"Hi Dave,
I was wondering if you could post an example. I am also looking into buying a lighting
setup for my d60. I have a loft though with one side being all window so I get ALOT of
really soft ambiant light. I was wondering what would be the best thing to add to this? 1
mono light?"
The window light would be the main light so all that you'd be looking to do would be to
add some fill. This could be done as easily and cheaply as using some white foam core
as a reflector. Since you are reflecting light, by definition it can't be as bright as the
source, so it'd have to be the fill. You can get foam core at most art supplies stores and
you might want to ask for damaged pieces. You are just using them to reflect light and
you’ll ding ‘em sooner rather than later so the shop may be happy to sell you a (cheap)
damaged piece. Interestingly the foam core is easily obtained with white on one side and
black on the other. The BLACK can be used as an background or even to create a
negative fill.
I've sent a couple of shots to the site as the other poster suggested, and I'm sure he will
post them, and I thank him for that. These are non digital shots but the principles are the
same. In both of these shots there is NO fill at all. The light is just that big happy soft
window light. I like to place candles in the background of these types of portraits, as it
adds a sense of place and depth.
The lens is a Mamiya 145 f4 soft lens. It has a tremendous (infinite?) capability to vary
softness, with a rotating front element that causes softness which is also affected by the
aperture. You may or may not like the softness and there is no right or wrong in that, it’s
just what you like.
"There's never time to do it right. But there's always time to do it over."
Canon 5D, 50D; 16-35 f2.8L, 24-105 f4L IS, 50 f1.4, 100 f2.8 Macro, 70-200 f2.8L, 300mm f2.8L IS.
and I'll send you one.
