What's the longest you've spent setting up a shot?

[joshr03]

and was it worth it? Did the shot come out as you wanted or expected? I ask because it seems the general consensus is that you really have to "set up" a shot for it to come out right whether shooting portraits/landscapes or whatever, as though there's a ratio between the amount of time you spent getting the shot and the resulting quality. I was just curious how long most people actually spend on any given shot(framing, exposure, light etc), and if spending more time on it improved your results.

[yogestee]

Probably a little off topic but when I was studying commercial photography, during our practical tests, we had 20 minutes to set up and shoot the pic from scratch using 4x5.. Then we had another 20 minutes to process the shot.. BTW,,we were only allowed one sheet of 4x5..

Now that's pressure!!

[Chris(PA)]

Really depends on what is being shot

Table top, at least for me, takes way longer to set-up and light. But even then, it still depends

This shot took around 4 hours from start to taking the first frame and was done entirely in the studio
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3559/3527107908_661c441658_o.jpg

But, here's another table top shot that was set-up, lit and shot in a little over an hour
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3325/3571770010_797e93f993.jpg


My portrait work is usually a lot faster

This was a rush shoot and set-up, lit and began shooting in less than 10min
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3343/3560045886_0d15ff92ac.jpg

But then you have this one where it took probably 45 min for me to get the light and everything where i wanted it
http://chrispinophotography.com/Blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/ccp_005524-edit1.jpg

So like I said it really depends
If need be, I can start shooting in 10-15, but can take as long as 45 min to perfect everything

[Bumgardnern]

I have had set ups that were super simple that looked fantastic and took minimal time to setup. I have also had set ups that took hours to go from concept to reality and when we started shooting I never got the shot that I really wanted so we would reset. I have also worked on sets where we spent days building the set and moving it to a sound stage and it looked amazing. So what I am saying is that the shots outcome is more dependent on the vision and getting that vision right than it is on the set up time.

[ManuGD]

Not really "setting up" the shot, but...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3331/3335255751_f6d0b10159.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/manugd/3335255751/)

The EXIF says 212 seconds, so I was running in the frame with some colour leds all this time. :lol:
And this is not the first shot. I did several shots before, I think 5 or 6.

Hey, but it was fun. I want to light-paint again!

[Mark_Cohran]

If you include setting up the backdrop, lights, and extra equipment (smoke machine, fans, etc.) plus adjusting the lights, it's taken me up to 3 hours to set up a shot (or shoot). It really depends on the complexity of the shoot.

[dustyporch]

I spent hours getting ready for this shot (and other variations like it)...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3139/2576254989_b33811721d.jpg

Not so much on the lights or camera settings, but just on setting up the scene and changing it for different shots.

I spent quite awhile on this one too...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3487/3758129348_8d3ac3a8f0.jpg

Mostly because I wanted the background and shadows to be just right, plus the books where causing all kinds of reflections.

I think it just takes as long as it takes... sometimes you nail it right off and feel like an expert. Other times, it's more trial and error!

[bjyoder]

My shots have been very simple at best, so setting up the shot has amost always taken a matter of minutes (maybe 15 at the most). Getting the shot on the other hand is not always that easy, and I've normally had to get it before an hour passes for one reason or another.

[Wilt]

Here's a portion of a shot for a commercial client from about 7 or 8 years ago (scanned from offset print piece that I have) About 5-6 hours to light and then shoot the three the shots on 4x5 Ektachrome EPP film, which were then digitally overlayed for the composite result. Client wanted to portray the unique position control which was available in their product.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i63/wiltonw/Scan20005.jpg

[PhotosGuy]

About a week when I couldn't get what I wanted at the time. Image #1 here:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=740443

We might have spent a day lighting a car in the studio & shooting 8X10" film to check exposure before the model & client arrived.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Samples%20-%20Rides/70-Cuda_4X6_03.jpg

About an hour for this one:
Browning .22 - 3 light set-up (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=66705)

No time at all for this one:
VERY simple "outdoor studio" (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=122297)

[Wilt]

I posted this a while ago on POTN...4 hours to set up and to shoot (multiple exposures on a single piece of film)

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=2750650&postcount=87

[Scottes]

27 weeks.

I went out and took a shot at the ocean, shooting some rocks in sunrise light with some houses in the background. It was just a couple minutes after sunrise, and about maybe 15 or 20 minutes before high-tide.

The picture wasn't perfect, but I could see that there was a lot of potential. So I wanted to re-shoot. One key thing was that the rocks had some black "stripes" right above the water's edge - the shot just wasn't taken at the highest high tide. So I wanted to time the shoot so that high tide was *at* sunrise, coinciding as close as possible.

When I checked the tide charts and compared them to sunrise charts, I had to wait 27 weeks for high tide and sunrise to occur within 5 minutes of each other.

Does that count?

[neilwood32]

Probably about an hour for a single photo for me - waiting for the light in a landscape i was shooting.

I tend to go out in the "golden hour" so light isnt normally to much of an issue to me although i have gone back at a later date and reshot when the light is at a different angle

[Wilt]

27 weeks.

You were methodical, weren't you ;) ...or should that be 'anal'?! :lol:

[Scottes]

You were methodical, weren't you ;) ...or should that be 'anal'?! :lol:
Well, if you think it's over-the-top to check a tide chart, then I'm guilty as charged. :rolleyes:

[Todd Lambert]

How about months?

I've tried to shoot the same subject, by moonlight, with varying wind/weather affecting the shots... kept going back shooting night after night, for two months, until I finally got what I wanted.