Lastolite HiLite Help

Fulhair said:
I've had my highlight out a few times and I am starting to notice an issue with it.
Firstly I'm having trouble getting the setting right using a light meter. Can get the background to somewhere between f11 and f16, but can't seem to get the key light much higher than that. Thing is the photos don't come out too bad but I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.
Click to expand...

The rule of thumb seems to be Key light set to f/8 (And what you set the camera to in M mode), Hilite anywhere from f/11 to f/16... If you tried to match f/11-f16 with your keylight, that's a problem, the aim is to set the background brighter then the subject, and you are metering for the subject..

Looking at your image, the amount of light 'wrap' from the left and lack of brightness on the right of the Hilite is something you can look at. I've been using 1 light in mine, but I angle it slightly towards the back of the highlight (aimed roughly at the center of the back wall of the Hilite), that gives me f/13 - f/13 - f/11 accross hilite (6 x 7), that's using a standard reflector on the strobe, without the reflector, I get hot spots on the side the strobe is, and it's not that great.
 
Last edited:
Garry Edwards said:
How old is your Hi-Lite? It's very possible that the front diffuser has yellowed over time. I would expect a noticeable difference after a couple of years.
Click to expand...

I've had mine for years and never noticed any colouration changes Garry. If you live in a smokers house or store it outside of the bag then I could see the colour changing but honestly that colour change is not something I have at all.

More likely the walls in the room could be causing a shift in the colour or perhaps event the colour balance of the light itself.
 
Fulhair said:
Not sure how old it is. Was told it hadn't been used much but could have been toldme porkies. I got it cheap so can't be too unhappy if this is the case.
If this is the case is there a way to work around it and make it less noticeable? Brighter lights, white balance, photoshop????:thinking:

As for the lights, is there a way of checking their output for consistency beyond a light meter? I'm having a devil of a time getting the metering right and trying to eliminate all variables or understanding what the meter is telling me.:bonk:
Click to expand...

Yes, post #143 ;)
 
Fulhair said:
I meter to the centre about an inch away from the surface, with the light meter facing the hilite.
Click to expand...

There's one of your problems. If you use only one light in the background the power at the opposite end to the light will be about a half to 2/3rds of a stop lower in power. If you measure the centre at f11 and your main light is at f8 then the background will not be white on the end opposite of where the light is.

You need to try and get the hilite to be roughly a minimum of a stop over your shooting aperture (so f11 at the opposite end to the light). That may result in some spill though - two lights are better.
 
Last edited:
HoppyUK said:
Yes, post #143 ;)
Click to expand...

Listen to what Richard and I have been saying for YEARS!
Over exposing the Hi-Lite won't solve problems, it will create them.

As for flash heads changing colour over time, flash heads either work or they don't. There is some very minor discolouration of flash tubes as they near the end of their life, but it isn't significant.
 
Last edited:
Garry Edwards said:
Listen to what Richard and I have been saying for YEARS!
Over exposing the Hi-Lite won't solve problems, it will create them.
Click to expand...
I agree

Garry Edwards said:
As for flash heads changing colour over time, flash heads either work or they don't. There is some very minor discolouration of flash tubes as they near the end of their life, but it isn't significant.
Click to expand...

More likely then the colour of the walls although it could be hilite too (I've never noticed it with mine)
 
My hi-lite also has a yellow cast. I've corrected it by using some CTB gel on the lights illuminating it.

My story is http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=415659

My hi-lite stays up full time in the studio but there is very little natural light that falls on it so it can't really be that. I'm guessing the front fabric just yellows with age (which is pretty poor).
 
Hodders said:
My hi-lite also has a yellow cast. I've corrected it by using some CTB gel on the lights illuminating it.

My story is http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=415659

My hi-lite stays up full time in the studio but there is very little natural light that falls on it so it can't really be that. I'm guessing the front fabric just yellows with age (which is pretty poor).
Click to expand...

