Working in daylight studio

Hi,

 

I am going to rent a large white daylight studio for a job. Huge windows are

facing north, so no sunligt. There is also a round backdrop on one side.

 

I have only worked on location with natural light before (sometimes in

combination with mild flash) and also in a dark studio with flash. But now I

want to try to challenge myself a bit....

 

Now, I have this special look in mind....I want to have lots of space in the

shot, showing the studio and the windows, and it should all be very bright

white. I think you perhaps know what I mean if I say "Huge Old New York Dance

Studio" look. So I figured only to use the actual daylight...

 

However, I went there today for a quick test and I am not sure anymore...

 

The exposure was f2.8 1/125s at ISO400. I guess I could use slower speeds and

handhold.... ISO 400 is OK on my 5D for a magazine cover, but I would like to

use ISO 100....I have used ISO800, but its more work and does not give as good

results...f2.8 is probably OK for the look. Or perhaps f4.0...So, I could use

some more light.... Or perhaps I could use f4 1/30s ISO200...

 

I started wondering if I should add some light..... How are these types of

shots "normally" done? All unplugged, or with some flash / tungsten /HMI mixed

in?

 

The test portrait I did in 5min today in the studio was nice a bright white in

the background, while the person seemed a bit flat... perhaps I only need some

black reflectors....or lights.... But then I want that very "real"

feeling....so perhaps no light, or....see.....;-) Perhaps cut down on the

exposure for the person, and add some small amount of flash into the ceiling to

get the whole background slightly brighter....I dont want to fake too much in

Photoshop...

 

Suggestions?

 

Rgsd

PM

Forgot to mention, its a portrait job. From closeup to whole body showing much of the studio as mentioned.

Tripod and longer shutter speed.

 

Bounce some light off the wall behind you from 3 strobes. Keep the dancer close to the opposite wall to mimimise fall off or allow it to happen for a different look.

 

Get a copy of Photoshop Effects Cookbook by O`Reilly. It shows how to show light streaming from windows. This would be a good application for the technique.

 

Pray for a day with bright sun.

Sounds like heaven ;)

 

We get 1/60, 3.5-5.6 on a good day, ISO 320, usually, although it's not unusual to shoot 1/20 in the "sunroom" (lots of trees, y'know). When it's cloudy, 90+ CRI fluorescents give us an extra stop or two, but it's sometimes tricky keeping the "natural" feel.

 

Light falls off faster than you'd think as you move away from the windows, too.

 

"...the person seemed a bit flat..." The key to controlling natural light is subtracting and re-directing instead of adding. Try shooting parallel to the windows, side-lighting the subject, and using gobos, scrims and reflectors to control the highlights and shadows. If you want to shoot facing away from the window, try blocking the window directly behind the camera to create a very soft cross-light effect on the subject while the background stays flooded with light. You can also make a sort of tunnel to shoot through to block side light from the subject to enhance the limb-effect

 

Shooting directly INTO the windows can create a nice, ethereal effect, too.

Thanks!

 

Will try some longer times.... guess 1/30 with tripod could be OK if the person is not really moving....or even 1/15, maybeee....?

 

Also the idea to add some flash to the wall behind me ill keep in mind if things get dark...as well as using gobos etc a lot. There are some big black styrofoams in there that I could use, so the idea of blocking the window behind and building a corridor will be quite easy. Perhaps also building a black wall on my right if the windows are to the left, to get more punch....

 

So far great suggestions!

 

I was going to look up a picture link to illustrate the look, I thought I had seen it a thousand times, but now suddenly I cant find a single one like "Yes we are shooting in a huge bright white studio as you can see, and yes its natural light coming from those windows you can see to the left, and yes its beatiful."....;-) (I am thinking white clothes on some shots for the girl...)

 

Rgds

PM