3.1 & 3.2 – Balancing the Sun

If you have been following this blog you may have noticed that there has been an extended delay in new postings.  What began as a brief pause during the end of the year holidays turned into a several month long break.  A once a week pace was becoming far to difficult to maintain and before I could recognize the warning signs I had become burnt-out.  Luckily this break has recharged me and I will continue to log my progress through the Lighting 102 course.  I can however guarantee that it will not be on a post a week pace anymore.

The last post was about balancing flash with indoor ambient light.  In this post I’ll be dealing with balancing flash with the sun outdoors.  Even though I'm moving outdoors, the principals of balancing flash remain the same; modifying the shutter speed affects only the ambient exposure, and modifying the aperture affects both the ambient and flash exposures.  Using a flash in the sunshine is commonly referred to as “fill flash” because the flash is used to fill in the shadowy areas caused by the sun.  For some beginners it might be a strange concept to use a flash in bright sunshine but doing so can make a dramatic difference in your photography.

The Lighting 102 course broke balancing flash with the sun into two separate segments.  The first segment was about balancing flash with twilight and the second was balancing with the full afternoon sun.  While my wife and I were traveling through California we stopped off at a roadside park to try out some “fill flash” techniques.  Since both segments were done on the same day so I had to switch up the order.

1/200, f/6.3, 42mm, speedlite low camera right
(El Matador State Beach)

The first photo, to the right, is my attempt at cross lighting technique during the full afternoon sun.  The sun was high, behind the subject and to the left.  A speedlite was added low and to the right.  The two light sources were set up opposite each other, hence why it is called cross lighting.

Take a look at the subject's left shoulder.  The top of her shoulder is in shadow due to the speedlite's low setup.  If this shot was taken without the speedlite entirely, the left side of the subject's face would also be in shadow.   That isn't to say that it would be "wrong" to do so but that wasn't my intent in this particular photo.  My intent was to have the subject's face entirely exposed and separate her from the background.

Fill flash is also a technique that you can also use with an on-camera flash so you shouldn't feel like you have to do a lighting setup to use it.  Any time that you are shooting a subject with a bright background you should consider using some fill flash.  Using flash on a bright sunny day will ensure that your subject is properly exposed without blowing out the sky in the background.  Blowing out a portion of a photo is when part of the frame is so over-exposed that it becomes pure white and all detail is lost.  Typically this is bad.  Clouds, snow, and white haired dogs are examples of things that are notorious for being easily over-exposed.

The second part of balancing flash with a setting sun or at twilight.  The "problem" with this is that we had some time to kill between mid-afternoon and sunset.  As mentioned in the first photo's caption, it, and all the photo's in this assignment were taken at El Matador State Beach in California.  It's a bit off the beaten track but it was well worth the drive and this is how I ended up spending the afternoon...

The series of photos above really have nothing to due with the L102 course directly but El Matador was so beautiful and I had such a good time that I felt I needed to share them.  There are a few places in the world where I have experienced pure peacefulness; perhaps it was a reaction to the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles or the excitement hangover from the Rose Bowl (Go Green!) but this was one of those places.  I could have stayed here for days.

Soon enough, the sun began to sink into the western horizon and it was time for me to get back to "work".  This wasn't my first time taking photos at sunset but it was my first time trying to do so with a off-camera lighting setup.  I describe the experience as frantic waiting.  With a setting sun the ambient light is constantly changing which adds a very different variable to contend with.  The bonus to the changing light is that you get quite a variety of photos in a very short amount of time.  It took me a while to decide but I finally ended up selecting this photo out of the bunch.

The lighting set up for this shot was very simple.  I attached my flash to a tripod and had it positioned it camera left at about the same height as the subject's face.  

On this trip I was traveling light.  I had my camera, a tripod, and a couple speedlites.  I would have loved to bring my light stands, umbrellas, soft boxes, etc. but for a trip across the country to watch a football game and do some photography on the side, the airlines extra bag fees seemed steep.  In both the daylight and the sunset shots I had a bare speedlite setup on my tripod (bare = no modifiers (umbrella/softbox etc.)).  Typically I try to keep the flash as close as reasonably possible to the subject.  This does two things: 

1. It makes the apparent light size larger and, 
2. Due to the inverse square law, it makes the light more powerful.  

I don't go crazy with closeness because nobody likes to have  a flash right up in their grill, but typically the flash is set up closer to the subject than the camera is to the subject.  An added bonus to making the light more powerful is that I can reduce the output of the speedlite.  Instead of having to run the flash at full power, which eats through batteries, increases recovery time, and reduces the life of the flash bulb, I can typically at 1/4-1/8 power or less.

