Tag Archive for: tips

Build a set for less than $10 and use it many different ways…. yeah I’m Dutch

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Of course I would love to spend thousands on elaborate sets but let’s be honest, we can’t.
So it became a challenge to do everything as cheap as possible and maximise the use.
And I think we broke all records with this one.

A while ago you probably saw the blog post about the set we build with rescue blankets, well those blankets also have a silver side.
So today in the blog the results from a recent workshop with our model and awesome stylist Nadine.

During the workshop I gave the attendees a simple, assignment.
This is the set, go crazy.
you have 10 minutes.

Of course I had to put my money where my mouth is, so after the 10 minutes I also did a try.
All the shots you see now are shot within that time frame, if you deduct the explanation of course.

I started relatively simple.

Here I’m using a Geekoto GT400 with the Nanlite Fresnell lens.
The Fresnell has quickly become my favourite light modifier for high contrast images.
I did use Fresnells in the past but hardly during workshops, they were simply put too expensive and I love to teach setups that you can also recreate yourself without breaking the bank. But the Nanlite Fresnell has a super friendly price, so I’ve been using a lot now 😀

Now in this shot you only see one light, but on the side there is a Geekoto GT250 with a rogue omnidirectional dome.
As soon as I turn that one on I have my second set, which as you probably agree upon is “a bit” different.

But because 10 minutes is actually a lot of time we moved the strobe to the backside of the set and aimed it down.
I’m now using a slight magenta coloured gel under the dome, the reason I’m using magenta is that with the tinting later on it will give me a nice “reddish” tint.
You can also use a red gel but after tinting it this way it could be a bit too much and clip some red.

From this point on I just started experimenting with the output of the gel and under which angle I shot.
Also getting slightly closer to Nadine and using the wide angle to enhance the position of the legs.

It’s always a cool effect to use a wide angle and let the model point her toes towards the camera.

Of course the exposure you meter with a light meter is the “perfect” exposure, but sometimes it’s not the “perfect” exposure you want in your images.
In these images I loved the darker look you see above, but what if…. you just open the aperture and add a lot of extra spread on the background by changing the angle of that strobe.

Indeed without changing a lot you can have a totally different look

But we are not done yet with our challenge.
Now that I like the total look, I’m ready for some close ups.

Angles change everything

And because I’m standing now anyway, let’s throw in a higher angle and a really low one.
Using different angles are without a doubt one of the easiest, quickest and best way to totally change the look and feel of a shot.
As you can see here, the impact is pretty obvious.
Also because I’m shooting into the light in the lower angle shot the KF concept Black diffusion filter really does it’s work.

Adding lights that are not strobes

As you can probably see there are some lights in the Chrismas tree, but so far I have to yet turned them on.
The simple reason was that I didn’t like them in this set, but because we had a few seconds left, we decided to turn them on.
The only thing you have to keep in mind is that when you shoot with strobes you are shooting with a lot of light and a pulse, so as long as you stay below 1/125 there is no problem in the studio (we call this the X-sync).

Because the Christmas lights are very low in output, I had to lower the output of the strobes (you can quickly do this via the remote control) and turn on the lights. Now you can use the shutter speed to let in more or less of the continuous light, the flash will stay the same (turn of your modelling lights) but the Christmas lights will show up more intense the longer the shutter speed.

We ended up with this shot.

As you can see it’s possible to shoot a lot of different looks from one set.
Just make sure you setup everything in advance so during the shoot you can quickly change things around.
For me this often means I’m using the same mainlight. But will change my accent lights around a lot, sometimes just via the remote control, but also position wise, and of course walk around my model a lot.

1o minutes really is a long time if you set everything up correctly.
But preparation is key. When the model is not yet on the set your whole idea should be in your head, and tested.
This will keep the model interested and fresh. and in the end your client happier.

Feel free to reach out with questions.
We really appreciate a share on social media.

Use light in different ways for awesome portraits and more

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One of the things we probably all start with are books with lighting diagrams.
Now don’t get me wrong, they are awesome to get a general idea of the lighting setup.
However I strongly believe you should be able to “read the light” by just following the shadows, it’s often not really important to know which light sources are used, as long as you can recreate the look.

We can shoot images with a beauty dish that can very close to a small softbox for example, but when we start to use Fresnell’s you can very quickly see the difference between a reflector and the Fresnell, this is something that you will quickly pickup when you start to look at the shadows and the different way the shadows change.

But then it becomes really interesting when you add the angle into play.
Of course we all know that changing the angle from higher to lower can have a huge impact in your end result, but for me the real game changer was when I started to move around my model. Just a slight movement to left or right can make an image look totally different.

