Dio Lighting & Flash Photography
 

Anyone using flash for their toys shots? I am not talking about the pop up one above your lens. Can someone dissect this shot and figure out the lighting used:


Cobra Trooper by D Julian, on Flickr

Hopefully we can get a dialogue going on lighting techniques. Lighting gives you more bang for your buck than any other piece of photography equipement you can buy. After all photography means: "painting with light". Lighting can be outrageously expensive and can also be done on the cheap with home-made set ups. Dramatic & creative lighting can overcome lack of props and sets, low end cameras and other excuses people use for not taking the shots they want to take.

Getting great toy shots is more than just taking a rubbermaid of figures and vehicles out in the yard and setting them up and taking 100 shots hoping that one or two will come out. I hope I am not offending anyone but I would like to see JoeDios get back to what it once was: full of amazing, well thought out and executed shots. Anyone interested in talking about light, lets do it. Maybe we can get other discussions going on other techniques, equipement and set-ups as well. After all JoeDios is as much about photography as it is GI Joe!

I hear what you're saying and you are right. I actually went to college (1995-1997 @ Cazenovia) for photography (you'd never know it by how un-technically my shots are lit - and I'm not 'fishing for a compliment' either - I know they could be much better lit). When I was in school for that we had these big flashes on tripods that were linked via mechanical cables that screwed into the shutter button of our 35mms so that whenyou depressed the plunger on the "remote" wire to the camera, 2-3 sepreate flashes would fire at once against the big white backdrop cloth in the studio. Obviously few if any of us here have access or education on such a frand scale as that but what kind of "on the cheap" tricks of the trade could you share? Is it good to set up a "shadow box" and then get a flexible-necked lamp, remove the shade (or not) and put a low wattage bulb in there like 40 watts? Do you recommend directly shining on the subject or indirect? Are we talking "bouncing" light off of some tin foil or something? Lastly - do you recommend frosted, soft white, or clear bulbs?
:confused:

All my shots are done with flash now, very similar to the set up you just described. Instead of studio lights I am using speedlights (same type of flash that mounts to the top of your camera) mounted on stands with wireless triggers. As far as constant lighting, the best I have used is natural daylight CFLs, set you white balance to daylight and it will give you beautiful clear white light. As far as bouncing light, the best thing to use on the cheap is pieces of white foamcore. Try this experiment to see what I am talking about: have someone stand next to a window during the day with the lights off in the house. Have them stand at a 90 degree angle to the window so the sun is shining on one side of their face, the side away from the window will be shadowed. Have them slowly pull a piece of foamcore up to their face from the opposite side from the window. Watch the light fill in their face with light. This will give you a nice 1:4 balance of light with 1 light source.

Is this sort of what you see them do on TV in those "making of" documentaries where they have a film crew member hold up what looks like a giant hula-hoop with white or silver "paper" across it under or to the side of the actor?

Thanks for the tips! I have some pics in queue to get posted with my old methods, but I'll get to work on some other ones soon and they should start showing up on the site by early December hopefully and we'll see if I got the hang of it or not.

Exactly, same idea. Reflector discs are $50, a sheet of foamcore is $2. Cut the foamcore into different sizes for the job you are doing, you will love the results. Remember light reflects at the same angle that it hits a flat object.

This is a very interesting discussion Dave, I never knew about stuff like wireless speed lights and whatnot which I've done some looking into after reading your post. I would try one out, but for the prices good ones look to fetch I think I'm better off sticking with what I'm doing right now. :o

I'm very curious when it comes to lighting, I use a lot of different things with varying results. I usually feel pretty pleased with what I do though. When I'm trying to even out my lighting I've used mirrors a lot, though I'll keep the foamcore trick in mind.

I don't think I've ever used many original or interesting light tricks of my own though. Do my pics mostly look okay?

Nekoman, I use wireless triggers from Cowboy Studio, about $20 on Amazon, been using them for months and fire 100% of the time. I use Vivitar 285 speedlights, built like a brick and about $85 brand new. I am up to 3 complete sets including stands and a lot of light modifiers, and going to get more because I am addicted to them, they rock! There is no need to spend a fortune. 2 websites I highly recommend: Strobist & DIY Photography, both have a wealth of info on creative lighting.

