Technical Workshop: The Comic Strip Presents 'Flash Ah Hah'
Controlling Light: flash and ambient light
Learning Outcome: evaluate the use of flash & ambient light
For this workshop we needed a camera, tripod, light meter and flash light. The flash light contained a power pack so that as well as studio lighting, you are also able to take it outside without having a plug in source other than the power pack. This is something new that I learnt today. I am also becoming more confident with using a light meter knowing how to test for light.
Task one involved us using flash. We set up the flash equipment starting off with one flash set to 3.3 which was faced directly to the left of our model. The camera settings where set to: 1/125 s, f18 & ISO 100. The light meter was tested at 16.6.
Using one light, less of the image is lit up apart from the model. We were required to place the light relatively close to the model as we were just concentrating on the flash light during this task.
I've never worked with studio lighting before & therefore found this task very useful towards future projects. The set is straight forward and the lights create such a different effect to an image which we only wanted to test the light on rather than go for an effect.
Task two required us to mix ambient & flash light and to do so we needed to make a test of the ambient light using a light meter and again to measure the flash light's reading. Fairly similar to the first task we set the camera to 1/125 s, f8, ISO 100 and flash light power at 2.5, one of the lowest readings we used.
Task three, lets get creative! Using the skills we had learnt from the other two tasks we had to create a portrait of our own and decide on a 'feel' for it. At first we were inspired by our tutor to try photographing with the light in the frame but the outcome was slightly blurred and not focused like we had imagined it to be. Then we tried the light directly behind the model keeping one of the lights in front of the model to light her face. This created a glare, lighting up her hair which I really liked about this creative shot. Here are the two outcomes...
(i) As your aperture gets smaller, what happens to the flash's power?
As the aperture gets smaller, the flash's power overrides the ambient light letting less in to the shot.
(ii) As your aperture gets wider, what happens to the flash's power?
As the aperture gets wider, the flash's power becomes more powerful because it is letting more light through.
What worked best?
When we placed flash light A behind the model. We liked the glow behind the models hair creating quite a mysterious feel.
What worked less well?
When we placed one of the lights in the frame because we wanted the light to be visible in the frame.
Why do you think it worked less well?
The light was slightly blurred and not focused like we had expected it to be. It didn't fit the purpose of the image.
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