Jannie
7th of April 2009 (Tue), 12:26
Another thread got me thinking about this. Being relatively new to digital stills, with less than two years into it now, but as a professional photographer for many decades, over time I've found certain light sources or modifiers which were favorites, sometimes they were ones which only got used now and then but invaluable when you needed them.
The first for me I'll mention was the good old Tota light, I have stacked 5 of them through a 10' silk to create a nice broad window look, somewhere in a home in a small village in Alaska and I've used them with a parabolic silver umbrella to rim light a food commercial.
Another was that above mentioned silver parabolic umbrella.
I also used to carry a custom made 10" gryflon soft wrinkled white reflector for bouncing sunlight on a person, originally designed for covering hay stacks, they were adopted as reflectors on the movie Days of Heaven. They are standard built in 12'x12' sizes now and on every film grip truck. I had mine made to 10' so I could carry it with a system of Lowell poles which also included a thin 1/2 oz spinnaker sail diffuser which gave me another option.
Then another favorite was a large piece of unbleached muslin which was about 6'x6' with no seam, is was just the right color and put in front of a large source like a 20K fresnel, it would create the most incredible light on a persons face. I made a lot of money shooting a coffee commercial using that setup, it was on my sample reel and I'd get calls from clients saying, "we want that look".
Now I'd have to say the Elinchrom Dee 39" Octobox is my favorite light, I think it's one of the most amazing and versatile lighting tools I now have the opportunity to own and use. As I said I'm relatively new to digital stills and strobes/flashes so this is new and exciting discovery for me.
Another I mentioned in the other thread are the large silver Profoto parabolic umbrellas, I want that look but need to find a way that I can do it without the cost or bulk, I'm not sure if the Elinchrom 6' without the front diffuser can create the same look, it's not as deep with the parabolic affect and hugely expensive.
That's it for what has excited me most. Are there any lights, modifiers or even rigging tools which you just find you don't want to be without?
I used to work with one gaffer who always showed up with an 8 light KinoFlo flourescent fixture, didn't matter what the shoot was about, didn't charge rental on it, it was just something he had to have and used it a lot. Another was a gaffer that always carried a Dedo light kit, lots of small lights and something he just had to have along and always found a place to use them. I love people who are so into it like that.
I worked with another Director of Photography who always carried half a bolt of some special silk, the real stuff and when it came to lighting womens faces, he always used it, it was his standard.
The first for me I'll mention was the good old Tota light, I have stacked 5 of them through a 10' silk to create a nice broad window look, somewhere in a home in a small village in Alaska and I've used them with a parabolic silver umbrella to rim light a food commercial.
Another was that above mentioned silver parabolic umbrella.
I also used to carry a custom made 10" gryflon soft wrinkled white reflector for bouncing sunlight on a person, originally designed for covering hay stacks, they were adopted as reflectors on the movie Days of Heaven. They are standard built in 12'x12' sizes now and on every film grip truck. I had mine made to 10' so I could carry it with a system of Lowell poles which also included a thin 1/2 oz spinnaker sail diffuser which gave me another option.
Then another favorite was a large piece of unbleached muslin which was about 6'x6' with no seam, is was just the right color and put in front of a large source like a 20K fresnel, it would create the most incredible light on a persons face. I made a lot of money shooting a coffee commercial using that setup, it was on my sample reel and I'd get calls from clients saying, "we want that look".
Now I'd have to say the Elinchrom Dee 39" Octobox is my favorite light, I think it's one of the most amazing and versatile lighting tools I now have the opportunity to own and use. As I said I'm relatively new to digital stills and strobes/flashes so this is new and exciting discovery for me.
Another I mentioned in the other thread are the large silver Profoto parabolic umbrellas, I want that look but need to find a way that I can do it without the cost or bulk, I'm not sure if the Elinchrom 6' without the front diffuser can create the same look, it's not as deep with the parabolic affect and hugely expensive.
That's it for what has excited me most. Are there any lights, modifiers or even rigging tools which you just find you don't want to be without?
I used to work with one gaffer who always showed up with an 8 light KinoFlo flourescent fixture, didn't matter what the shoot was about, didn't charge rental on it, it was just something he had to have and used it a lot. Another was a gaffer that always carried a Dedo light kit, lots of small lights and something he just had to have along and always found a place to use them. I love people who are so into it like that.
I worked with another Director of Photography who always carried half a bolt of some special silk, the real stuff and when it came to lighting womens faces, he always used it, it was his standard.