As far as experimenting, that is the fun in doing this hobby, if using constant lighting try moving the lights around at different angles and shooting to see which one looks more dramatic. Don't shoot with your light at the same angle all the time. Try using colored bulbs for some cool effects. One thing about mirrors is that they reflect light, foamcore will bounce it and you will get a softer light.

It's hard to come up with original ideas, photography has been around 150+ years so there is a pretty good chance someone else has tried your brainstorm before! lol. Your shots look great but there is always room to improve and try new things.

There's so much to learn. Great topic.

I shoot almost all my shots with a lamp without the shade hanging upside down from a nail on the floor joists above my dio table and pull up or down depending on what time of day and angle of shadow I'm lookong for. For night shots I just turn on the pull string basement lamps on the other end of the room and shoot on landscape setting which keeps the shutter open getting crisp results. I'll use a red laser pointer here and there when looking for that effect.

Interesting thread here. Lighting has always been the hardest thing, so I don't feel I have any good tips. I'm always trying new things and now and again I'll get a good tip. I will watch this thread. I liked how my recent "Deadly Duo" sniper shot came out well lit yet shadowy, very moody imo. It was natural lighting done indoors with shadow provided by the second floor of the ruined house.

I have no idea what kind of light he used but I'd say its a pitch black room with this setup and a light to the upper right with a little fog sprayed in for effect. I'd really like to hear what you think Vader9900. Wait is that your shot?? How bad was my guess?

[QUOTE=Rick]I shoot almost all my shots with a lamp without the shade hanging upside down from a nail on the floor joists above my dio table and pull up or down depending on what time of day and angle of shadow I'm lookong for.[QUOTE]

It sounds like the bulb hanging from the ceiling is basically a "stand-in" for the sun in your 1:18 scale adventures. Cool idea!

Also, I agree with snakeling's guess on how the photo in question was lit.

You are very close Snakling except for the pitch black room.

Please to make it easier when you are talking about a specific shot in this thread, post a link to it to make it easier to find so we can discuss it.

http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/sho...&imageuser=4158
That is the shot I was talking about.

How was that lit?

Dave, do you have a BTS shot of your picture?

Sorry Carlos, I do not. It was done with a single flash on stand to the cameras right elevated about 2 feet at 45 degrees. I used a grid snoot to restrict the flash and it was gelled with 1/2 cto to warm the light. Flash was at 1/4 power. Fog machine was left of dio, black foamcore was set up behind dio with white foamcore left and right to fill light. Fog was shot behind dio and ran between it and black foamcore and was bounced into the scene by the right white foamcore.

Take a guess, I took one on yours. Or see the last post on the first page of this thread.

You didn't say what the light set up was other than "neutral lighting". I would say single continuous light. By the shadows it looks to be camera left at about 90ish degrees, slightly elevated and by the reflection on the figures not diffused. It has a slight blueish hue to it, so my guess would be a CFL or LED (depending on the edit) and WB setting of your camera. How close is my guess?

Neutral? I don't know where that came from but everyone makes mistakes. When I say natural that means the sun. I don't really do outdoor stuff so, there is a window directly behind the set it was taken in the A.M. I'm big on simple set ups.

You can get some nice effects at dusk to on my dio (dining room) table.

Sorry bro, I read it wrong! Michelob Ultra strikes again! lol. So the SUN was you light source inside the house, gives me a lot of respect for this shot.

Like I said I do things in a simple way. No Photoshop for me. BTW I have no idea about some of the stuff you are talking about. You used some kind of flash that I have never heard of. So you mentioned CFL and WB setting I don't even know what either of those are. I never use the flash on the camera, its never worked for me. I do use a couple of LED lights for night shots.

This has been a great thread to read through. Lighting has always been one of my challenges. I've got a few new ideas to try with my limited resources.

