New Toy/Tool

rG-tom · 5 Nov 2011 at 01:22

Hey guys,

Bought something for doing home studio shoots as I'm finding my paper/cloth backdrops too cumbersome for doing home visits, especially if people want a high key background as getting subjects far enough away from white, and then lighting it evenly, in someones living room is not an easy feat!

In steps Lastolite with their HiLite pop up background. You put a flash to the side shooting in, and it illuminates the background VERY evenly with no set up time really. Also, as it is lit from behind, you can have a subject practically touching it and still not have a shadow

Very quick test shoot this evening just to get a feel for it:

The white vinyl train creates a lovely reflection too

Really impressed with the results given the lack of any thought that went into setting this up at all really!

Also, if you turn the front light off and just leave the background light on, it turns into the worlds biggest softbox:

Overall very happy with it, wish i had got one years ago. Can't see the fabric backdrops getting much use with this about!

Cheers

Tom.

dannyjo22 · 5 Nov 2011 at 11:39

That's excellent, can you tell me more about the lights you are using front and back? Presumably not speedlites lighting that?

Sig226 · 5 Nov 2011 at 11:40

Thanks Tom, this is very interesting , might look into this a bit more

Regards Simon

rG-tom · 5 Nov 2011 at 11:51

dannyjo22 said:
That's excellent, can yin theou tell me more about Ithe lights you are using front and back? Presumably not speedlites lighting that?

In the second setup shot you can see one of the lights on the right of the background with the number 5.2 on it?

I use a pair of Bowens Gemini 500R.

Clown · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:05

Your dog is posing like a pro

dannyjo22 · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:07

Cheers for that, I'd like to see how well it worked with a pair of speedlites. I've looked at that lastolite a few times, I'm not sure how it would work with a pair of speedlites.

OpenToSuggestions · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:09

My two dogs are half westie and half minature schnauzer. The older one looks just like yours. Your dog looks awesome.

rG-tom · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:16

Clown said:
Your dog is posing like a pro

being bored like apro?

rG-tom · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:19

mglover070588 said:
My two dogs are half westie and half minature schnauzer. The older one looks just like yours. Your dog looks awesome.

Thanks

she's a pedigree scottish terrier

OpenToSuggestions · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:20

rG-tom said:
Thanks she's a pedigree scottish terrier

I do like those kind of dogs. Is she awesome enough not to get hair everywhere too?

rG-tom · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:22

mglover070588 said:
I do like those kind of dogs. Is she awesome enough not to get hair everywhere too?

Generally speaking yes, that's why we , have a scotty, they don't malt and need to be trimmed. My gf is.allergic to dog hair you see! Hair still falls out but only similar to a hairy person, and the hair is more similar to human hair than dog hair

Paul11 · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:24

rG-tom said:
I use a pair of Bowens Gemini 500R.

is that one light in the background and one on the subject ?

rG-tom · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:28

Paul11 said:
is th

at one light in the background and one on the subject ?

Yup

to give you an idea of how little processing I have done, that last photo I did over rdp on my mobile

Paul11 · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:31

i have one of these backgrounds, but need some lights

was thinking about the elinchrom dlite kits when i have some spare cash

rG-tom · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:43

I can't fault the bowens gemini kit tbh mate

I'd much rather have a gemini 400/400 kit than a dlite 5 kit for the same money.

rG-tom · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:50

dannyjo22 said:
Cheers for that, I'd like to see how well it worked with a pair of speedlites. I've looked at that lastolite a few times, I'm not sure how it would work with a pair of speedlites.

id need to test it more, but this is 2 speedlights in the background, at full power:

iso200, f5.6....so you'd need iso400 just to get f5.6 with a single light, and thats at full power. Shots in the OP are iso100 and f7.1

rG-tom · 5 Nov 2011 at 12:55

she's really starting to go grey lol.

dannyjo22 · 5 Nov 2011 at 15:14

rG-tom said:
id need to test it more, but this is 2 speedlights in the background, at full power:

iso200, f5.6....so you'd need iso400 just to get f5.6 with a single light, and thats at full power. Shots in the OP are iso100 and f7.1

Thanks for trying that, I guess it's a no go for me then at the minute. One behind and in front just wouldn't have enough power

I really cannot spring to a pair of Bowens this side of winning the euro millions

rG-tom · 6 Nov 2011 at 11:43

dannyjo22 said:
Thanks for trying that, I guess it's a no go for me then at the minute. One behind and in front just wouldn't have enough power

I really cannot spring to a pair of Bowens this side of winning the euro millions

Keep your eyes open for some old used stuff, lights are lights at the end of the day!

Jay794 · 6 Nov 2011 at 11:50

Am I the only person who looked through all those photos and all I thought was "she's hot"