lacking inspiration for your 365 project? Join We're Here!

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Dr. Ewa & Xavier RN, Your Healthcare Team for the New Millenium

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 03:43:06 -0800

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

Yesterday, at the behest of Dr. Ewa, the Herrios had fun ~~paying tribute~~ mocking my photographs. Ewa's photograph itself was so remarkable that I just had top see them side by side. I used monolights. Ewa used speedlights. The result was so close that it proves the old adage "Light is Light, but Direction is Everything."

Ewa's Strobist info: I'm a n00b with off-camera lighting. I don't even know what a "grid" is (and when I looked it up online, they said it was a box of straws, which just really confused me). But with a flash right above me and a flash to my far right through an umbrella, I had a faint semblance of X's lighting after ~30 tries. Then I photoshopped the heck out of it.

Xavier's Strobist info: AB1600 with gridded 60X30 softbox camera right. AB800 with gridded HOBD-W overhead. Triggered by Cybersync.

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The dangers of substituting a Coolidge tube for the flash tube on an AlienBee monolight.

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 18:24:14 -0800

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

We're Here! : Blurred Faces

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Strobist: AB1600 with gridded 60X30 softbox camera right. Triggered by Cybersync.

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Madison

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 05:23:53 -0700

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

Strobist: AB800 with Softlighter II camera right. Reflector at 6:00. AB800 open behind backdrop of white faux suede. Triggered by Cybersync.

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Overhead Beauty Dish Test Shot #2

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 13:59:34 -0700

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

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Strobist: AB800 with HOBD-W, 15 degree grid, overhead. Triggered by Cybersync.

The Consumerist

humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Thu, 26 May 2011 03:25:40 -0700

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

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Strobist: AB800 with gridded HOBD-W camera left. AB1600 with 60X30 softbox camera right. Triggered by Cybersync.

Les haricots sont pas Salés

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Thu, 26 May 2011 03:25:50 -0700

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

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Strobist: AB800 with gridded HOBD-W camera left. AB1600 with 60X30 softbox camera right. Triggered by Cybersync.

Portrait in the Studio

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 17:01:23 -0700

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

Today I moved some more junk out of the back rooms, painted two reflectors constructed from hollow core door slabs, and invited my first stranger into the studio. I'm looking for the perfect, durable clear product to seal the floors with.

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Strobist: AB1600 with 60X30 softbox camera right. Triggered by Cybersync.

Emma

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 13:51:23 -0800

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

Nikkor 50mm ƒ1.8

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Strobist: AB800 with Softlighter II camera left. AB800 with Softlighter II camera right. AB800 with ghetto snoot hairlight. Reflector at 6:00. Triggered by Cybersync.

Emma

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:21:41 -0800

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

Cat Stretch

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 23:19:13 -0800

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

Nikkor 50mm ƒ1.8

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Strobist: AB800 with Softlighter II camera left. AB800 with Softlighter II camera right. AB800 with ghetto snoot rimlight. Reflector at 6:00. Triggered by Cybersync.

Emmmmma

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 23:19:04 -0800

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

Emma

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:16:20 -0800

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

Emma

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 07:22:48 -0800

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

Emma

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 07:22:51 -0800

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

Emma

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 03:21:56 -0800

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

Hannah

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 03:33:22 -0700

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

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Strobist: AB1600 with 60X30 softbox camera right. Reflector camera left. Triggered by Cybersync.

White Background Set-up

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Sat, 07 May 2011 19:33:11 -0700

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

The set-up I use for shooting white backgrounds. I first hinged two hollow core doors together to make two large reflector/gobos. Between these home brew reflectors I place a piece of schedule 40 PVC pipe and suspend white faux suede on it. I then place an Alien Bee AB800 behind the faux suede and set it a couple of stops brighter than the metered exposure. The cool thing is, the faux suede stores in a duffle bag, and the reflector/gobos can be used for other things as well.

Let There Be Light

nobody@flickr.com (Studio d'Xavier) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:43:37 -0700

Studio d'Xavier posted a photo:

I finally moved the lighting equipment into the studio. Next, large reflectors and gobos made from hollow core doors. But today, I must have the city correct the name on my certificate of occupancy so I can keep my water turned on.

Irony: Monolights photographed underneath flourescents.

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Uploads from Studio d'Xavier, tagged alienbees

Tuesday Truth: Lighting

March 5, 2013

Dr. Ewa & Xavier RN, Your Healthcare Team for the New Millenium

The dangers of substituting a Coolidge tube for the flash tube on an AlienBee monolight.

Madison

Overhead Beauty Dish Test Shot #2

humu­humu­nuku­nuku­āpua‘a

Les haricots sont pas Salés

Portrait in the Studio

Emma

Emma

Cat Stretch

Emmmmma

Emma

Emma

Emma

Emma

Hannah

White Background Set-up

Let There Be Light

humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a