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Achieving the Fresnel look with monolights


s._lee_cashman

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<p>I've little doubt that this has been discussed ad nauseum, but I wanted to pose the question as it relates to the specific scenario I'll be facing next week.<br /> The lowdown: I'll be doing a (very brief) location shoot with one monolight (a WL X1600) and wanted some advice as to how I might be able approximate - or even hint at - the classic fresnel look. I don't expect to be able to replicate it exactly; I'd just like to know if there's some way to get within the ballpark with the equipment options currently available to me.<br /> The modifiers I'll have at my disposal include a 47" octabank, a 22" white beauty dish, a 22" silver beauty dish (borrowed), a 7" silver reflector, and an 11" silver reflector.<br /> Thanks a bunch for any thoughts and/or suggestions.</p>
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<blockquote>

<p>A honeycomb in that reflector or the beauty dish would probably be the closest thing.</p>

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<p>Yes, it probably would - but it won't be anywhere near the effect of a fresnel spot, which is bright in the centre and which becomes progressively less dark at the edges in a very even way, with columnated lines of light - unlike a honeycomb, which is 'rough'</p>

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<p>I was try a Honeycomb grid with a snoot on the 7" reflector. Fresnels create a spot light effect which is different from a grid only approach. I think by combining both a grid and snoot together is the closet you can get to a Arie type frenel light which has a focusing lens in front of the light to narrow or broaden the beam.</p>
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<p>I have been thinking of fitting a fresnel lens into a snoot to turn it into a small spot light. One of the advantages of a power pack type system like I have is you can get fresnel heads for them, but they are not cheap.</p>

<p>If you are trying for something like the 1940's Hollywood look you might consider a grid on one of your beauty dishes, as they used large spot lights a lot.</p>

<p> </p>

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