Let’s take a look at some of the images I took of Nadine during a recent workshop.

I’m using our Geekoto GT400 here with the Geekoto small softbox and grid
On the other side I’m using GT400 and the Nanlite striplight with grid.

One of the things I love about a striplight is that you can use it in a lot of different situations where you need to light a large area but don’t want any spill light.
In this case I’m using the striplight angled, this way I lights both my model and the background. By changing the angle of the striplight slightly I can balance the light on the background and the model. A very powerful technique.

By moving just a little but you can create some more powerful portraits.

But sometimes you need a little bit more intensity?
Make it black and white, add some grain and contrast….. “instant art” and yes this one was in focus 😀
(inside joke).

But let’s take one more step to the side and also include the striplight.
Now this one won’t be the shot you like or even want to try, but sometimes clients want something a bit different. And it’s just one step more to the side. Always try it.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
We really appreciate a share on social media.

Adding some color to totally change the look and feel

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Adding a strobe with a gel can totally change the mood and feel of a shot. You can always turn it off to get totally different looks from the same set so the customer can choose 😉

Model : Nadine

First some without extra gel

Now let’s add a blue gel from the side. And play a bit with the angle under which the blue is aimed.

As you see, adding some color doesn’t only just give you more options for that shoot. But you can also use your backdrops in much more settings 😉

Adding some color is one of my favorite things to do

New IQwire tethering solutions from cables to defense

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IQwire Carbon Black, the new Tether line-up.

New IQwire tethering solutions from cables to defense

 

Tethering is one of the biggest upgrades in your workflow you can do.

But what is tethering?

Let me first make clear that our company StudioFD is the European Distributor for IQwire tethering solutions, from cables to defensive systems.
This doesn’t mean my opinions or conclusions are colored. However, we only sell and promote products I use myself or 100% support.

When we talk about tethering we mean that you connect your camera to a PC/Mac or even tablet/phone. And when you take your images they immediately also appear on the desktop. This doesn’t only mean your client can check your images but it also is a great way to check focus, composition, and use for example overlays, presets, crops, etc. Plus it’s a safe way to backup images while shooting.

Now, one could think that you can use any cable to connect your camera to your device but that’s not 100% true. When cables start to wear and tear you can literally damage your camera or device and in extreme instances cause fire.

IQwire cables are built to last.

I’m still using my first cable and it’s been through some pretty rough shoots, to say the least.

Let’s take a look at the new products we are introducing today.

Length

According to some 4.7 mtrs is all you need, and if you want more you can always extend your cables.
It will depend on the situation. But for me personally, 4.7 mtrs never worked. My laptop is at 1.50mtrs high and I’m shooting mostly from 1.70mtrs height. Meaning that I can not move around a lot before my cable starts to float above the floor, thus creating a chance that people trip over the cable.

Extending is also not ideal. Connectors are always influencing the signal and over time connectors can become less effective and even cause unstable connections. Also on locations these extensions are very sensitive to water, dust, etc.

This is why IQwire (a brand designed by and for photographers) is supplying cables in 5 and 10-meter lengths in one piece. And with the introduction of our new Generation 2 Carbon Black cables, we are now also supplying a very nice 15 meters in length, also in one piece.

 

So why can we do it?

The way our cables are designed in combination with inline boosters and intelliconnect connectors warrants a very fast and stable data transfer aimed at modern high-resolution and high-speed cameras. But due to the length in one piece, they are also much less sensitive to damage from the outside. You can even put a knot in the cables.  (Although we don’t advise this, just like backing over one with a truck… yeah it happened and it still worked).

So let’s take a look at our new cable design.
I love black 😀

iqwire-carbon-black-the-new-tether-line-up

But we don’t stop there.

Defensive system

Of course, we are very careful with our gear. But accidents happen and even with our angled connectors it still happens people bump at the camera and destroy the port. So this had to be solved. But when you start we have to take care of the whole chain. And because we don’t want our defensive system to stop your workflow it was designed with exactly that in mind.

Speed and safety

 

IQwire QRCL tether lock, Quick Release Cable Lock

The QRCL is the base of our tether cable management system.
QRCL is a precision machined 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum Arca-Swiss compatible camera plate with an integrated tool-free easy-release carbon fiber composite tether lock.

Our patent-pending system lets you lock in or release your tether cable in a matter of seconds without the use of any tools. QRCL will keep you shooting so you don’t have any unexpected cable disconnects and help you keep from breaking the connector on your cable. Because you take out the cartridge with the cable you don’t have to reroute your cable every time you connect to your camera. Which means less strain on your cables in the long run. And of course, much faster connecting and disconnecting.

