Significantly OT: Black limbo

[DSE 5]

But may be of interest to those that are also ground-bound photographers.

This video is minimalist but the lighting technique is not as easy as it seems to be, unless you've got a big room. It's a terrific use of black limbo, and the way it's choreographed might be of interest to some.

[Icon134 0]

The light appears to be from just above and probably is narrowed and although it does appear to be somewhat harsh it does appear to be softened a bit (But not too much)

the singer also isn't in the center of the frame... which is important from a compositional standpoint... All Alone with my reflection

How did I do...

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[DSE 5]

I like the compositions that she creates in her own movement, looking off left and over her shoulder to keep right in balance. Minimalist as it is, it's a tough look to pull off effectively for four minutes.
Your floating lens hood is nice! I'd prolly shoot with a narrower lens to have minimized vignetting, but that's just me... NICE!

Further OT, has anyone jumped with wireless slaves, flashes mounted on a third person? Never tried it, been itching to...

[pbwing 0]

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Further OT, has anyone jumped with wireless slaves, flashes mounted on a third person? Never tried it, been itching to...

...and maybe someone jumping one of them collapsible reflector discs as well!!

[BMFin 0]

Ok. I play also

I just made this photo just for the sake of learning new things in PS and to post it here after I saw this thread (it was shot around new years though) Obviously I didnt shoot it with real tilt-shift lens, but faked it in PS.

Regarding to what was said about vignetting, I like vignetting very much sometimes. I actually added quite a bit of vignetting to my photo. I think its a nice effect sometimes.

I was also playing with the slave flash idea sometime ago. Would be cool to try sometimes. There is also a thread about the issue here


EDIT: oh.. and my post was also very much of topic in terms of the black limbo effect.

[Laszloimage 0]

Thanks for the link Spot!
That B&W video looks great. What a genious idea...
It looks like a big (big enough) room though 'cause she walks a quiet few steps on the end before she "dissapears".

I was thinking myself for a long time to have another person or persons flying flashes to me.
I need "pro" jumpers for that... no budget (yet).
I definitelly want to do it though.

I'd like to create something like these in free fall:

http://www.laszloimage.com/Dec_2007_NEW/pages/Dec_29th_07_MG_8339_B%26W.htm

http://www.laszloimage.com/Feb_2008_NEW/pages/Feb_4th_08_MG_0301.htm

[billvon 3,085]

>Further OT, has anyone jumped with wireless slaves, flashes mounted on
>a third person?

No, although I've discovered that that's just about the only way to get any decent stills through wind tunnel walls. Sorta like underwater photography; the more orthogonal the light source the better.

[DSE 5]

I've read paul's thread from those years ago, but still haven't seen any images. Norman gave me some info, but it's not quite applicable to what I'm looking to do.

Gorgeous suspension, Laszlo!

[Icon134 0]

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Your floating lens hood is nice! I'd prolly shoot with a narrower lens to have minimized vignetting, but that's just me... NICE!

it was when I was first experimenting with my lightbox... (one of the first few shots...)

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[PhreeZone 20]

I've thought about doing it on night jumps but have yet to do much more then think about it and read up on the potential options for the triggering.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[vdschoor 0]

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I've thought about doing it on night jumps but have yet to do much more then think about it and read up on the potential options for the triggering.

I've played around with it, but haven't gotten real good results with it, mainly because the way I had it setup.

I tried to use the "remote flashes" on the night 4 stack thats in the February Parachutist.

A requirement would be radio triggers (I tried with wireless slaves using the Canon remote trigger)
It would have worked if the flashes were mounted in a way where they would always be visible for the master, but we couldn't make that work.

The budget for the photo didn't really justify going out and spending about a 1000 on a wireless trigger system.

[PhreeZone 20]

PocketWizards would have done it for about $180 per trigger, some of the other things out there like the RadioPoppers would have even allowed for E-TTL via radio frequency at nearly the same price.

