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Studio lighting on a budget
Words and pictures Philip Weston If you want to take ultra modern style portraits with the pure white backgrounds, but think you can't because you only have one studio light think again. Experts may tell you that you need five lights comprising main or key light, fill light, hair light and at least two background lights, and who on earth can afford five studio flashes? The secret lies not in throwing money at the idea, but at flexing the old brain power. The only photographic equipment you'll need in addition to your single light is a meter capable of measuring whatever your light is to within a half f/stop accuracy. Use an ambient light meter if you have a continuous light source or a flash meter if your light is some sort of flashgun. One plus none makes five... Here's the initial layout. The photo below shows you the result you will obtain. A single Bowens Esprit with 8' Maxilite reflector placed to left of camera pointing at both subject and background.
CineTechnica
Digital Cameras & Digital Photography | PhotoRadar
DIY: How To Make a Professional Softbox for Under $20
Nowadays a softbox needn't be all that expensive - you can get nice results for $100 or even less. But what if there's a way of making it much cheaper, with the same results? That's what we'll be explaining in this DIY tutorial; how to make a softbox with professional results for less than $20. Step 1: What is a Softbox? A Softbox is a type of light modifier, used specially in studio or outdoor portraits. It can be used with either strobe light or continuous light sources. Step 2: Materials required In order to build the softbox, this is all you need: Large cardboardTapeAluminium foilGlueVelcro strapsScrews and nutsPaper roll (at least 40 inch wide, and 50 inch large) Black spray Step 3: Drawing and Measuring In this tutorial, we'll explain how to create a 30x25 inch softbox, but this method will work for any size. First of all, you need to draw the four sides of the softbox in trapezoid shape. The lower part of the trapezoid will be 30 inches long. Step 4: Cutting the Four Walls
HDSLR Cinema News
Aspect ratios can be a bit confusing when you start a movie project that will end up in a cinema. Do you used the HD convention (1920×1080 or aspect 1.78)? The 2K convention (2048×1080 or 1.90)? Some people talk about ‘scope’, what’s that? Well, let me get that straight for you: Cinema ‘flat’ or 35mm widescreen = 1.85 I am mainly speaking from my experience with European cinema, but movies here are either ‘flat’ or ‘scope’. Cinema ‘scope’ or Panavision = 2.39 This is the super widescreen format used in most blockbusters and Hollywood movies. HD = TV standard HD (1920×1080) is a high-definition TV standard. 2K = artificial standard The reason for making 2K (2048×1080) slightly bigger than HD seems to have little other reason than that it is a bit bigger and that they need a catchy name. cinema ‘flat’ is encoded as 1998 x 1080 frames: aspect ratio 1.85 and fits inside the 2K frame. Screen aspect ratio Keep in mind that the cinema screens also come in flat and scope. Shooting ‘scope’ References:
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In this film, photographer Ralph Lambrecht explains Modulation Transfer Function, MTF, in the simplest possible terms, supported with numerous visual graphs and examples. He also gives us some rules of thumb for reading charts and graphs. The modulation transfer function is, as the name suggests, a measure of the transfer of modulation (or contrast) from the subject to the image. In other words, it measures how faithfully the lens reproduces (or transfers) detail from the object to the image produced by the lens. MTF is the spatial frequency response of an imaging system or a component; it is the contrast at a given spatial frequency relative to low frequencies. The essential meaning of MTF is rather simple. MTF can also be defined as is the magnitude of the Fourier transform of the point or line spread function— the response of an imaging system to an infinitesimal point or line of light. MTF is the most widely used scientific method of describing lens performance.
Creator / Home - Online Lighting Diagram Creator - Tools for photographers
Photography lighting diagrams made easy with this online tool: use the drop down menus, select objects, drag them, rotate them, change their layers then export your diagram to JPEG or save its URL. v3 beta is now public with iPad support, it includes ability to add notes. Select an image set and objet to add: Online Lighting Diagram Creator by QHphotography.com Your donation is greatly appreciated. A minimum donation of $10 USD is asked for each commercial project (except the use on a photographer website, blog or gallery). The Online Lighting Diagram Creator is a personal project that requires a lot of resources to be developed and maintained. If you use the OLDC and are happy with it, I'd love if you would consider donating. Known issues : You can now export to JPEG and generate a URL that allows you to bookmark your diagram. v3 beta is now public with iPad support, it includes ability to add notes. Select an image set and objet to add: Online Lighting Diagram Creator by QHphotography.com
Chroniques d'un chef opérateur: Comment réussir de bons raccords lumière
Les trois premiers plans du 5e épisode de "Boardwalk Empire"m'ont inspiré ce post. C'est une bonne occasion de vous parler des raccords lumière. Peu de choses sont plus factices qu'un film: des ombres animées synchronisées avec des sons doivent donner une illusion de cohérence et de continuité, puis dégager du sens. Peu de choses sont plus factices, si ce n'est le tournage d'un film. Les séquences sont tournées dans le désordre, tout comme les plans de chaque séquence. Les raccords lumière se travaillent pendant trois étapes: - en prépa, avec le premier assistant, pour tirer les leçons des repérages et négocier, principalement sur des questions de temps. - au tournage évidemment, en tenant compte des principaux paramètres sur lesquels je reviendrai: la direction des keys, les ratios de contrastes, les dominantes, la pondération des masses sombres, claires et/ou colorées. - en post-prod, à l'étalonnage où la matière première du tournage doit être travaillée pour Le ratio de contraste
Strobist
Final Cut Pro X : comment créer un fichier avec transparence (alpha)
Final Cut Pro X Published on August 18th, 2015 | by Jean-François Trépanier Il est très facile de créer un fichier vidéo avec de la transparence (Alpha) dans Final Cut Pro X. Il faut commencer par créer un Projet dans la résolution désirée, par exemple 1080p29,97. Pour voir les éléments transparents dans le Viewer, il faut aller dans les préférences de FCPX. Cela aura pour effet de remplacer le fond noir du Viewer, par un fond en damier, comme dans Photoshop. Ensuite, il faut construire l’élément visuel qui aura de la transparence. Ça ressemble à ceci. Dernière étape, créer le fichier avec de la transparence. Il faut choisir l’outil de partage dans la barre des boutons à droite de l’écran. Ensuite, il faut choisir Master File… Dans la fenêtre qui apparaît, il faut aller dans l’onglet Settings et changer le Video Codec par Apple ProRes 4444. Pour valider le fichier vidéo, on l’importe et le place au-dessus d’un clip dans le Timeline. Voici le résultat final. About the Author
