Some nice chairs

[Hamish Gill]

With permission from the people who are selling these chairs, here is an example of what i have been up to today ...
We are unsure on the shadows at the mo, they like the shadow on the wall, i dont ... ... could do with a straighten now i look at it ... anyway, work in progress!
'Vintage Industrial' is the style

 

[Pete Askew]

Interesting design - I take that they are actually new but inspired by industrial design. I don't mind the shadow and the level but I'd probably like to see a tiny bit more space around them. Nicely lit though. Any details?

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I love the look, but that line caused by the skirting board is driving me nuts...

 

[Hamish Gill]

It is at an unfortunate height ... We noticed that as something to watch out for too...

Yeah Pete, it's just 2 800watt visico flash heads with 110mm shoot through brolleys. The one to the right has the shade thingy on it (can't remember what it's called??) to make the slight very slightly more directional... For this shot they were about 45degrees on both axis

 

[Vic Shaw]

I like the shot, but that skirting is very off putting

Vic

 

[Hamish Gill]

Is it just the height of it relative to the chair?

 

[Vic Shaw]

I think it's the fact that Darren fitted the skirting board......Maybe moving the chairs away a little and soften the board down a little would help.


Vic

 

[Chris Dodkin]

For me, it's the sharp line cutting through the subject - throws me off somehow

As Vic suggested, a little less DOF and soft blur may negate the issue

Did you really fit the skirting board Hamish?

 

[Hamish Gill]

No its the clients "set" studio... Built for purpose! It's actually really impressive, and they have said I can use it for other clients if I need... Which is nice!!
This was the first day, and none of us were under any illusions that this would be perfect first time, I've not worked at this scale before (these are small pieces of a whole batch of stuff up to huge sofas and room dividers) I'll try the less dof route, but it might be quite hard to do with the space - it's obviously vital that all the items are perfectly sharp back to front.
It might just be easier to be more conscious of where the line sits in relation to the details on the item if that makes sence?

 

[Kev Pugh]

I would drop your height and shoot a little lower down to get the skirting board in a less conspicuous level also check your levels, 3 - 5 degrees out to the left me thinks otherwise I like

 

[Hamish Gill]

I know the level is off.. Funnily enough inwas saying to them today, for some reason my natural horizon is completely thrown off taking these photos ... Not sure why... Alien shooting environment maybe... I'll get used to it I suppose
The problem with shooting lower is there needs to be a certain height to get the seat of the chair in ...
I'm going to move the chair away from the wall, that should solve it wither through less focus on the skirting board or otherwise the angle being different - I think...??
(nice to see you getting involed here a bit matey )

 

[Kev Pugh]

I think the level thing is purely not being square to the BG, I've always found it best to check levels before sticking in the subject then rechecking when the subject is in. like you say alien environment and smallish space always makes life difficult oh for a nice big space,

 

[Hamish Gill]

I think your on to something there with the not being square ... It's actually quite a big space, which is perhaps te problem, my studio is like a shoe box by comparison, and being square is easy as I'm often stood in a door way opposite the centre of the backdrop wall... Practice makes perfect as they say!
They couldn't be better clients to be fair, we arranged today as basically a paid dry run! Very successful in the end, no pressure, just the three of us tinkering around seeing what worked ... We by the end of the day we now have a perfect plan in place for getting the whole job down over the forthcoming weeks as the stuff arrives from India!
As clients go I really couldn't ask for more ...

 

[Pete Askew]

All sounds like a promising way forward. I think the shady thing you are referring to is probably a 'Barn Door' - black flappy thing on a hinge?

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Or is it a snoot - cone shaped coney thing

 

[Hamish Gill]

No, 'spill kill' was the thing I was trying to think of ... Just focuses the light a bit ...
Not sure if I'm using it right, but hey ho ...

 

[Hamish Gill]

 

[Kev Pugh]

Just stops light going at 180 degrees and spilling else where, hence ....will give a hard light often used with a Brolly to direct light into the brolly without it spilling past the brolly edge. That's what the slot is there for, to pass the brolly shaft through, hoping not to teach the sucking of eggs, they come in various degrees and diameters. You can get clip on Barndoors and other clip on light modifiers Think Calumet stock them. I usually improvise if I need additional modifiers. Too tight to spend me penny.
Oh and as to using it right...............if you get the result you are after then you are using it right, remember the 'photographers rule'..............there are no rules! Yea?

 

[Hamish Gill]

Hmm, not sure if mine have slots ... Maybe they do, but I've not used them ...
If they do I'm def not using it right
Yeah, couldn't agree more ... I just mess about until it works ... That builds up and eventuly these techniques develop ... I guess that's where all techniques come from really! That said, I'm more than happy listening to folk when they have tips ... Be daft not to really eh? But yeah, when tips are touted as rules I tend to glaze over a little
I have a bunch of modifiers for it, barn doors, grids etc ...
Got all my kit from elemental (www.studio-flash.com)

Do you have a studio?
You don't have any time to run one a day a week by any chance do you Kev?

 

[Kev Pugh]

I have Lastolites only the two, need another pair really but I'm only working in small spaces generally, and a cheapo head that works but should be replaced, will when funds allow, I have a wish list as long as but find that working with the minimum is a great way to use light........can always find time during the day hours