Lighting a Hangar?

[bazair2air]

I have been asked to shoot a private jet in a hangar.

Like shooting into a big garage, my shot will be from outside of the hangar so that I can show the jet and its home. I will need to shoot from different angles into the hangar to make sure I end up with the right shot. Hangar is east facing so morning light should be helpful. Current interior lighting is four, 8ft fluorescents. Its a big hangar, its very dark. Access is 9-5 with a weeks notice.

The jet and hangar interior should look bright and happy. I would like to light the shot properly but would prefer not to spend a fortune on lights.

Am I sick for thinking of buying six stand mounted shop lights from Home Depot? Florescent, Halogen, a couple fill flashes, who knows what daylight. CWB and pray?

Mav! What was the name of that truck driving school again?

[StealthLude]

uhhh... since it aint moving...

Tripod and just use a longer exposure... Or !!! do an HDR!

http://www.hdrsoft.com/

[bazair2air]

Thank you Stealth. Obviously, this will always be a consideration. However, a more dramatic shot is in mind.

I am talking lighted like a Disco. Approx. 60ft deep X 100ft wide.

[StealthLude]

Well, for an object that big, your going to need strobes... Depending on the power, and how much area you are trying to cover... you might need a lot of juice.

Are the celings white? if so, your in luck , you might be able to fire strobes like Alien Bees into the air and bounce them. If you are trying to hit it stright on, you will have to go for umbrellas 60 inch + distance and a lot of juice. Crank up the iso to like 400.

I still think for the most "dramatic" effect, of the hanger and plane. High Dynamic Range is going to be your best bet. With existing lighting, the floros will do you just fine. This also seems to be the cheapest route.

[StealthLude]

If you havent seen a high dynamic range photo... check the forums posters... b/c its the most dramatic i think you can get for an object like that.

Its going to cost you a FEW grand in lighting that area. If i had to do it, id slap six AB1600 units in my truck... I cant see this needing anything LESS.

[ashbyroadeast]

Hi,
Dont know much about lighting but have been around a few hangers.
If you take the shots "through" the doors then lighting can be hidden behind them, and there are usually lots of pieces of iron work to fasten to.
A few spots hidden behind the undercarriage may give a nice effect, finally as the hanger will be darker than the outside why not keep it dark and just highlight the aircraft.

good luck and show us the results- good or bad!

Unlike the UK at least you wont have to be wearing gloves and thermal underwear!

[primoz]

I hate to say this, but for normal amount of money only way to solve this problem is this what Stealthlude said. With normal lights from Home depot, you will have really "great" mixture of light temperature, so it will be pretty much impossible to get nice looking photo.
With strobes you will spend fortune to buy/rent enough of them to lit whole hangar well. And no matter how bright it might look it will still be A LOT darker then outside of hangar. So even if I hate doing stuff like Stealthlude suggested, I think it will be only chance to do this job.

[PhotosGuy]

Tripod and just use a longer exposure... My choice, too. MAKE THEM POSITION THE JET WHERE YOU WANT IT! You're the expert, so set up the shot. Don't just shoot what's there. (Do I need to copy & paste that in 4-5 times?) :D

Shoot RAW. Any other variations can be fixed in processing with Layer Masks:

Take a look at this thread for how to use a Layer Mask to selectivly lighten/darken part of a pic: Airport runway shoot (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=117950)

Dynamic range question...
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=135097
RAitch Tutorial - Burn and Dodge with a Layer
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=810581#post810581
Tutorial - Create a layer mask from image detail
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=100077
Masks - Lightening
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=977235#post977235

Russell Brown Tips & Techniques: Advanced Masking
http://www.russellbrown.com/tips_tech.html
Scottes: Tutorial: Masking for Noise Reduction (Big!)
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=48929
The Light's Right Studio: Blended Exposures Revisited (http://www.thelightsright.com/tutorials/BlendedExposuresRevisited.pdf)

[mjordan]

If you don't have the lights to light up the interior like you would like, try taking a picture at dusk with the hanger lights on. Put the camera on a tripod and shoot a long exposure as suggested above. But with it dusk or even dark outside, the lighted interior will stand out even more.