Thanks for this insight Hodders. I think I'm in the same situation as the hilite was from a studio and kept up but out of the sun.
Will try the colour adjustment you suggest. Any recommendations as to where to get the gels or how best to use them?
Cheers
 
Had a relative's baby at my house yesterday, so quickly set up the lastolite and used the train for the first time.

Was going to light it using my 3rd light, but I don't have a reflector for it, and my softbox was too big for the available space I had left.

So I just used the main light...It seems to have provided enough light to have lit the join. Completely unprocessed raw to jpeg apart from lens profile.

Is this ok?


Unedited Raw - Jpeg 2 light. by D3RON, on Flickr

Folded the background away first time...took a while longer to fit the the train in the tube though.
 
It's sort of acceptable because your subject is black, with black hair. But even so, the edges of the hair have been destroyed by over-lighting the background.

Over lighting the background has also caused lens flare. At a rough guess, I would say that the background is something like 2-3 stops brighter than the subject, it needs to be 0.5 to 07 of a stop brighter. Please ignore all the rubbish on the web that says otherwise.
 
Cheers for the feedback...

What light modifier would be best to put on my 3rd light to light the train?

I'd fully intended to use the 3rd light, but didn't have enough space in my daughter's bedroom.

I'll post process and post the edited shot...thanks.

Also does it matter if I blow out the floor exposure in PP so long as I don't affect the shadows?
 
Last edited:
TBH the background exposure looks about right to me. Fine hair on the head has been retained. There's a lot of flare though. A good lens hood might help but most zoom hoods are not very good for this except at shortest focal length, so you need to screen off as much of the background/train outside the image area as you can. And it looks a bit out of focus.

You always have to do a bit of grey mopping in post processing. The problem being if you blow the train with more light, the subject gets over-exposed with it.
 
You could look at using a shiny floor (acrylic sheets - countless posts on this forums about it). That way the floor reflects the background and helps A LOT to cover up the join.
 
HoppyUK said:
TBH the background exposure looks about right to me. Fine hair on the head has been retained. There's a lot of flare though. A good lens hood might help but most zoom hoods are not very good for this except at shortest focal length, so you need to screen off as much of the background/train outside the image area as you can. And it looks a bit out of focus.

You always have to do a bit of grey mopping in post processing. The problem being if you blow the train with more light, the subject gets over-exposed with it.
Click to expand...

My thoughts too - Looks like the background is just about right.

The floor however needs some editing work done to lighten as the joint between floor and hilite is very visible.
 
I've been really busy, but have finally had time to come back to this...

can you let me know if you think I've edited it correctly please?

I followed the lastolite youtube video using the white dropper tool and erasing to history in Ps.


Edited... by D3RON, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Deron said:
I've been really busy, but have finally had time to come back to this...

can you let me know if you think I've edited it correctly please?

I followed the lastolite youtube video using the white dropper tool and erasing to history in Ps.


Edited... by D3RON, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Composition looks wrong - Too much floor and cropped too tight at the top - Floor edit looks ok though - Just need to crop it better and add some sharpening.
 
EOS_JD said:
Composition looks wrong - Too much floor and cropped too tight at the top - Floor edit looks ok though - Just need to crop it better and add some sharpening.
Click to expand...

The best thing about the white background is that you can easily add more of it if required - but getting it right in camera is quicker.
 
EOS_JD said:
Composition looks wrong - Too much floor and cropped too tight at the top - Floor edit looks ok though - Just need to crop it better and add some sharpening.
Click to expand...

It's missed focus...

Only reason I edited it, was because it was the example image I originally posted.

I just want to make sure I'm using the background and flooring correctly, and editing it correctly.

There are other shots that are in focus...:lol:
 
Slightly off topic but whilst we are talking about the floor I have a question.
I have only two studio light for my hi-lite and was thinking of getting another one, but was wondering would a speedlight work in conjunction with my studio lights for the floor?
I have 2 x 200W lights and a 430 EXII speedlight. The studio lights would serve as the key light or in the highlite, but was wondering if I could mount the speedlight on a tripod and aim it at the floor . I remember somewhere the floor needs the least lighting ans was wondering if it would be powerful enough lighten the train? Is this worth a try?
 
