Comments on: Achieve The Film Look Shooting Digital

By: Richie Buttle

Richie Buttle — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 03:20:21 +0000

Hey Jason,

Quick question on the +3 setting on the flash. How come it did not blow out the subject assuming that at a +0ev setting it should expose the subject (depending on metering mode) normally at your given settings. So I would assume that +3ev would make it a lot brighter.

Cheers,
Richie

By: Jason Christopher

Jason Christopher — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:55:19 +0000

Hi Eddie !

That is awesome ! I am so happy to hear I have been able to help. And thank you for becoming a fan !

By: Eddie

Eddie — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 05:29:29 +0000

Thank you so much sharing your knowledge. I came across your work after watching a vimeo on you: http://vimeo.com/9411715
I just bought the 580EXII about a month and a half ago and I’m still experimenting with it, but upon reading your blog my jaw just dropped. I can’t wait to go try out some of the settings you explained! You’ve got a new fan.

By: Heinz Schmidt

Heinz Schmidt — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:07:26 +0000

Hi,

thanks for the reply. The shoot was awesome! I didn’t trust that my 580 and 430 would be enough, so I splurged on a 400Ws Bowens Gemini head and travelpak power pack. I put a octabox on the Bowens head and it really created some beautiful light.

I’ll keep reading your blogs and practicing till I’m confident enough in my lighting skills to only use the speedlights.

Thanks for the advice.Your advice I would struggle to find in any book and really helps to learn it from someone who has actual experience.

Regards
Heinz

By: admin

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:54:40 +0000

Hello Heinz,
Thank you for the compliment. I just realized it’s Friday. I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. YES it does drain the batteries big time. I use external quantum batteries and I also carry a load of double AA’s just in case. Also you MUST remember to not shoot too fast when using high speed sync mode because it could get the head of the flash very hot and then of course burn out on you.
As for your second question, that all depends on how close you are to the model, how strong the sun is, if it’s summer or fall or winter the sun is closer to the earth in the summer and farther away from the earth in the Fall and Winter. It also depends on how lit you want your model to look. If you want your model to look really bright over the sun then you have to use much more flash power. Remember this tho. Your aperture controls how bright your flash output is as well as the power setting on your flash. And if you are using a full frame sensor or a smaller sensor that all has influence as well.

These are all reasons that reinforce why I hate digital so much. Too many variables. With a film camera you never had to worry about all this shit.
To give you some general answer though I would say you want a stop and a half brighter than the sun to get that nice bright crisp look.

By: admin

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:39:07 +0000

Hi Nico,

You’re very welcome

By: admin

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:38:19 +0000

Thank you Jaime !

Go out and try it yourself sometime. It’s fun !

Cheers !

By: Jaime

Jaime — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:56:28 +0000

Wow Jason … I really like the light in these … very soft and natural. Thanks for explaining the set up!

By: Nico

Nico — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:31:50 +0000

Thanks for your quick answer. I’ll see what i can do about these monolights.

Cheers,

Nicolas

By: Heinz

Heinz — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:03:45 +0000

Hi Jason,

Great article! I am doing my first on location fashion shoot with two models this Friday and to be honest I’m a bit stressed about it. The gear I’m going to use is a 580 EXII and 430 EXII.

In your article you say you bumped the flash output to +3, doesn’t that drain the flash batteries in no time flat? Do you carry lots of extra batteries or do you have power packs for your speed lights? Also, how much flash power do you need to overpower the sun without using HSS?

Regards
Heinz