Snakeling, That's good that you are not relying on Photoshop too much. I use it very little, like to capture my image with the camera. The flashes I use (Vivitar 285) have been around since the 70's - old school stuff, very simple to use with out the fluff. CFLs are Compact Fluorescent Lights, the little curly lights that are replacing standard light bulbs, natural daylight works awesome. WB is White Balance it is usually a dial or button on the camera that looks like the sun, a light buld, building with shade, clouds, etc. It compensates for the color of the light you are using

Another thing that can be done next to all the great info vader9900 is giving the joe dios gang is actually painting with light. That's how I took this pic, a long exposure and a little flash light. I literally painted the light were I wanted it. Vader can probably describe the technique better! This is a thread I can get down on! I believe as well that vader9900 has a point, look at my first shots here in comparison to my latest 80. Huge difference thanks to vader,guilt,x,outrider,flatline ect.... Back in the days people would critique your shots and push you to be better. here's hoping for a better more quality driven joe dios. That all starts with all of you wanting it in yourselves! this is not intended as an insult or anything like that. the easiest way for me to explain it is in an artsy fartsy sense.

Imagine you photo having obstacles for the viewer, I want to read your awesome dio story and look at the good sets that customs. But if the lighting is poor there's an obstacle that keeps me from that, if your laundry hamper is in the background that's another obstacle, if the picture is fuzzy there's another obstacle as well. So now I cant get passed the obstacles to view the imagine you intended me to view and enjoy! cheers and very positive dread! :)

Yes! bookshelves/laundry hampers/ whatever in the background ruins immersion. Its very distracting. I always use a background to: a. cover up whats really behind the set up. b. give some depth to the shot. I have made some set ups that were nice big ones but didn't have a big enough background and so could not shoot anything. This thread will keep me coming back to the forum for sure. I didn't spend a lot of time here before, after all its a dio site. BTW badass pic Dreadnok Dread!!

Awesome post DD! Will talk a litte about light painting at some point, it is a excellent lighting technique, excellent for largers shots.

TIP: Go to Walmart and get a black twin size flat sheet to use as a backdrop. Its cheap (usually less than $10). Its big enough to backdrop just about any scene you want to do, even large sets. They can be hung or drapped anywhere for an instant studio.

I come from the school of economy lighting and I learned it all from Flatline, so I hope Marcos doesn't mind me showing a shot of his along with his BTS. Cheap and well placed battery powered lights are pretty amazing and I know Falcon and Blackblast and Nekoman use them among many others here. Here are Marcos's shots...a great example of the versatility of cheap lighting;)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/287837...in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/287837...in/photostream/

I think this thread is great. Ive recentley gotten rid of my soft white cfls and replaced them with 3 way bright light cfls . I got tired of that yellowish hue they gave my pics . Im going to try out daylight next . Ive seen alot of your guys work its all really good.
I have gotten alot of great Ideas from you guys .

wow! those are really good lighting ideas! especially the jeep's other function.

You can turn any bulb into nice white light with your camera. Look for the White Balance button or dial on your camera, get it off auto. If your light source has yellow tint to it, put your White Balance on incandescent (the symbol will look like a light bulb. Problem solved, your camera will correct the yellow light to white.

How about this bad boy? http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/sho...php?i=38122&c=7 :)

For anyone wanting to take their photography up a notch, check out this AWESOME VIDEO SERIES :D

Please tell me you were kidding dave? :confused:
your shots are outstanding that lady is wow, I wont be mean.
Wow you dont need to know fstop or shutter speed! wow! :o :(
P for professional ill do M for marvelous! lol

DD, I never laugh so hard in my life watching these videos. I even added her as a friend on Facebook! She is awesome! I was beginning to think no one around here had a sense of humor!

The Question: What happened to 1980s Valley Girl?
The Answer: She got married, had 2 kids, got into the cooking sherry, and became a Proffessional Photagrapher Mom Friend.

Tina Fey or Kristen Wiig should make her a character on SNL.

She's sincere and harmless and probably has good intentions, but wow - talk about daffy! :rolleyes:

I feel the same way! my wife had to come over and see cause i almost fell on the floor laughing! lol

That vid was funny!!