Slow recycling wil be your problem and the camera flash won't keep up with the strobes - but it will work.
 
Interested in answer to this too as I'm considering buying a hilite & train. The only time I've seen one used, this is what they did.
 
Remember you need to have the flash on manual and either triggered or set as an optical slave. Ttl and red eye per flashes will not work !
 
Thanks for the update. Understand the recycle time and battery life are limitations but so is my budget and already have the kit.

Have rf-603 triggers so adding one extra should work for the speedlight.
 
Do you need to light the floor though?

I have a 3rd light, which I'd fully intended to use for the task, but ran out of room.

It actually was easier than I thought to fix it in post.

It was harder rolling up the flipping vinyl train back into it's cardboard tube.
 
No you don't need to light the floor. 2 lights in the background is preferable though.

yes the floor needs to be contained at either end :D
 
First of all, Merry xmas to all :)

My 6x7 hilite is about to arrive, problem is at the moment I only have three speedlights, 580ex2, and two 420ex (used with my 5d mk2 also relatively new). how the hell (if even poss) can i set up portraits with train ?!?!?! im thinking 580 in hilite, one 420 on the train, the other as main,... can i somehow control 420's manually from camera, or trick them into firing brighter with tape over the sensor ? (420's are ettl only) i also have an st-e2 from when i had the 5d mk1. help :)
 
Forget the floor as its simple in processing to make it white. You will probably find many of your shots don't include the floor.

If your 420 is ettl only you need new lights. The yuongo (no idea how to spell that) are very cheap and 2 or 3 of those would be fine. You need to be able to control the light.

You also need to get the flashes off camera and trigger them by cable or using cheap ebay triggers.

You will also probably want a modifier like a brolly or softbox to increase the size of the lightsource making it a softer light.

HTH
 
Used my background and floor for a 21st birthday party on Friday.


Struggled with the 6x7 sizing (bit too small) but after a bit of editing I was able to get some good shots.

This was one of my faves...


Roxannes 21st... by D3RON, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
_Q7W4310-3.jpg
 
Last edited:
Deron said:
Used my background and floor for a 21st birthday party on Friday.


Struggled with the 6x7 sizing (bit too small) but after a bit of editing I was able to get some good shots.

This was one of my faves...


Roxannes 21st... by D3RON, on Flickr
Click to expand...

I like it Deron. In what respect did you find the 6 by 7 too small? Was it the amount of subjects your limited to fitting on it?
 
I also find the 6x7 too small. Using the long edge on the floor it lacks height (unless you are tall enough to be shooting a little down on your subjects)

And short edge on the floor it's too narrow for any more than one subject more than about three feet away from the background. It's ok if they are static but with moving subjects it can be very tight.
 
Frey said:
I have a ^ by 7 but havent been in this situation yet, Iv had a family of five on there but all static.
Click to expand...

Even with a family of 5 you are restricted. You'll get shots but not necessarily ones you want to get.
 
Frey said:
I like it Deron. In what respect did you find the 6 by 7 too small? Was it the amount of subjects your limited to fitting on it?
Click to expand...

Yeah.

They were hanging over the top as I stooped down or over the edge in both configs.

I preferred it in 6ft tall x 7ft wide in the end. Id be interested to try the 8x7 one, but wonder if that's too big for in house use.

They had some sort of country hall so would have fitted it perfectly. Would also be good for school proms.
 
idigitize said:
I think Viveza is such a handy bit of software to help get the hilite whiter is post.
Click to expand...

It's quick to do in photoshop with the white dropper.

Very minimal processing.
 
Using the white dropper can give the effect of the subject floating depending where you sample. Using camera raw or Lightroom with auto mask switched on is quick and easy And more natural
 
EOS_JD said:
Using the white dropper can give the effect of the subject floating depending where you sample. Using camera raw or Lightroom with auto mask switched on is quick and easy And more natural
Click to expand...

I normally sample the greyest part of the background.

Last time I did it, I erased to history on the minimal shadows to give some depth.

Lightroom auto mask sounds interesting. I'll look into it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top