I learned in this photo shoot that taking portraits at sunset is fairly easy to do but incredibly difficult to master.  In my experience, photography takes a lot of practice and this sunset portrait assignment was the toughest so far.  Thank you for continuing to follow my blog and remember that the Lighting 102 course can be found on strobist.com.  Please feel free to use the comments below to ask any questions you may have, tips you'd like to share, and words of encouragement or criticism are always welcome.

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Headshots Review

My previous two posts described my progress through Lighting 102 lessons on Strobist.com two ways to control a light source, position and apparent light size.  These controls had a major impact on the end result of the Lighting Boot Camp assignment on Headshots.

In an earlier post, I admitted to you that I was blindly plodding my way through the Headshots assignment.  Now that I understand position and apparent light size better I wanted to go back to this shoot and explain in more detail how this shot was created and how these controls affected the end result.

I’ll begin with apparent light size.  In the last lesson I learned that the apparent size of our light source affects how large the transition is between highlight and shadow. To produce soft light an apparently large light source is required.  Soft light extends the transition between highlight and shadow.  In contrast, apparently small light sources produce hard light and reduce the transition between highlight and shadow.

In my headshot shoot I used a combination of hard and soft light sources.  I wanted my main light to be soft so I used a shoot-through umbrella positioned slightly higher than the model’s head on the camera left side.  This position creates shadows under the model’s nose and chin.  These shadows add dimension to the model’s face but by utilizing an apparently large light these shadows are softened.  

I envisioned my second light source being natural light coming through a nearby widow camera right.  It was partly cloudy the day of the shoot, so my light source kept going in and out.  Instead of dealing with nature I set up a second speedlite in front of the window.   I left this speedlite bare, making its apparent size small.  This produced hard light and you can see the transition between highlight and shadow on the left side of the models face is really small.  

By modifying the apparent size of either of the light sources the transition between the shadows and highlight can be changed.

Distance also affects the apparent size of a light source.  This shot was taken in a relatively small room.  Adding or removing an umbrella was more effective in modifying the size of the light source than altering the distance between the subject and the light source.  However, the distance of the light source did have a major effect on the exposure of the background.  If I wanted to darken the background without repainting the wall I could have moved the umbrella light closer to the model and taken advantage of the flash’s depth of field. 

Don’t forget about the Specular Highlight.  A specular highlight is light reflecting directly off an object into your camera.  Even though it seems that the human face is not a reflective surface, it is, and specular highlight does come into play.  The 3-dimensional attributes of light toned objects are defined by shadows and dark toned objects are 3-dimensionally defined by specular highlight.  This has a major impact when dealing with subjects with different skin tones.  In this shot, the models skin tone is fairly light so the shadows are giving the photo a 3-dimensional look.   

Regardless of the model’s skin tone specular highlights also show up in the models eyes.  These specular highlights in the eyes are called catch lights.  Catch lights make a photo look more natural.  You can typically tell the shape of the light source by looking at the shape of the catch light in the subject eye.  The shoot-through umbrella used in this shot creates the round catch light.  If a rectangular softbox was used the catch light would be rectangular instead of round.

As a general rule of thumb (insert Boondock Saints opening scene), the shape of a catch light should mimic a natural catch light.  For instance, for an indoor photo the light source creating a catch light could be a window creating a rectangular catch light so creating one with a rectangular softbox would be appropriate.  For an outdoor photo creating a rectangular catch light wouldn’t match a natural round catch light caused by the sun.  I’m not saying that softboxes shouldn’t be used in outdoor photography; professional photographers used softboxes outdoors all the time.  I just want you to be aware of the shape of the catch lights that you create.  This might not seem like a big deal, but gaining an understanding of this can help you determine if the shape of the specular highlight is important in your own photography. 

