New Video Tutorial: Get A Grip

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<p >Hi All,<br />I just completed a new video tutorial on grip equipment that can be accessed here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.setshoptutorials.com/item/18-get-a-grip" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.setshoptutorials.com/item/18-get-a-grip</a><br /><br />Comments always welcomed.<br />Steve<br /><a href="mailto:steve@stevesint.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">steve@stevesint.com</a></p>

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<p>Steve, really liked the Lowel Link. I 'm thinking about ganging 2 or 3 640 ws strobes for that extra 1 or 2 stops of power I would like outdoors in full sunlight since I don't have a 1200 or 1800 ws pack. </p>

<p>Great stuff Steve, keep it coming. It can be the little nitty-gritty stuff like this that makes or breaks studio/lighting work.</p>

<p>If you haven't already covered it (and sorry if I missed it), how about a tutorial on flags, gobos, snoots, grids, skirts and absorbers? In short - preventing spill. Especially making clear the difference between a gobo and a flag; terms that I find to my annoyance get totally confused and interchanged these days.</p>

<p>Edit: BTW Bob, 2 additional heads of the same power rating won't get you 2 more stops of light. You'll get 1.5 stops (or thereabouts).</p>

Hi Rodeo,

 

About your comment to Bob, you are right: adding a second, same powered light of equal power by

using a Lowell link would increase the total output by 1 f-stop but to get a 2 stop increase in light you

would need to gang 4 equal powered lights together. But there are other interesting points worth noting

here.

 

 

The first is that in the example I showed I was not using the Lowell link (and the two light sources

attached to it) to change the light's output but the light's quality instead because the two light sources

were aimed at different parts of the 84 inch umbrella. So, because using more of the umbrella would

increase the spread of the light, I'm not sure the light output would be linear (i.e, doubling the power

would increase the output by one stop. I say this because if I used a 60 degree reflector on another

light source (different from the example shown in the video) and changed that reflector to say a 120

degree one, that reflector change would result in a loss of (about) a stop of light. That difference would

probably be measured in BCPS (Beam Candle Power Seconds) which takes into account not only

power (watts or watt seconds) but also the efficiency of the reflector design. This was brought home to

me a long time ago, when I used Norman flash units instead of my current choice: Dynalites. Norman

offered three different 60 degree reflectors: one with a spun aluminum inner surface, one with a crinkly

chrome inner surface, and a third the shiny inner surface that included a bunch of shiny parabolic dots

on it (about a 3/8 inch for each dot). While all three were 60 degree reflectors, the spun aluminum one

was two stops less powerful than the dotted one and the crinkly chrome one was right between the

other two in light output!

 

 

So, the next time I use my 84 inch umbrella with two heads on it I plan on putting my meter on it to see

if there is a difference in power output between aiming both lights at the center of the umbrella vs.

aiming the two lights at different parts of the umbrella. All this has made my curious mind want to

know...:)

 

 

Lastly, about this linearity thing, if you are using a single flash head (or unit) you can use it to check if

the flash is functioning properly. Full power should be one stop more powerful than half power, half

power should be one stop more powerful than quarter power, and so on. It's a fact that whenever one of

my units goes in for repair my flash tech (Flash Clinic in NYC) always checks to see if the unit is linear

to make sure all the switches are working properly.

 

 

Happy Labor Day everyone!

SS

steve@stevesint.com

<p>Steve, I entirely agree with your analysis of pointing multiple lights into one big brolly. It should be calculatable (is that even a word?), by seeing how much extra area of the subject gets illuminated - if any. Whatever. I didn't really want to get into the higher maths of the thing, just to point out to Bob that his expectation of an extra 2 stops of light was a bit optimistic.</p>

Hi Rodeo,

 

 

When I wrote: "About your comment to Bob, you are right",

I was agreeing with you.

 

 

Sorry if I ran on and on...I can get carried away sometimes...:)

 

S

Steve and Rodeo, same here, agree on the math. I certainly can use more power though, and this option may give me what I need without having to spring for a more powerful head or pack system. Will give it a try but today, it's assemble a second saw horse and finish reading Steve's book, "Still Life." Hanging a roll of translux using a couple super clamps, light stands and some electrical conduit saved me the trouble of taking down my 9' seamless to use the stands/cross bar system. The book has been helpful already. Will use this for having extra sets simultaneously up so can do more looks in each portrait shoot. That will pay for the book in the first extra print sold.

<p>Hi Bob,</p>

<p>Please let me know what you think of the "Still Life" book when you finish it. Either a private email or a public posting is OK. Thanks.</p>

<p>SS</p>

<p>I have been skimming it the last couple of weeks while studying for an insurance licensing exam. 300 pages of insurance policies. So your book was a welcomed relief. Passed the test so can get back to shooting. I found it really enlightening. The sections on the various parts of the set and how you adjust small reflectors was new to me as well. Gaffer taping the lower part with white tape to the bottom of the set then adjusting the angle from behind with the weight. The wire was a cool idea that you had addressed in prior tutorials. I am getting set to sell some lenses so the back lit through the translux on black plexi with possibly some blue gelled kickers. Its a new world for me. The suggestion that a micro lens probably wasn't needed spared me that expense as well. Now I realize I don't need it for photographing the gear I am selling and what I am shooting right now. If your suggestion on the manfrotto clamps and the $6 piece of conduit for a cross bar saved me falling off my ladder again putting up my seamless, the book is worth it's weight in gold. First time I have fallen off that ladder I've had for over 30 years, stepped into space into the sweep. Fortunately, just some minor sprains but the snap I heard when I landed on the concrete concerned me til I realized it was the snap on my pants. I would highly recommend the book. I think about horizons when shooting portraits but liked your analysis in the book re still life. </p>

<p>Thanks for the tutorial. I can finaly watch them again :-) All it took was an upgrade to Windows 7 ... however I still wonder why the linux box has issues. I guess the flash player/plugin is the issue.</p>

<p>Hi Lubos,</p>

<p>I'm glad you can see the tutorials again! I've always been a Mac user (although I can muddle my way through a Word doc on a Windows machine if I have too) so I'm sorry I couldn't help you previously.</p>

<p>SS</p>