Do I draw the Curtains?....

Gilly B

Gilly B

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Gillian
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As it is chucking it down again today, I am thinking my large family (35) portrait tomorrow is going to be indoors. The only place to position the group is in front of 2 large Ceiling to Floor windows in the country house. Some of the group will be positioned along the wall inbetween the 2 windows. The view through the windows is of the lovely Welsh Hills and the owner would like the curtains to remain open. When I did a recce last week, I tried to meter for the light coming in through the windows. It was still too dark. I am taking 2 studio lights to place in front of the group. How much success do you think I will have keeping the curtains open? or do I insist on closing them. It is at 6.30pm.

I could do with some example setting etc if someone has the time to tell me. Oh where is the Sun?????

Thanks Gillian
 
sorry cant help

unless you take the shot with the curtains closed and another one with them open and they can then pick the best shot,

could you take the pic withthe window behind you????

good luck and pray tonight for the sun it worked for me last week

good luck :D :D :D
 
Thanks Photomad. Unfortunately, I can't have the window behind me as it faces a large dining room which will be laid out for their meal. Might do as you say and do one with and one without.
 
good luck with whatever you try will keep my fingers crossed, i guess depending on how bright it is outside as to how much of a problem curtains open would be, and if your lights reflect back off them, otherwise the view might be nice.
 
OMG Sue, never thought of my lights reflecting back. Sh..oot! Yeah, yeah, laugh if you like - but I didn't think..... Now what am I gonna do? :shrug: What would you guys do? Sensible answers on a postcard please :lol:
 
Still try one open and one shut, see what happens, i guess depends if they reflect on where they are compared to the windows. never done anything like this so not sure. sorry i cant help.
 
Assuming you use flash..
If its really dark outside you'll have to close the curtains or the windows will act like mirrors and reflect the flash (assuming its direct and non diffused), you'll probably be able to see yourself in them anyway.


If its bright outside then expose for inside or you'll get silhouettes, use flash for fill in.
 
Are you taking lights (tungsten) or flash heads?

Be careful if you use the tungsten lights. Depending on the white balance of the camera you'll either get extremely blue (cold) externals or very orangey (warm) internals :shrug: You'll probably get a horrible mix of the two.

I once did a job which had Daylight, Tungsten and Flourescent..... took an age to balance in PS and it never did look right.... thinking about it - I might try it Nikon Capture NX.... hmm ... good idea Bazza!

Best of luck anyway!
 
Damn that is a toughy :( Have only scanned the thread but dont think this has been covered, but what temperature (lighting wise) are the lamps? If they are tungsten you might have some problems with the blueish outdoor lighting and the orange lamps.

I would say curtains closed and just get as much light on there as possible, keep everyone close together so you dont have to light a vast area. Best of luck :)
 
Gilly B said:
OMG Sue, never thought of my lights reflecting back. Sh..oot! Yeah, yeah, laugh if you like - but I didn't think..... Now what am I gonna do? :shrug: What would you guys do? Sensible answers on a postcard please :lol:
Click to expand...

Bounce most of the flashlights from the ceiling with a bit of front fill and balance exposure to the outside.... seems easy on the screen here! :lol:
 
Cheers Barry, Jimmy & OG. I have flash heads that I can turn the modelling lights off. Unless there is an eclipse of the sun, it should be light outside (6.30pm). The room is dark with Black leather sofas and chairs - quite period looking.

Am I correct in thinking that I should do a custom White Balance first. or leave it on AWB? Barry - with regard to bouncing the flash - it will be breakfast time before it reaches the ceiling and back - they are very high :lol:

Why do I get all the crappy jobs. Before I shoot the big group, I have to do a portrait of a really poorly Boxer dog suffering with Spongi??? something to do with the spine - If that's not bad enough.
 
Re: White balance, worth taking an extra shot with a white/grey card in the shot so you can use it for setting the WB when you process the raw files.

As for lighting I think the real decision will have to be made on the day but my immediate thought would be to leave the curtains open, expose for the outside and then try and get enough power from the lights to act as fill.

If you put the lights either side at 45 deg you cut any reflections right down and use brollies if you can to help soften the shadows. Use the modelling lights to check for flare, etc.

Also keep a watch out for CA (purple fringing) around any heads in front of the windows.
 
Don't stress Gilly. :D

Just open up the curtains and forget about the windows. OK, you can't quite forget about them but some simple adjustments to the setup should take care of everything.