Another neat thing that I learned from Strobist.com is that you can further alter your light modifier by blacking out a portion of it.  A logo, design or even wording can be added to a light modifier and it will show up in the specular highlight.  I haven’t personally tried this yet but when my new softbox comes in I might.  I’ll let you know how it turns out in a future post.

The subject of my next post will be the L102 Cooking Light assignment.  When I was working on the cooking light shoot I thought back to how these controls affected my headshots assignment.  It was important and helpful for me to relate my newfound knowledge to my previous work and I wanted to share it with you.  I hope that this helps you further understand the position and apparent light size controls.

For more on specular highlights and working with skin tones check out Lighting 102: Unit 2.2: http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/07/lighting-102-unit-22-specular-highlight.html

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Headshots

First I need to give credit where credit is due.  I mentioned in my last post that this blog would be following my journey through Lighting 102 and the Lighting Boot Camp on strobist.com.   

I’m fairly new to this blog but it has been a great resource for me.  They focus pretty much exclusively with off-camera flash, which is perfect since that’s what I want to learn.  Their Lighting 101 course blew my mind with the amount of good information.  I started this blog the day I finished the Lighting 101 course.

Another source of knowledge that I frequently use is Improvephotography.com.  They have loads of good information about taking great photos, recommended gear and techniques.  Most of my off-camera flash equipment was purchased based on their recommendation.  My wife loves me but spending thousands of dollars on photography equipment isn’t her idea of fun.  They recommend good quality accessories that are less expensive than the brand named gear but still produce great results.

I now find myself with a bunch of new off-camera flash gear and pretty much no clue how to use it.  Well I shouldn’t say that, I know how to trigger the flashes and how to set up the stands and umbrellas. With the recommended gear this was amazingly easy. So I should rephrase that to not knowing how to use them properly.  That’s really what got me to this point.

The first assignment in this endeavor of mine is to take a good headshot.  The obvious first question is, what makes a good headshot.  Anyone who can hold a camera can take a photo of someone’s head, the trick is to create something interesting.  My goal in this assignment is just that.  I don’t want to take another blah photo; I want to create something interesting and practical.  Practical?  Yes, my wife actually needs a headshot for a work profile.  Perfect!  Not only does it give her a reason to sit for me but it also gives me a good framework to work within.  This photo is going to be used in a professional setting which should keep my creative ADD in check.  I’m thinking that it should have a simple background, classic lighting and a simple pose.  I think I can try to do that.

Following the Lighting 102 lesson we’ll start with a simple snapshot with camera mounted flash then work into some off-camera speedlite work.  For clarity I want to let you know that throughout this blog I will use the terms flash and speedlite interchangeably.  They're really not but when most people think of a flash they think of a speedlite (or speedlight) or a built in flash and at this point I don’t want to get into technicalities of the differences of these terms (maybe later).  For this assignment I’ll try to keep the basic setup the same and change only the type of light and lighting setup so we can see can see the differences between them.

Built-in flash

First shot.  This shot was taken utilizing my camera’s built in flash.  Not to trash on decades of work to create this fine precision crafted little machine but sometime I wonder why the bother building these things into the camera.  That little flash popping up (especially if its unexpected) is foreshadowing of a future bad photo.  Beginner tip, to keep that ugly little monster from popping out of its home unexpectedly keep your camera out of those auto modes.  If you have a Canon DSLR keep it in P for pretty darn good results (or the Nikon equivalent). It gives you the ability to use some of the cameras features but selects aperture and shutter speed combos to achieve good exposure.  You should also venture into Aperture priority (Av) and shutter speed priority (Tv) modes.  These will give you a lot more flexibility but still use some of the built-in brains to help you achieve good exposure.  Not only do I dislike the quality of light in this shot but it was also really hard for my subject to keep her eyes from squinting due to it’s harshness and the location of it. I think it’s fairly obvious why this isn’t my favorite shot, if not, I urge you to read Lighting 101.

External flash aimed straight on

This second shot was taken with a hot shoe mounted flash with a Stofen light diffuser attached.  First difference of note is that her eyes are finally open, woo hoo!  The external flash helps even when attached to the hot shoe.  It elevates the flash slightly and the diffuser eliminates the squinting reaction.  In my opinion this is a fine snap shot.  Put this on a milk carton and your loved one could be found.  The diffuser also spreads the light out so her face is more evenly lit. It’s slightly better than the first shot (at least she eyes are open) but still pretty blah.  We can do better.

