Studio Photography Workshop - Part 5

In the final session of the workshop, the students worked together using Nikon D300 equipment on two scenarios: to photograph a pair of roses under contre-jour lighting and to photograph a single rose lit to highlight its form.

We set up the sets for these subjects from scratch following the methods described above.

For the roses, we used a single fill light to light up the centre of the flower as well as a reflector to bring some vitality to the leaves. The resulting image was as follows.

Image 1: Roses backlit with fill light and reflector

We also tried spritzing the flowers and leaves with the following result.

Image 2: Roses after spritzing

I do not think that the spritzer significantly improves the end result, so I would choose image 1.

Image 3: Rose with lighting to show form

The single rose was lit with a main light from right side and a fill light from behind the camera. I quite like the delicate color of the petals of this flower. Unfortunately, there are some brown spots appearing in the creases of the petals which detract from the image. This illustrates Richard's tip that it is essential to have a subject in perfect condition without blemishes.

Studio Photography Workshop - Part 4

We dismantled the previous set before moving on to Session 4, a group exercise to photograph the form of an object. Richard had obtained some polystyrene wig stands as the subject.

Wig stands waiting patiently

The key point of the set up in this exercise was to light the background independently of the lighting on the subject.

We used the same white backdrop as in the previous scene. As before, this was lit by two pairs of flash lamps pointing across the screen to just illuminate the opposite edge. They were moved further back from the screen to spread the light wider.

The polystyrene head was fixed to a stand and positioned a good distance in front of the backdrop. The camera and tripod with a longer focal length lens were placed to frame the head reasonably closely.

With live-view switched on, Richard showed where on the backdrop the frame edges reached. This was a far larger area of the backdrop than with the earlier contre-jour photograph. This area of the backdrop was examined to ensure that this was evenly illuminated.

The next stage was to set up the main lighting. A mains flash with a soft box was fitted on a stand a few feet higher than the subject. With the background switched off, photographs were taken with this main light in different positions, side right, back right, behind camera, back left, side left etc. These photographs were reviewed to select the best position for the main light. In this case, the lamp was placed on the right side.

With the background lights activated, photographs were taken and the power of the main light and background lights were adjusted to balance the brightness of the subject and background. The image of the subject was examined in detail in live view. Around the sides and top of the head, we could see that some stray light from the background was reaching the subject. Large black screens were placed on each side behind the subject to block out any light from the background other than that immediately behind the subject. A black velvet cloth was also draped across the screens above the subject for the same reason. Other screens were placed to prevent any light from the background lighting reaching the camera.

View of set up: main light only stage

Smaller black screens were also placed to each side of the lens with a black velvet cloth between them to minimize flare.

The next stage was to consider fill lighting. Richard suggested placing a fill light behind and above the camera. As before the other lights were switched off so that the effect of this additional light was determined. As Richard demonstrated, this spread the tones modeling the form of the head in a much more subtle way.

Richard suggested that it might be worth using a reflector to lighten up the shadows under the nose and chin of the subject. A white reflector placed below the subject did soften these shadows.

Where the subject is a person, a hair highlight lamp is normally added. The lamp on a gantry was placed above and just behind the subject pointing to the top of the head. As before, the other lamps were extinguished whilst the power and effect of this lamp was adjusted.

Richard explained that this set up could now be used for a live model, and the head of one of the group was photographed in the same position as the model head. He explained that in a professional portrait or fashion shoot, the photographer would build the set and adjust the light levels well before the time for the shoot. A few initial photographs would be taken as soon as the model arrived. Whilst the model was changing and preparing (makeup, hair etc), the photographer would use the initial photographs to fine tune the settings. As a result, the photographer could start straight away with minimum final adjustments. During the shoot, an assistant would often be used to move the hair highlights and reflectors to follow the movements of the model from pose to pose.

Studio Photography Workshop - Part 3

Session 3 was a group session to take a photograph using contre-jour lighting. Richard provided some lilies as the subject.

A large sheet of white backing was set up in the studio, and we set up two pairs of studio flash lamps with standard reflector bowls and placed these on stands either side pointing to the opposite sides of the backdrop. The symmetry was checked by standing in front of the backdrop looking forwards. The screen was also inspected to make sure that the illumination was even. The camera flash link was attached to the power unit of one of the lamps. All the lamps were switched to "cell - on" to synchronize the flash units to fire simultaneously.

Checking the position of the lamps

The lamp power was set in the centre of the range. The white backdrop creates an even backlight for the subject as well as acting as the background.

A table was placed in front of the backing and a few of the lilies were arranged on stands on the table.

The Linhof camera and tripod was set in front of the table pointing horizontally towards the screen positioned so that the lilies filled the frame. The camera was levelled and all movements set to zero as before. The white balance was set using the backdrop. The lens was focussed on some stamens in the middle of the flowers. The aperture was set to f22 and the flash power was adjusted until the exposure was appropriate for the back lit petals. We placed black screens on stands on either side of the lens and a black velvet cloth above the lens to minimize flare.

We checked the sharpness of the edges of the subject using liveview on the tethered laptop. The aperture was reduced until the sharpness was acceptable.

Richard suggested that a fill light from over the camera was necessary to illuminate the interiors of the flowers and some of the leaves. We moved a flash lamp and reflector a few feet over the camera facing towards the flowers. The backdrop lights were turned off and we photographed the flowers with just the fill light. Initially the light was too bright even on minimum power. The illumination was reduced and the light softened by clipping a neutral density filter cloth in front of the lamp.

The backdrop lights were turned on again and a photo taken to check the combined effect. Richard felt that some of the leaves under the flowers were a little dull. We therefore tried setting up a flash lamp pointing from up from one side towards the leaves. The same process was used of switching off the other lighting to adjust and control the effect of this second fill light.

