Testing my new beauty dish

windpig wrote in post #12304775
Sheez, my mind and my reading ability are failing

LOL, no worries.

Anyway, by experimenting with the position of the deflector (concave disk), I would think one could minimize the hot spot.

navydoc, I did not even notice the eyebrows until you mentioned it.

Thanks Dave. I probably should have used a tissue to wipe my forehead and nose before shooting at least. No girly powders that way.

For those 'electric blues', I selected the iris's using a quick selection mask and placed them on a new layer and set the blend mode to 'linear dodge'...then adjusted opacity to taste along with a bit of vibrance.

navydoc wrote in post #12304949
Thanks Dave. I probably should have used a tissue to wipe my forehead and nose before shooting at least. No girly powders that way.

You could try experimenting with different deflector positions (and even try it reversed) to see what affect that has on the hot spots.

The hot forehead is problematic with any light source above the subject.
Feathering the light down is the easiest solution. That puts the hot spot on the face which is where it adds drama.

Five feet away is a long way away for a 22" dish. it should be more light 22 to 35 inches away.

dmward wrote in post #12308938
The hot forehead is problematic with any light source above the subject.
Feathering the light down is the easiest solution. That puts the hot spot on the face which is where it adds drama.

Five feet away is a long way away for a 22" dish. it should be more light 22 to 35 inches away.

I would feather it both vertically and horizontally. Let the hot spot go past the nose and let it go above the head.

Moving the light source closer, as David says above, will also help to soften and diffuse any hot spots and specular highlights.

This is also an example where you might evaluate the subject's facial characteristics and perhaps choose another modifier.

Thanks for the additional advice. I was trying to avoid light stricking the bg as much as possible too since I don't have a decent one (bg that is). I'll move the dish in closer too as well as adjust the deflector.

TMR said: "This is also an example where you might evaluate the subject's facial characteristics and perhaps choose another modifier."

I think I need to choose another model after evaluating the subjects facial characteristics!

Last try for now. The catchlights show that the dish is much closer now and I also lowered it a bit and feathered more too.

I think that after evaluating this subjects skin characteristics, I should use a softbox instead of the dish. Even after wiping my...err the subjects forehead with tissue, there is still a 'glow'. Personally, for a male subject, I wouldn't think a hot spot would be such a bad thing but you guys are the experts.

I have a couple of the grandkids coming over this weekend so I'll have some fresh guina pigs to work with.

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Using a larger, more diffused light source will help but you can see in this new shot that you've broadened and diffused that specular hot spot a bit. It's still there but it's been 'toned down'. Good job.

Feathering a light source is a great technique that will continue to come in handy more as you do more lighting.

Bummer, the price is great for this but I really really wanted one with a grid option. Rob, how does the Kacey grid attach? Think its possible to retrofit it to another dish?

Edward is the most responsive person Ive ever seen for questions though. He answered both my emails in about 2 seconds.

JakAHearts wrote in post #12321934
Bummer, the price is great for this but I really really wanted one with a grid option. Rob, how does the Kacey grid attach? Think its possible to retrofit it to another dish?

Edward is the most responsive person Ive ever seen for questions though. He answered both my emails in about 2 seconds.

Unfortunately, I can't answer your question.

I have the Speedotron 22" dish and the original Kacey grid. The grid is inserted into the front lip and is held by friction. There are no clips or springs. It works well and I've never had a problem.

I don't know how the current grid attaches and I don't know the exact outer diameter measurement so it's hard to say if it will fit another dish or what's involved in a retrofit for another dish.

Ah, thanks anyway Rob.

navydoc wrote in post #12310190
Thanks for the additional advice. I was trying to avoid light stricking the bg as much as possible too since I don't have a decent one (bg that is). I'll move the dish in closer too as well as adjust the deflector.

TMR said: "This is also an example where you might evaluate the subject's facial characteristics and perhaps choose another modifier."

I think I need to choose another model after evaluating the subjects facial characteristics!

If you keep the light in close to your subject, you'll get softer light, but you also have the benefit of having faster fall off (less light hitting the background), which is great because it sounds like that's what you're trying to avoid

JakAHearts wrote in post #12321934
Bummer, the price is great for this but I really really wanted one with a grid option. Rob, how does the Kacey grid attach? Think its possible to retrofit it to another dish?

Edward is the most responsive person Ive ever seen for questions though. He answered both my emails in about 2 seconds.

As Rob says, the grid is a friction fit inside the lip of the dish. Jerry also has 2 velcro straps attached so that it is secure to the dish. It takes a little practice to learn how to get it mounted and the straps are a nice safety feature.

Which grid are you referring to?

JakAHearts wrote in post #12323276
Which grid are you referring to?

The Kacey grid to the Kacey 22" BD.