External flash bounced off ceiling

Now we’re starting to talk.  This was taken with that same flash but to achieve a much softer light it was bounced off a light colored ceiling.  This has been pretty much my go to technique for indoor photos when I’m on the move.  You've also undoubtably seen wedding photographers doing this (especially around the dance floor).  Her face now has definition and depth, her skin tone is improved, the shadows behind her are gone.  This technique can have a raccooning effect though caused by the brow casting a shadow over the eyes. It will also typically cast a shadow under a subject's chin. It's a trade-off that I'll gladly take compared to the previous results.  Just aiming that flash up makes a world of difference.

Time for a funny story (ADD I know).  I recently showed someone this technique, after all it is pretty simple, Mode P, flash in the hot shoe, flip it up to the ceiling, take the shot, lesson over right?  Well, I noticed that same person a few weeks later taking outdoor portraits with the flash aimed up again...just like I showed them...but now into the sky…Houston we have a problem (blame it on the instructor).  This technique is called a bounce flash because you are bouncing the flash off a surface. You use that surface to reflect the light onto your subject.  You can bounce it off ceilings, walls etc. but the surface must be relatively close.  Even on a cloudy day the clouds are just a bit out of reach of your small speedlite.  (To get the full impact of that statement you must in your head read that with the announcer's voice from the movie "Major League".)  In this case, without a surface to bounce off of, you are basically just shooting the flash into outer space (not scientifically accurate but you get the point).  Also, it's important to keep in mind that if the bounce surface is colored, that hue will be cast over your shot.  That's not to say that a colored surface can’t be used for some creative shots but for the most part I love seeing white (or white-ish) ceilings.

Now to start fiddling with these new speedlites and lighting gear of mine.  For this headshot I want to use soft light so I already know that I’m going to get a chance to try out my umbrellas.  An explanation of hard and soft light can be found here: http://improvephotography.com/flash-photography-basics-3/

One light setup, 45 degrees left

I shot this photo with a one light setup to camera left.  I'm new to this and I think there are some issues with this photo.  I don't like the shadow caused by the nose and I also lost most of the highlight on the left side of her face from a distant window.  You can most notably see this highlight in the first shot with the built-in flash.  It was a partly cloudy morning some one minute I'd have great light coming through the window but it would be gone the next.  It was driving me more than a little batty.  Solution, make your own good light.  

I really think this is the coolest thing in the world.  Don't like the light, change it!  Can I do that?  Sure can!  This is when we really began having a good time.  The exact thought in my head was, "I'll make my own damn highlight". 

Instead of waiting on the sun that wanted to pop in and pop out with blatant disregard for what we were trying to accomplish I set up a second speedlite in front of the window.  The final lighting setup then was then one flash shooting through an umbrella, slightly elevated, around 30 degrees camera left and a second flash unmodified 90 degrees camera right.

Two light setup

The end result was a little better than I had anticipated.  Once I had the light setup how I wanted it we could really begin to have some fun.  We shifted her pose slightly to get her shoulders off plane and I was able to create that highlight on her left side that I was looking for.  This was definitely a trial-and-error process but we had fun.  I can't stress that enough, fun.  It was really the most important factor.  If you can capture the model's beauty they'll sit for you all day.

You'll notice that the key light (the one camera left) was shot through an umbrella giving a nice soft light.  The shadows on the left side of her nose and under her chin have a long transition between shadow and highlight.  In contrast, the light camera right was unmodified (hard).  Look at the shadow caused by her hair on the left side of her face.  The transition between highlight and shadow is super small.  This was intentional as I was attempting to recreate natural light coming through a window.

What do you think?  I love compliments and constructive criticism is even better.  If you like this post, have questions on how the shot was done or have suggestions on how it could be improved, please leave me a comment below.  It'll also let me know that someone out there is actually reading. :)  

My next assignment I believe is backgrounds.  I've resisted the urge  to read ahead because I wanted to focus on the task at hand so don't trash me if my next post isn't about backgrounds.   I'm hoping to publish posts every couple weeks or so.  I may need more time for more complex assignments but I do have some other topics that I can hopefully use as fillers if I get stuck.

Thanks for reading and again please leave me a comment below.  

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