If you have the time and they are willing to work with you, take two shots. One with the outside light the way you want and one at dusk or dark with the interior lights on and then merge the two images together. You could use a few select placements of light inside to light up any areas that need additional light... say a company logo or name, logo, shadows, etc.

Mike

[mbze430]

I did a shot of a tank... total light used... 15 lights.

Good luck.. 3 of those where hollywood continuous.

[chtgrubbs]

Maybe something like this, which is from Helix Photo's rental department in Chicago:
BIG SHOT KIT
• 10- Speedotron 2405B power supplies • 12- power cords
• 2- Speedotron 105/2 heads w/ tube caps • 12- 7” 110° grid refl
• 10- Speedotron 202VF heads w/ tube caps • 12- 11 1/2” 60° grid refl
• 2- Chimera single speed rings • 2- 11’ stands
• 2- Chimera/Plume light boxes, choice of size
• 5- 48” white umbrellas • 10- 9’ stand
• 4- C-clamp pipe hangers with 5/8” mounting spud
• 4- C-clamps (6”-8”) with 5/8” mtg spud † • 10- slave trippers
Special “hard wire” sync package with:
• 10- 2 blade male/male sync adapters • 10- 2 blade cube taps
• 10- 20’ two blade sync extentions • 2- tube pouches
All above packed in shipping cases on request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275.00 daily 825.00 weekly

[DocFrankenstein]

Well... you COULD light it with home depot lights, but you'll need them to open the hangar at 3-4 AM so that the light levels are convenient.

You'll need about 40K in lighting gear to light it decently with strobes in daylight.

HDR is the only way.

[PhotosGuy]

This doesn't have to be hard! Faces east? Put the jet just inside the door of the hangar.
Start shooting before the sun comes up, and keep on shooting for about 1/2 hour after.
A few Car Lighting Tips (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=70290)

[bazair2air]

Thank you! I was very concerned about using so many different types of lights sources.

They are willing to place the jet anywhere that I like. However, this is a shot that I have wanted for quite some time.

After further thought, I see that I am looking at this shot all wrong. I am going to take it at dusk or early morning as you suggested. That way the light comes to me. The ceiling and the floor are white which is a plus. I can place a couple of fills and some colored lights for that dramatic effect.

I always shoot RAW. I will be going for HDR on this shot during post. Thank you for all of the links.

The attached photo is a rough idea of the shot with the focus being on the jet instead of the logo. I would like it brighter and more colorful and the interior of the jet will be lighted and colorful as well.

[kona77]

My choice, too. MAKE THEM POSITION THE JET WHERE YOU WANT IT! You're the expert, so set up the shot. Don't just shoot what's there. (Do I need to copy & paste that in 4-5 times?) :D

Shoot RAW. Any other variations can be fixed in processing with Layer Masks:

Take a look at this thread for how to use a Layer Mask to selectivly lighten/darken part of a pic: Airport runway shoot (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=117950)

Dynamic range question...
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=135097
RAitch Tutorial - Burn and Dodge with a Layer
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=810581#post810581
Tutorial - Create a layer mask from image detail
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=100077
Masks - Lightening
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=977235#post977235

Russell Brown Tips & Techniques: Advanced Masking
http://www.russellbrown.com/tips_tech.html
Scottes: Tutorial: Masking for Noise Reduction (Big!)
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=48929
The Light's Right Studio: Blended Exposures Revisited (http://www.thelightsright.com/tutorials/BlendedExposuresRevisited.pdf)

Ahhh, the old runway shoot. It worked out just great thanks to your help.

bazair2air,

Photosguy made me look like I knew what I was doing. He knows his stuff. Good Luck.