The E-Bay ratio triggers work well too for less then $25 a trigger but I've had a misfire rate on them that is about 1/50 -1/75 times it just does not fire. Their range is 100-150 feet where the better triggers are 3-400 feet or more.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[DSE 5]

a local ground guy swears by the Alien Bees triggers, and has agreed to let me try them. Any experiences with these?

[grayhghost 0]

The ABs would probably work in the skydiving environment because of the close proximity.

A little banter here:
http://www.wheelsandwax.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5561

If you want to spend the money, the Pocket Wizards are the tried and true performers. It seems the Plus IIs are better for range and consistency than the MultiMax, but lack the multi channel feature required for large events (many different strobes)

DSE, you are free to try out my PWs when the snow melts.


Here is a shot using PW Plus IIs 1200 feet away

[PhreeZone 20]

PW will also do custom channels if needed for the MultiMAX beyond the normal expanded range - they did it for some of the AP photographers at the Olympics to make sure there was going to be no misfires due to interference.

Have the AB battery powered triggers started shipping yet? As of last I was looking they still only had AC powered triggers. They work great with the studio lights but were not that field usable yet last I was reading on over at POTN and FM.


I've got one of the largest PW resellers in my town so I'm a bit brainwashed after talking to them so much.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[grayhghost 0]

. . . . and another thing to think about . . .

most cameras will only sync to 1/250 or slower shutter speed

I don't know if this is fast enough for skydiving

The D70(s) will go to 1/1250 with PWs, as well as the G10, which I believe has a remote input

[BMFin 0]

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. . . . and another thing to think about . . .

most cameras will only sync to 1/250 or slower shutter speed

I don't know if this is fast enough for skydiving

The D70(s) will go to 1/1250 with PWs, as well as the G10, which I believe has a remote input

while some cameras with electronical shutter have faster sync speed, they have lots of trade offs.. And actually I think the sync speed of the two mentioned electronic shutter cameras vary depending on the poweroutput of the flash so you couldnt use those FAST syncspeeds in skydiving where more power is needed from the flash. (correct me if Im mistaken)

Personally woulndt use electronical shutters. (not before they are developed enough)

Leaf shutters would be a whole different thing though, but they cost a lot of $$$$ if you want to shoot digital.

1/200 speed will yield some motion blur from clothes that are flapping, but other than that It is enough. If the jump is done at more low light conditions, you could easilly use much slower shutter speed also, The flash would stop the movement anyway..

And ofcourse you can use high speed sync systems too, though they also have some limitations..

[grayhghost 0]

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while some cameras with electronical shutter have faster sync speed, they have lots of trade offs.. And actually I think the sync speed of the two mentioned electronic shutter cameras vary depending on the poweroutput of the flash so you couldnt use those FAST syncspeeds in skydiving where more power is needed from the flash. (correct me if Im mistaken)

This is incorrect, with Electronic Shutters the flash power is able to remain constant throughout its range

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Personally woulndt use electronical shutters. (not before they are developed enough)

The D70(s) is an old (6MP) DSLR

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1/200 speed will yield some motion blur from clothes that are flapping, but other than that It is enough. If the jump is done at more low light conditions, you could easilly use much slower shutter speed also, The flash would stop the movement anyway..

True, if you can get the flash exposure to be two stops more than the ambient light.

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And of course you can use high speed sync systems too, though they also have some limitations..

The High Speed Sync functions of Focal Plane Shutter cameras (most common DSLRs) reduces the working range of the flash as you move up in shutter speeds, and only works when tethered to the camera.

[BMFin 0]

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This is incorrect, with Electronic Shutters the flash power is able to remain constant throughout its range

I do think it is correct indeed.

Someone tested the G10 sync speeds here :

http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist/discuss/72157607887055949

I guess you are aware that the more powerfull settings you have the more time the light of the flash is emitted. The brightness of the light moreless remains the same. Therefore there are limitations of what poweroutput you may use with what electronical shutter also, since some of the light emitted is going to "waste" anyway. I guess it has something to do with the cameras ability to cordinate the timing with the flash efficiently also.

