Welcome to Jeffrey Sauger's JRN 420

Location Lighting with Remote Strobes

Due October 11

 When on assignment, it is easy to ignore the light, shoot and hope for the best.  Sometimes available light is very poor and unpleasant. The intent of this assignment is to help you become an expert with remote strobes on location. If you are a capable shooter with external strobes, you will be one step ahead of most students entering the job market. Photojournalists should know how to use a light kit.

Directions:

• You must shoot two completely different situations and locations
  • Each situation may be anything of your choosing.
  • It could be at an event or a portrait
• You must use directional lighting (put your main light at least 45 degrees away from the camera).
• Use and share one of the light kits in the closet.
• You may use ambient light, however, the main light must come from a remote strobe.
• Shoot lots for each situation and experiment.
• Post two photos of each situation on your blog complete with captions and an explanation of how you lit your subjects. Write about your experience.
• Shoot and blog a photo (or drawing) of your lighting set-up.

 Remember:

• Shoot for portfolio quality photos.
• Create a mood.
• Brainstorm your ideas.
• Experiment with your lights. Shoot. Change your lighting and shoot again.
• Leave some time for yourself in case you need to re-shoot.
• If you want to increase the background ambient light, be sure to lower your shutter speed appropriately.
• Consider using a telephoto lens
• Make sure everything works before you leave the department after checking out the lights (even open the umbrellas).
• Set up your pocket wizards and test the strobes before you leave the 4th floor of Moore.
• Work in groups of two or more. You will be thankful for the support of others as you solve problems and experiment. Your classmates can hold strobes, help with ideas and act as gobos.
• Don’t get caught up in just being able to do it. Make your photos dramatic and compelling by brainstorming strong ideas with interesting characters for portraits and other ideas for cool photos.
• At the shoot:
• Buddy up. Get help from another student and then help that studentStart with your strobes at half or quarter power so you have quicker recycling times.
• Vary the distance to the subject to change strength of the light.
• Power down or power up each strobe to get the effect desired.
• Keep your subject away from the background for more control.
• You can light the background.
• Take a test shot.
• Set your f/stop.
• Vary your shutter speed to get the ambient light where you want it..
• If you use an umbrella, make sure it is close to your subject. Otherwise the soft effect will be minimized.
• You will need more power using an umbrella because some of the light gets absorbed by the umbrella.
• Be intentional and experiment.
• Get strobes behind your subject to create rim light.
• Think about how you want to present the main light.
• Consider putting your strobe in unusual places.
• Use rechargeable batteries for faster recycling times.
• Use the lowest ISO possible but don’t be afraid to go as high as 800 or 1600.
• Set your camera to manual.
• The f stop will control the strobe exposure.
• The shutter will control the ambient light.
• Make sure your shutter is at or under 1/200th of a second (sync speed). For some Canon users it’s 1/160th of a second.
• Set the strobe(s) to manual. Set the power to your desired settings (full, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 etc.).
• Set your ISO to 200-800. The higher your ISO the lower power you will need on the strobes. Keep in mind, higher ISOs diminish quality.
• Set the zoom appropriately. Wide angle for umbrellas, telephoto for back lights.
• Make your own snoot and experiment.
• Make sure your light stands are above your subject’s face.
• Make sure all strobes have strong battery power. Have extra batteries on hand.
• Move your main light, if you are using an umbrella, as close to the subject as possible to get more broad light.
• When the light is closer to the subject it is more powerful.