QRCL is built for IQwire cables and will fit any camera with a tripod screw attachment. QRCL comes complete with a 1/4-20 attachment screw and two carbon fiber composite tether lock cartridges.

New IQwire tethering solutions from cables to defense

the IQwire Quick Release Cable Lock works with IQwire and other cables. And it’s easy to take off when you don’t need to tether anymore

Now that we have a proper connection to the camera we still have the cable sticking out of the port. So there is more …

New IQwire tethering solutions from cables to defense

 

The IQwire UCMD, Unplanned Cable Modification Deterrent

The UCMD is exactly what the acronym stands for—a deterrent for unplanned cable modifications (accidental USB connector damage).
UCMD is a precision machined 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum USB connector protector that bolts directly onto the IQwire QRCL camera plate. The patent-pending system provides a shield for the USB connector. This means we are also protecting your port and cable from accidental bumps into the camera and when you accidentally place your camera on the connector.

UCMD is built for our IQwire cables and requires the IQwire QRCL for deployment.
UCMD comes complete with two attachment screws and a 2mm hex wrench and is camera specific so contact us if you are not sure.
The UCMD is not compatible with power grips except for the Fuji GFX 100 II.

Ok, so now we have the cable connected…to the camera and protected the port, but what if….
Someone sti, ll trips over your cable and pulls it…
In that case we are still not 100% safe, the camera OR laptop will end up on the floor. So we need to also solve this problem,

And that means we are now also introducing the final step in a,100% (well ok you guys are creative 99%) safe, stable and super fast tethering workflow.

Quick release = quick save

The IQwire ACDS, Advance Cable Defensive System

The IQwire ACDS gives you a defensive system for those accidental cable events where someone yanks the cable right out of your camera along with half the USB connector. ACDS attaches to the right-angle end of our IQwire cables and creates a quick-release release.

ACDS comes complete with the quick relight-angle fiber composite block, along with two 18″ right-angle stingers. The second stinger can be stored as a spare or used as a quick release on the computer end.

By combining the two stingers you now have a “breaking point” at the computer and camera side. This means your gear and cable will probably survive the event. By using the stingers and ACDS you are also protecting your main cable connector against extensive wear and tear extending its lifetime.

New IQwire tethering solutions from cables to defense, this a one of the defense mechanismes. the Avanced Cable Defensive System, or ACDS New IQwire tethering solutions from cables to defense. Use the stinger of the Advanced Cable Defensive System on the computer side

Conclusion

New IQwire tethering solutions from cables to defense

There is a huge difference between products designed by companies working in the photography business and products designed by photographers. So let’s see how these new products will impact my workflow.

IQwire cables are very fast but most of all stable. I’m teaching a lot of workshops in the studio or on location. And especially when shooting fast series I want the images to come in at the same speed without any stutters. So the attendees can follow what I do in real-time. With the IQwire cables, I can shoot at full speed with my Sony A7RV. The images appear almost instantly on the big screen. And when I lose connection it connects faster than any cable I used before. Especially when under pressure, trusting your connection is vital. The new Generation 2 cables are ready for the new generation high resolution and high-speed cameras.

When teaching at events I often have to run from stage to stage so taking a cable off my camera and putting it back on several times a day is no problem for the IQwire cables. But it becomes very frustrating fast. So with the new QRCL I can now just take the cartridge out and put the camera in the bag. And when I’m at the new location it’s a matter of just clicking the CA, and cartridge back in and I’m ready to shoot.

During events it’s sometimes very crowded and people do bump into you. Also, the UCMD will be mounted,d on my camera from now on during events. In the past I’ve damaged some ports and although I’m always careful, cameras do tip over or people bump into them. With the UCMD it’s another thing I don’t have to think about anymore.

Finally

And finally, for me maybe the biggest one, the ACDS
We’ve tried several solutions ourselves and although they work fine it’s far from the ACDS in elegance and protection. I’m routing the main cable into the ACDS at the camera side so the connector on my main cable is protected. Plus I can now connect one of the stingers to the camera via the QRCL and on the laptop side I’m using the second stinger to create a “breaking point” for the laptop.

We will probably end up with 2 ACDSs’ one with a 5-meter cable for the very small sets and a 15-meter cable for all the rest. The 15 meters is a real beauty for studios and larger sets. It gives you so much freedom 😀

See www.iqwire.nl for Dutch customers.
New IQwire tethering solutions from cables to defense or available in our webshop www.frankdoorhof.com/shop