Bout to Purchase New Light Kit, Suggestions?

Byron Huskey · December 26th, 2008, 12:40 PM

Haha, that's great guys! Glad to see the topic sparked a lot of good information. It'll take a bit to digest it all (I admit to being rather naive about lighting) but regardless it's much appreciated!

Perrone Ford · December 26th, 2008, 04:06 PM

Let us know of you have questions, we're here to help.

Tom Roper · December 27th, 2008, 09:59 AM

Thanks for a great discussion, one of the best!

The question I have is about the flag in front of the soft box, to put the shadow on the blackout background. Is the talent masked by it as well? Dumb question, but I assume the intent is for the talent to be illuminated.

Perrone Ford · December 27th, 2008, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Roper

Thanks for a great discussion, one of the best!

The question I have is about the flag in front of the soft box, to put the shadow on the blackout background. Is the talent masked by it as well? Dumb question, but I assume the intent is for the talent to be illuminated.

The flag is positioned so that the light falls on the talent but not the background. Thus increasing the contrast between the two, and making the background truly black instead of dark gray as it appears in daylight.

The distance between the background at the talent is about 6 feet. I used very shalllow DOF so that the background would become a soft muddled mess instead of showing the true pattern it really had.

Overall, I was VERY pleased with this shoot, save for the fact that I recorded with the focus soft because my monitor I was using couldn't show me I was out of focus. I didn't want to bring my real monitor, and that bit me in the end. Not a mistake I'd make again.

Shaun Roemich · December 27th, 2008, 03:47 PM

Slightly off-topic: Perrone, is that you in the photo? It's always neat to be able to put a name to a face (and a history of wisdom...)

Perrone Ford · December 27th, 2008, 03:50 PM

Yea, that's my ugly mug.

Shaun Roemich · December 27th, 2008, 03:59 PM

Looks like you're "mugging" for the camera... <laughs>

I think that is one of the things that we sometimes forget to do is take photos of us at work (ok, someone ELSE takes the photos...)

How does this factor in to this discussion? Simple: rather than trying to explain light placement, distance to background etc. just post the appropriate pics. That whole 1000 words thing...

Thanks for sharing Perrone!

Graham Bernard · December 28th, 2008, 03:09 AM

Perrone, thanks for the level of detail and the photos you used to illustrate your setups - neat!

Man! If you think YOU are ugly, I ain't showing my photo anywhere! You should be in FRONT of the camera!! Handsome AND talented . . .

Grazie

Arvin Berner · December 31st, 2008, 01:17 AM

I agree with the prevailing opinion that the kit you were considering would fall a little short.

My suggestion is get the Mole-Richardson baby. Or consider a tweenie II; they have a lot of punch. Either of these is a good place to start. Stay away from a 2k for what you are doing. Besides some of the issues already mentioned they are heavier and larger and that is an issue when you're doing a one man show.

BTW if you are going to buy used you might want to try calling a rental house. Sometimes they will be glad to sell off some inventory at a good price compared to new. I've been able to make my money go a little further that way.

December 26th, 2008, 12:40 PM	#16
Byron Huskey Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 64	Haha, that's great guys! Glad to see the topic sparked a lot of good information. It'll take a bit to digest it all (I admit to being rather naive about lighting) but regardless it's much appreciated! __________________ Byron Huskey Rhapsodist Productions "Film as dream, film as music. No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls." - Ingmar Bergman

December 26th, 2008, 04:06 PM	#17
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	Let us know of you have questions, we're here to help. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

December 27th, 2008, 03:47 PM	#20
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Slightly off-topic: Perrone, is that you in the photo? It's always neat to be able to put a name to a face (and a history of wisdom...) __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

December 27th, 2008, 03:50 PM	#21
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	Yea, that's my ugly mug. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

December 27th, 2008, 03:59 PM	#22
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Looks like you're "mugging" for the camera... <laughs> I think that is one of the things that we sometimes forget to do is take photos of us at work (ok, someone ELSE takes the photos...) How does this factor in to this discussion? Simple: rather than trying to explain light placement, distance to background etc. just post the appropriate pics. That whole 1000 words thing... Thanks for sharing Perrone! __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

December 27th, 2008, 09:59 AM	#18
Tom Roper Trustee Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 1,891	Thanks for a great discussion, one of the best! The question I have is about the flag in front of the soft box, to put the shadow on the blackout background. Is the talent masked by it as well? Dumb question, but I assume the intent is for the talent to be illuminated.

December 28th, 2008, 03:09 AM	#23
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Perrone, thanks for the level of detail and the photos you used to illustrate your setups - neat! Man! If you think YOU are ugly, I ain't showing my photo anywhere! You should be in FRONT of the camera!! Handsome AND talented . . . Grazie

December 31st, 2008, 01:17 AM	#24
Arvin Berner New Boot Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Modesto California Posts: 17	I agree with the prevailing opinion that the kit you were considering would fall a little short. My suggestion is get the Mole-Richardson baby. Or consider a tweenie II; they have a lot of punch. Either of these is a good place to start. Stay away from a 2k for what you are doing. Besides some of the issues already mentioned they are heavier and larger and that is an issue when you're doing a one man show. BTW if you are going to buy used you might want to try calling a rental house. Sometimes they will be glad to sell off some inventory at a good price compared to new. I've been able to make my money go a little further that way.