Final Report – Industrial Portrait

The initial lighting set up plan had to be changed to:

1- The flash is the main, using the available light and another flash as fill.

2- Used a 50 mm lens, it gave nice soft blur to the background

3- Aperture f 2.8-3.5. Kept the subject and the environment in focus

4- Speed : 1/125 sec

5- Yes, we had enough available light

6- Yes, we had enough strobes

7- Not too much light

8- White balance and contrast.

9- Color balance : green gels and grey card

10- Next time bring more green gels and some cleaning products (you never know when you have to clean, especially in an industrial lab)

The challenge with this assignment was the use of lights – the position, the distance etc. So, we had the change our initial set up plan, to have a strobe bouncing from the ceiling in order to avoid the harsh shadows on the machine. Having it bounced from the ceiling, the light was more diffused and more “spilled” over the environment. We installed the soft box maybe 5 feet away but in front of the machine; it created a nice light on the subject’s face hair and give a nicer texture and contrast to the whole shot.

The black curtains used as a gobo to block the reflection of the neon was a very good idea. The polarizer filter was also a great idea, killing the big reflex ions of the neon on the top of the machine.

Assignment 4 Environmental Portrait Indoors

1. What is your intention in terms of how you plan to use the available light (as your main, your fill or even a hair light)?

We will be using the ambient light as main light, and bring 2 (two) lights as fill.

2. What is the reason for your lens choice (do you want the compression of a long lens or the exaggerated perspective of a wide angle)?

Will be using a 50 mm at f 1.4, to give more clarity to the subject and environment

3. What aperture do you plan to use and why?

F 5.6 - F8 to in order to keep everything in focus

4. What shutter speed to you plan to use and why?

1/125 sec

5. Do you have enough available light to achieve these camera settings?

Yes, there is enough available light

6. Do you have enough strobe to achieve these settings?

We will be bring 1 profoto kit - 2 strobes

7. Do you have too much light to achieve these settings?

No, there should be just fine

8. Are there any technical problems with your test shot that will need to be addressed at the shoot or in post-production?

The above lights (the neon) are reflecting into a window screen (between the subject and machine). We will be using a 1 m x 3 m black fabric to block the light (a gobo kind of) and a polorized filter.

9. How will you be addressing color balance?

A grey card will be used prior to the shoot in order to set a proper white balance.

10. What is the equipment you will need for the shoot?

1 profoto kit

2 black stands

2 soft boxes

duct tape

white card - reflector

gobo - black fabric 1m / 3 m

2 grey stands with middle bar to support the fabric

2 clamps

1 extension cord

1 light meter

1 receiver and 1 trigger

step ladder

Are there any other special requirements or preparation (ie: permits, models, crew, research etc..)?

No