So, if I read that list correct, using half power with SB800 would mean you would need to shoot 1/500 in order to use the full potential of that flashpower. Any faster than that, you start loosing flash power.

That is why I said: you couldnt use those FAST syncspeeds in skydiving where more power is needed from the flash.

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The D70(s) is an old (6MP) DSLR

Yes I know and it is one of the few cameras where they were experimenting with the electronic shutter. They dont offer it anymore in later models. It obviously needs more development before it is to be offered again in pro-sumer cameras.. There just isnt any modern DSLR´s out there (not to my knowledge) with electronical shutters. Most of them are compact cameras. Thats why I said I wouldnt use electronical shutters.

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The High Speed Sync functions of Focal Plane Shutter cameras (most common DSLRs) reduces the working range of the flash as you move up in shutter speeds,

You are right, and that is why I said there are some limitations with the high speed sync.

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and only works when tethered to the camera.

Yes. That is true. PW wont allow HSS or FP.

[grayhghost 0]

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Someone tested the G10 sync speeds here :

http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist/discuss/72157607887055949

I guess you are aware that the more powerful settings you have the more time the light of the flash is emitted.

This depends on the strobe. Alien Bee flash durations actually get slower as you power them down.

You can see more spedlight durations here:

http://www.joesmalley.com/flashes/

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I guess it has something to do with the cameras ability to cordinate the timing with the flash efficiently also.

Yes. Three things are at play: shutter speed, peak flash duration, and sync speed (both camera and sync device)

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There just isnt any modern DSLR´s out there (not to my knowledge) with electronical shutters. Most of them are compact cameras. Thats why I said I wouldnt use electronical shutters.

That is why the D70 has such a high resale rate for a 6MP DSLR. Nearly every skate, snow or mountain bike action photog has a D70 in the bag for just these capabilities.

check out:

http://erikseo.com/5.0/index.php

for some great examples of high speed sync work using the D70

[DSE 5]

Brendan,
with the proliferation of CMOS now making a very deep inroads with more pixels on smaller areas (RED, Dalsa, etc) do you have an opinion on CMOS making its way more deeply into DSLRs?
My understanding of why Nikon quit the CMOS/electronic shutter was because of the inefficient use of sensor space. Technology has now brought us to the point where CMOS is nearly as space-efficient as CCD.
High shutter speeds will always be a problem with CMOS, anything over 1/250 in video is unusable if you don't have specific controls. We have to be very careful with the EX1's and reflective light during fast pans/motion anyway.

[BMFin 0]

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This depends on the strobe. Alien Bee flash durations actually get slower as you power them down.

You can see more spedlight durations here:

http://www.joesmalley.com/flashes/

Ok.. I didnt know that. thats interesting..

(regarding skydiving, I think they are too large though)

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There just isnt any modern DSLR´s out there (not to my knowledge) with electronical shutters. Most of them are compact cameras. Thats why I said I wouldnt use electronical shutters.

That is why the D70 has such a high resale rate for a 6MP DSLR. Nearly every skate, snow or mountain bike action photog has a D70 in the bag for just these capabilities.

check out:

http://erikseo.com/5.0/index.php

for some great examples of high speed sync work using the D70

[grayhghost 0]

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Brendan,
with the proliferation of CMOS now making a very deep inroads with more pixels on smaller areas (RED, Dalsa, etc) do you have an opinion on CMOS making its way more deeply into DSLRs?

I would hope that is the way of the future.

A hybrid Electronic/Focal Plane shutter would be awesome, and can't be that far off with LiveView technology.

The action sports subset of photography is so small that sync speed is not a top priority. Now that the Megapixel race has caught up with 35mm glass limitations, hopefully sync speed will be addressed in the near future.