Small Hilite anyone?

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Meno

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Does anyone have any experience with the smallest hilite 1.4m x 1m (4'6" x 3'6") ?

As much as i love the 6x7 im finding it difficult to fit in clients living rooms etc and as 99% of my shoots are young children i feel i would be better off with the small one, upto 5yr olds could still stand and elder usually sit anyway?

What are your thoughts?

Ive ordered another speedlight so i can go totally wireless as kids and wires prove a challenge and this should also give me more space.

Thanks
 
Too small - Not everyone has kids that sit or stand at peace - especially at a young age.

Better to shoot outside in a park.

If it fits in your own living room, invite clients to yours. Most are happy to come to me.
 
Thanks, i often do the park / garden but a lot want the white background and it doesnt fit at my house either, it did when we had a spare room but had another child.

whenever i have used it, it has been for posed shots and babies.

Why do you feel it would be too small, measuring it out on the wall it appears an ok size.

I have not actually seen one but read they can be suspended, are they intended as a softbox?

Thanks
 
I use a 6x7 and it can take over a small room but I agree with EOS JD, the smaller version is likely to give you more issues to deal with as any subject will always be close to the edge of Hi-Lite - especially if they move around.

Hang on to your old one until you've tried a smaller one in a working environment.
 
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thanks, ill mock something up the same size and see what happens
 
Great for head and shoulder shots but do you really want this type of shot...Adding gels to the lights will add a bit of variety but size wise, I think it will be really limiting as a backdrop....Great as a large soft box though !
 
I have a 5x7 that works well and have not found a house i cannot get it into.....
Might even be prepared to sell as i very rarely use it these days...!
 
Meno said:
Why do you feel it would be too small, measuring it out on the wall it appears an ok size.

I have not actually seen one but read they can be suspended, are they intended as a softbox?
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You can use as a softbox - The larger ones too make a nice light source.

Re size what to do is mark it out on the wall. Get your subject to stand where they would (say 3-4 feet from the background and take the shot - You'll see it's very tight - the edges of the box will not be far from the subject - both in height and width. If you are taking a kid's shot and Mum and Dad want one with him/her, you are snookered as the background is just too small to accommodate - 4'6 in height is very small and 3'6 in with nowhere near wide enough.

Kids also move around. Yopu can't really pin them down and expect nice similey images. Let them move around just a little and you'll get some better more natural shots.

My room is very tight but I can just fit the 6x7 in. Most houses can accommodate it in a living room or even a kitchen or dining room. The 5x7 is maybe the compromise - Just about big enough.

The small one is meant for head and shoulder type shots and can be used as a nice softbox too.

You will be seriously limited with such a small background for shooting kids.
 
Thanks for all the comments. Will just keep my fingers crossed future clients have big houses.

I use the hilite to avoid the need to move the subject 3ft from the background as i often don't have the room.
 
Meno said:
Thanks for all the comments. Will just keep my fingers crossed future clients have big houses.

I use the hilite to avoid the need to move the subject 3ft from the background as i often don't have the room.
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Do you not get too much wrap when the subject is very close? I don't have the room either :)

What size is your shooting area? I have the hilite on my wall and then I have and area about 6' wide by maybe 10' length
 
I have about the same or less space. No problem with wrap, but i don't do the "suggested" 2 stops over
 
Yes 2 stops is too much for a small room especially with the subjects close to the backdrop.
 
EOS_JD said:
Yes 2 stops is too much for a small room especially with the subjects close to the backdrop.
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Absolutely. Though IMO you can comfortably delete the last 12 words from that sentence.....
 
I have a 5x7 and it's more than manageable. Set it up in a cloakroom recently at an event. Amazing how small a space you can work in when you have no choice. :lol: The 100cm octabox took up half the 'room' and I used one light in the hilite. Results were good but couldn't manage full body shots.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Absolutely. Though IMO you can comfortably delete the last 12 words from that sentence.....
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I agree :) What I was getting at is many try this in a small room with little space and wonder why things look odd :)

you can use +2 if you have a decent sized shooting area and it will be fine (although not needed) Just wasting a lot of power.

That's why I said especially in a small room - But I agree with your point. :thumbs:
 
I have the 7'x5' only because I got it at a very good price. It is too small really! Keep meaning to sell it and get the 7x8 but at the moment I am spending most of my time working on the photo trigger.
 
7x8 is very big and probably wont fit in most homes but is better for events and the like. The 6x7 is a decent size but still limited.
 
EOS_JD said:
7x8 is very big and probably wont fit in most homes but is better for events and the like. The 6x7 is a decent size but still limited.
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It will fit in my studio though :D
 
lol nice :)
 
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