by successfulbob | lighting, Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, photography, photography education, photography gear, photography lighting resources
I was called on to capture some in-situ art pieces. The mandate was to show the pottery as art but also in place as decor. Of course budget was a concern as is often the case in shoots like this. So in finding the quickest, easiest way to capture the scenes I came up with mounting the Lumix GH4 with the 12-35mm f2.8 Vario lens on a tripod and using the Fiilex P-100 AKA ‘The Brick’ to light small portions of the scene and blend them together in post to gently highlight the pieces without overwhelming the scene…
Four exposures blended together to help light the subjects (pottery) keeping the ambiance of the scene.
Just a kiss of light brightens up the subject nicely…
The really nice part of the Brick is the ability to change the intensity of the light and the color temperature to add just a kiss of light where you need it. Here’s the description of the light from the Fiilex web site….
“The highly compact Fiilex P-100 is the most versatile solution for someone who is constantly on the move and lighting in unconventional locations. Fully dimmable and color-tunable to match daylight or tungsten, this brilliant LED features a spot-to-flood lens and runs off an integrated Li-ion battery. Easily modifiable, “The Brick” puts out 100W of high CRI (>90) light that can serve as either key or fill and will translate all your colors precisely. Revolutionize the way you light with the P100’s flat form factor – place it on almost any surface, mount it on your camera, use it in a three-point set, or simply hold it in your hand. With no bulbs to break and no cords to plug in, go anywhere knowing that you’ll be able to light your shots quickly and beautifully.”
P-100 LED Light from Fiilex. A little smaller than a standard building brick.
I’m enjoying the possibilities while working with LED light and seeing the results of color temperature changes immediately. Often when working on location mixed color from windows, incandescent and florescent lighting can be a problem to match without overpowering the scene.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | lighting, Lumix GH4, Lumix GX7, photography, photography education, photography lighting resources
We all use social media to promote our photography business. But, I ask how do you show up? Do your have a professional portrait that shows that you value professional photography? Or, have you posted a snapshot, or worse, a cellphone selfie?
I’ve made many self portraits with the camera mounted on a a tripod and triggering the camera with a remote or worse yet using the timer and running back to get the photo. It takes lots of effort. And, while it has a professional look I haven’t always ended up with the ideal expression.
I have an idea for you. Get together with a fellow professional photographer and take each others head shot. I guarantee you’ll have a good time, learn something new, (‘cuase we all lend to light a bit different) and end up with a portrait you’ll be proud to use for the next year…*
Here are some results from working with my friend Silvio of Silvio Portrait Design.
This was photographed using a wide open garage door as the light source. A black fill was used camera right to add some dimension. Captured with the Lumix GH4 and the 35-100mm Lumix Vario f 2.8 lens
Here’s a different look clothing and pose same lighting.
And here’s one that has a totally different lighting scheme. This was done with three Pro Photo B1 lights ** and a white reflector. The main light was camera left and encased with a 36 inch Octobox. The fill light was an umbrella bounced into the white ceiling of the 8 foot garage. A third light was used to add a background light. You can see when you craft the light you can get lots more depth to the photo.
* Notice I said next year, not the rest of your life. If there’s one thing that’s worse than a crappy selfie it would be one that is out of date…
** The Pro Photo B1 lights were pretty sweet to work with. Very powerful and versatile. They are battery powered heads meaning no cords to be tripping over and these were matched to the TTL of the canon camera that Silvio uses.