Place the lights either side of the group, as you probably would anyway and I doubt they'll interfere at all. I'm guessing that camera will be inbetween the windows, so no chance of it being reflected either.

As for how to get the light balance right, the simplest way to look at the problem is to use the shutter to control the ambient light in the room and the aperture to get the flash where you want it. Obviously, you need to get the aperture set first and then adjust the shutter to lighten or darken the natural light. oh and the modeling lamps shouldn't really make any difference unless it's a very dark room, or very bright bulbs. If they cause a problem, turn them off after you're happy with the placing.
 
Geez thanks guys. Everyone has been really helpful. I am starting to picture the set up now, never thought to treat the windows as if they were not there. Hmmm.... I will get there really early and practice. :thumbs:
 
any news on the 35 people shot indoors or outdoors


it was at 6.30

are you done yet gils
 
Yeah, I'm here and starving hungry. I will grab a bite and report with some great shots later. It was Sun, Sun and more Sun..... No indoor shots at all. Ah Mid Wales...... Luvverly Day....:)
 
Gilly B said:
Yeah, I'm here and starving hungry. I will grab a bite and report with some great shots later. It was Sun, Sun and more Sun..... No indoor shots at all. Ah Mid Wales...... Luvverly Day....:)
Click to expand...

I told you to think positive.:)
 
IMG_7815-TP.jpg


What do you think guys?

Bearing in mind, I need to look at them all in detail for the best overall image as I took 11 shots. I realise in this one a guys got his eyes shut.

Powis Castle, Welshpool is to the top right hand corner and behind the tree. Shame I couldn't position the group a bit further over. The people are really pleased. I had 7 orders paid for the one of my choice, with a promise that after their meal (I didn't stay) they would fill in the order forms I left and hand them to the organiser of the party. The main photograph I choose has to be 24"x20"double mounted and framed. Well worth the 2 and a half hours spent there. ....Oh! and Colin (Hacker), watch out for my other thread on how to take a portrait of a dog, as my Boxer photos have come out good too. Well chuffed today. :thumbs:

Thanks to everyone who helped me out.
 
Well done Gilly - I can't see anyone being less than delighted with that - lovely setting & well set-up. Good job!
 
I think you should have drawn the curtains Gilly ... :shrug: ... looks a bit bright there after all ... :D





08.gif
 
i cant see the curtains clever photoshop work there :lol: :lol: :lol:



excemment pic well done
 
Hi Gilly, good job there which I'm sure your clients will be pleased with. Just one thing, I noticed you said that you have to supply a 24"x20" print which is quite an unusual size and I'm not sure how you will achieve it by cropping (unless I'm missing something glaringly obvious!).

I couldn't resist having a crop to get rid of the sky which is a little distracting IMO. Hope you don't mind.

IMG_7815-TP.jpg
 
Hi Gilly,

Really like the pic - and don't mean to be critical - but it is such a shame that the lady holding the baby on right of pic is blocking the 2 people behind her. I guess it must be really hard to get everyone in - with so many people in pic!

TFS.

:thumbs:
 
Hacker said:
Hi Gilly, good job there which I'm sure your clients will be pleased with. Just one thing, I noticed you said that you have to supply a 24"x20" print which is quite an unusual size and I'm not sure how you will achieve it by cropping (unless I'm missing something glaringly obvious!).

IMG_7815-TP.jpg
Click to expand...

Colin - you are dead right about the crop, which I wasn't thinking about at the time of pressing the shutter. However, I had 2 cameras - 5D & 20D. The 5D had the 24-105mm set at about 65mm and the 20D had the nifty 50mm 1.4 on. The image I have posted here is from the 20D and a tight crop. The ones out of the 5D have enough room around them to crop to 20x16 and framed in a 24"x20" frame.


I certainly agree about the sky. Thanks - I like it. They have chosen the frame T132 from the Spicer Hallfield range in Gold, so that is definite. I suppose I could crop it more of a letter box shape and get the local framing guys to cut me a double mount. What colour mount do you think will compliment the photograph? and as it is a double mount, should they be the same colour. I am not experienced enough to have the eye yet on what looks the best. I intend to frame it myself.

Dalton - I take your point about the lady with the Baby etc. As I said last night, I just chose a random one to post on here. Today, it is my intention to take a closer look at all 11 shots and choose the best one, even if it means I have to open a pair of closed eyes. I can already find 3 with the couple behind are in full view, as I remember seeing her blocking their faces and asked her (kindly) to swap arms.

Thanks for your comments guys. All taken on board and digested.
 
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