Using Mirror's
Posted 16/07/2011 - 06:40
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Hi Les
I think it does look to bright. A few questions first before I make any suggestions if thats ok.
What size is your home made softbox?
Is the softbox hand held or on a clamp bracket?
What light source are you using flash wise?
However, in the meantime have you considered any of the below
Turn down the power on the flash
Try some + EV
Move the softbox further away from the cannon. and reduce the intensity of the soft light
Personally if I wanted a mirror effect I would you colorgloss www.colorama-photo.com/colorgloss.php
Gareth
I think it does look to bright. A few questions first before I make any suggestions if thats ok.
What size is your home made softbox?
Is the softbox hand held or on a clamp bracket?
What light source are you using flash wise?
However, in the meantime have you considered any of the below
Turn down the power on the flash
Try some + EV
Move the softbox further away from the cannon. and reduce the intensity of the soft light
Personally if I wanted a mirror effect I would you colorgloss www.colorama-photo.com/colorgloss.php
Gareth
Fletcher8.
Posted 16/07/2011 - 08:04
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If you want to make the imager darker, then this can be done in Photoshop. I don't know what the tone of the cannon is, but you should be able to match it.
For most purposes though I would use available light - a large window plus reflectors as needed. This is much more gentle than flash and gives a less harsh result.
Incidentally, you make an image darker by reducing exposure, so - EV.
For most purposes though I would use available light - a large window plus reflectors as needed. This is much more gentle than flash and gives a less harsh result.
Incidentally, you make an image darker by reducing exposure, so - EV.
Best regards, John
Posted 16/07/2011 - 11:56
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The brightness is uneven, brighter towards the top. The light is also a bit directional. You'd probably get better results simply bouncing the flash off the ceiling!
[link=https://500px.com/will_brealey/[/link]
Posted 16/07/2011 - 12:25
Link
Fletcher8 wrote:
Hi Les
I think it does look to bright. A few questions first before I make any suggestions if thats ok.
What size is your home made softbox?
Is the softbox hand held or on a clamp bracket?
What light source are you using flash wise?
However, in the meantime have you considered any of the below
Turn down the power on the flash
Try some + EV
Move the softbox further away from the cannon. and reduce the intensity of the soft light
Personally if I wanted a mirror effect I would you colorgloss www.colorama-photo.com/colorgloss.php
Gareth
Hi Les
I think it does look to bright. A few questions first before I make any suggestions if thats ok.
What size is your home made softbox?
Is the softbox hand held or on a clamp bracket?
What light source are you using flash wise?
However, in the meantime have you considered any of the below
Turn down the power on the flash
Try some + EV
Move the softbox further away from the cannon. and reduce the intensity of the soft light
Personally if I wanted a mirror effect I would you colorgloss www.colorama-photo.com/colorgloss.php
Gareth
In answer to your questions, the light box is just a cardboard box that I cut windows in the top, but not the sides of it just yet. Rough measure is 1.5 ft. wide, 1 ft. deep and 1.5 ft. high. It's nothing fancy, but I've read that you can get a whole lot of different effects using a home made one, rather than spending money on one of those fancy ones. I've seen on Ebay that there are light boxes for sale that have all the things that you need to get started. Different colored backgrounds, 2 small lights for either side of the box, and it's collapsible. The price is modest. $32.00 US currency is not a whole lot of money, really. Don't know what that is in British money.
I have read, also, that the higher the EV setting, the more focus you have. This one, I think was set at 11EV, if that makes sense. The smaller the number EV the less focus you have. Right?
The Flash is a Vivitar 520 that attached to the top of my Pentax. Maybe putting a white thin cover over the flash would reduce the glare? :
I'm going to keep playing with this and read what all of you tell me. There is so much to try.
Thanks,
Les
"Those who do nothing . . . make no mistakes in Life"
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I'm just full of questions . . . It's the only way I learn anything! I have so, so, much to learn using my Pentax K100D DSLR
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I'm just full of questions . . . It's the only way I learn anything! I have so, so, much to learn using my Pentax K100D DSLR
Posted 16/07/2011 - 13:42
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Metering of the bright area + EV on the Camera not the flash was what I meant to say earlier in relation to the zone system.
Have you tried taking the Vivitar 520 off camera?
Gareth
Have you tried taking the Vivitar 520 off camera?
Gareth
Fletcher8.
Posted 16/07/2011 - 15:58
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Fletcher8 wrote:
Metering of the bright area + EV on the Camera not the flash was what I meant to say earlier in relation to the zone system.
Have you tried taking the Vivitar 520 off camera?
Gareth
Metering of the bright area + EV on the Camera not the flash was what I meant to say earlier in relation to the zone system.
Have you tried taking the Vivitar 520 off camera?
Gareth
Yes, I did try without the Vivitar 520 and this was the result. Not really all that great, in my opinion. Again, I've probably done some things wrong, but that's why I ask what others have to say. I'll keep trying, as always.

"Those who do nothing . . . make no mistakes in Life"
http://s404.Photobucket.com/home/Corker2/index
I'm just full of questions . . . It's the only way I learn anything! I have so, so, much to learn using my Pentax K100D DSLR
http://s404.Photobucket.com/home/Corker2/index
I'm just full of questions . . . It's the only way I learn anything! I have so, so, much to learn using my Pentax K100D DSLR
Posted 16/07/2011 - 22:35 - Helpful Comment
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Posted 16/07/2011 - 22:41 - Helpful Comment
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helps also to remember that shiny surfaces...like mirrors, you don't light the siny object or surface, you light what ever is reflecting off the surface.... and where white backgrounds is concerned, 2 stops brighter than the subject, no more or you'll lose contrast or get flare and burned out areas... or worse ca & aberations at the edges or your subject...
use white and black reflectors and or flags to control highlights and shadows on your subject...
use white and black reflectors and or flags to control highlights and shadows on your subject...
Fired many shots. Didn't kill anything.
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37 posts
13 years
Pennsylvania,
USA
Seems that I'm going to need some advice here again to see what you think about the Image I've taken using my "home made" Light Box. I have used it a number of times to photograph some of my Classic Car Collection and it seems to work well, at times. However, this time I have tried to photograph a Civil War Cannon that I've had, using a mirror. This is the first time I've tried doing this and I know that there is something wrong with what I've done. Should I have used a different background? It seems that it is just too bright. Any comments or help is always appreciated.
http://s404.Photobucket.com/home/Corker2/index
I'm just full of questions . . . It's the only way I learn anything! I have so, so, much to learn using my Pentax K100D DSLR