Finally, there was a discussion whether to add another leaf under the flowers in order to break up an area of white background. Various positions were tried.

We reviewed a selection of the final images to choose which one was best.

Overview of contre-jour studio set up

Studio Photography Workshop - Part 2

I teamed up with John Duncan and Anne Dembowski to photograph the crushed takeaway container using a Nikon D300 camera fitted with an 18 - 70 mm lens.

The subject was again raised up on a small block resting on a black velvet cloth on a table top. The mains flash lamp was 45 degrees downwards pointing towards the camera position, with a honeycomb and tracing paper diffuser. The flash power was set at central position in the range.

The Nikon was fixed to the tripod and moved into position at the other end of the table pointing downwards to the subject. The level was checked with a spirit level. The white balance was set to flash. In manual mode, the speed was set to 1/50th and the aperture set at f16.

The test photograph was overexposed. The aperture was reduced in steps to f22 and f29 but the highlights were still blown out. The flash power was turned to minimum, but the subject was still too bright. Richard advised us to place a neutral density filter cloth on top of the diffuser frame and this brought the light and dark areas reasonably into balance.

Note: the metadata shows that the Iso was set at 250. If we had reduced this to 100, we would not have needed the neutral density filter cloth.

We magnified the image in liveview to check the sharpness at the front and back of the subject. We had placed the subject sideways in the frame as we knew that depth of field was going to be limited. Fortunately, the edges of the subject were acceptably sharp in this position.

Image 1: Single light

Lens 18 - 70 mm at 56mm: Iso 250 f29 at 1/50th

Having established an initial exposure, we went on to refine the lighting. We noted several dark areas in the subject in particular the front right hand side of the metal foil.

A silver matter reflector was placed in various positions to light up these areas and took a series of photograph to judge the effects. We fixed the reflector in a clamp in the best position There were still some prominent shadows on top of the foil subject. Richard suggested that we use another lamp to fill in this shadow.

The lamp with a honeycomb was placed by the side of the camera pointing down at the foil on the table. The main lamp was switched off and a photograph taken using the additional lamp only. Note: this is important to see exactly what the additional lighting is doing.

The lamp was too bright at the initial setting, so the power was reduced in steps. The main lamp was switched on again and a photograph taken with both lamps and reflector.

Image 2: Main light, fill lamp and silver matt reflector

We experimented using similar technique with some squashed drinks cans and some keys.

Image 3: Coke can with spritzer

Lens 18 - 70mm at 70mm: Iso 250 at f29 at 1/50th

Image 4: Pepsi can

Lens 18 - 70mm at 70mm: Iso 250 at f29 at 1/50th

The bunch of keys provided plenty of opportunity to use multiple reflectors. However, there were too many elements in the subject to create an effective composition.

Studio Photography Workshop - Introduction

Last week, I attended a two day studio photography workshop at City and Islington College which was suggested for Art of Photography students. Richard Maxted a professional photographer led the course. His web gallery of photos includes stunning graphic images of everyday objects as well as a range of commercial advertising images for major corporations: British Airways etc.

The six participants of the course were all OCA students.

The course program was as follows:

Session 1: Group session: a shiny subject

Session 2: Team session: shiny objects

Session 3: Group session: contre-jour lighting

Session 4: Group session: lighting of form

Session 5: Team session: contre-jour lighting and form

In the group sessions, Richard used a large format Linhof tilt and shift camera with a Leaf digital back shooting tethered to a laptop. He directed the team on how to set up and operate the camera, how to set up the set and control the lighting and other equipment.

In the team sessions, three students worked together to use the techniques demonstrated earlier to photograph similar subjects using Nikon D300 SLR cameras.

Session 1: Group session - crushed take-away container

Linhof large format camera with Leaf digital back tethered to laptop was already in place.

Lens had levers/rings to adjust aperture, speed, liveview, cocking lever and cable release. Exposure is manual.

Focussing is adjusted by moving the bellows forward and back by rotating and locking focussing knob. Further knobs move the front plate and back plate to the side and up and down.

Adjust all knobs to zero position before taking first photograph. Use spirit level to level the camera on the tripod.

Lens points down at 45% to table. Mains flash lamp located on gantry at 45% opposite the camera. A frame covered with tracing paper was placed below the lamp.

Richard placed standard grey card on the table, and took a photo so that the Leaf software could adjust the white balance.

Richard placed the subject on two wooden blocks on a table covered with black velvet. Tips: the subject has to be perfect physically. Any imperfections will weaken photo. Lift up on block or spike. This creates a shadow around the subject and also permits fill light from below.

The light cast hard shadows on the wrinkled surface. In order to soften this, a honeycomb was placed in the lamp holder.

Set aperture to f16 (centre of aperture range) and take picture. If overexposed reduce power of flash - not aperture or speed of lens.

Photograph of set up before subject introduced

Once light balance between highlights and shadows is OK, reduce aperture to f22 and adjust flash to compensate.

Use a reflector to fill in lighting on edges or reduce shadows. White board gives soft lighting, silver matt for medium and silver mirror board for hard lighting. Use stands to hold reflectors in place.

Zooming in on the front and back edges on the laptop screen showed that these were not sharp enough. Richard suggested using a small piece of print cut out from a magazine to check the sharpness of at the front and back of the subject. With this type of camera depth of field can be obtained by adjusting the angle of the front and back plates. According to Scheinflug Law, the depth of field is optimized if the hypothetical lines through the front and back plates intersect a horizontal line through the subject.

The surface of the subject can be modified using a spritzer of glycerine mixed with some water to produce a "water droplet" appearance. There are also matt sprays which dull the surface.

Tip: Keep lighting arrangements as simple as possible.