Continuous vs Flash Lighting and Everything in Between…Part 2

[benjikan]

Continuous vs Flash Lighting and Everything in Between…Part 2



In Part 1, I asked that you prepare a couple of 60 watt light bulbs a flash (off camera is preferable) some modifiers i.e. cardboard squares, black paper, and aluminum foil. I will now add a few more elements to this and that is a couple of empty tin cans, (make sure you open both ends). You can use different sizes. The more the merrier. A couple of metal coat hangers that you usually get from the dry cleaners. a few clothes clips for hanging out clothes to dry, or better yet a few clamps. Any stand that you have lying around as well. A few would be better.
Some construction gloves (NOT RUBBER) light bulbs are hot! Oh we don’t want to forget the box cutter and gaffers tape.
Now the reason for these elements has more to do with experimenting with the absence or abundance of light that will be created by you during this first preliminary exercise.
Here is where the fun begins. You must please understand, that there are NO hard fast rules about lighting and the more open you are to experimentation, the more original your set up will become.
Here goes. You find a way to clamp your lamp to a stand. You might consider a cheap lamp with the standard metal shade like one of those old reading lamps for example. Or one of those clip on types. NOT PLASTIC PLEASE!!!
Take a couple of those metal hangers and force the shape in to a square, leaving the rounded part to be used to attach to a stand. You may need to adjust this segment of the hanger accordingly. Tape the white paper to the hanger. The hanger acts as the skeleton support for the paper. You will be using this paper as either a reflector or to shoot your light through it. I suggest finding different types of paper as well, some more transparent than others. Now it is time to prepare the black sheets of paper. It can be cardboard the larger the better. Perhaps 1 meter by 80 cm for example. Find a way to support these sheets and clip to a stand, so they look like small wall partitions. You might build a frame out of a wire hanger or “What Ever…”. We want them to be kept rigid.
If any of you have a light/flash meter, that might also be useful, but not imperative. I suggest that you are in an environment, where you can darken or partially darken the space you are in. It can be done in a space that is exposed to daylight, but it is more problematic as highlighted by the Steve Jacob article found HERE.
Now that you have all of these elements you might ask, “What next?…” You can do one of two things at this point. You can use your imagination, or wait for Part 3.
I would love that you do the later, but that is your choice.
Have Fun!
PS: I had to include THIS, as it is TOO FUNNY!

http://www.benjaminkanarekblog.com/?p=485

[Asylum Steve]

Thanks Benjamin. It's hard for a lot of folks to understand that sometimes, to light a scene you need to darken it first!