What can you do with 5 flashes in 20 minutes.

Sebastian

Sebastian

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Sebastian
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Nathan at Bullet Basecamp, Pokhara, Nepal

I had less than 20 minutes to create this photo. I lost one Enfield when I was setting up my gear and I was really pushing myself to make sure I won't loose the other one. I had to beg the owner to stay for 5 minutes to get just 2 photos! Nathan was easy to light: strong directional light from both sides, done. The bar was more tricky. I had to use 3 flashes to get the details and colours that I wanted. In the end I went home with a pretty decent photo on my memory card... It's not perfect, but hey ho! I thought that I will show it to you anyway

I was triggering one flash in the bar with my PT-04 (same way as two flashes outside). The other 2 flashes used to light the bar were triggered by optical slaves.
I didn't have to use any gels, that is the natural colour of Bullet Basecamp walls. My task was to light it just enough to get this lovely colour without overexposing it. If the walls would be white, I would definitively use some CTO gels. I was bouncing off the walls, the ceiling was too dark. The guy in the bar was sitting in front of my flash, that's why his face is not affected by colour cast.
So:
main light, bare Nissin Di866mkII 1/2 power, 50mm zoom
rim light/Enfield: bare YN560, 1/2 power
In the bar: naked YN560, SB900 and 580EX, all on 1/2 power

(pretty unusual lighting set, don't you think? :) )

Editing: 100% Lightroom 4. Global adjustments of contrast, clarity and sharpness. Local adjustments of exposure, saturation and painting with tungsten white balance. I have also removed few dust spots.
All done in 5 minutes.

Big thanks to my voice activated lightstands: Mark, Johnny and Krishna

PS: Not sure if this section is the best for this, please move this thread if it fits anywhere else

8221691514_aa02224bdb_c.jpg
 
Last edited:
You got a diagram of the flash locations? I'm trying to reverse-engineer it and getting confused by it...
 
Phil Young said:
Lighting looks very cool so well done... but... the bike has been cropped!

Was that in camera or edit?
Click to expand...

Are you looking on phone? Looks ok to me regards to the crop. I find my iPhone doesn't always show the edges of a photo so can look cropped.
 
Love this picture....even with the explanation, my mind boggles at setting it up. Very atmoshperic...great stuff.

When I first looked at it, I thought the guy was carrying a wheel :)
 
Cool example of how light transforms a picture :thumbs:
 
The old, cream bullet is (to my eyes) amost overlit (and not cropped at all - proper computer not 'phone). Shame the modern bike is hidden behind the biker in the flashed shot - they're very good looking bikes (I have one).

Getting a bit picky, the classic bike's rear wheel is a bit deformed by the UWA effect in the corner. I know that this deformation is due to physics rather than any lens fault but it does detract a little from the picture (IMO).

Got to have a little giggle at the shadow under the classic bike - at a quick glance, it could be taken for a puddle of oil - the old ones were rather less oil tight than the new ones and this dripping led to a slightly unkind nickname - Royal Oilfield.

P.S. I think your signature needs updating, unless you want to continue promoting your next trip as being a few weeks ago!
 
jimbobtog said:
You got a diagram of the flash locations? I'm trying to reverse-engineer it and getting confused by it...
Click to expand...

Flash 1: high on a light stand pointing down at Nathan. Yu an work out the angle by looking at his shadow (nose, chin etc)

Flash 2: far right/back. provides light for Nathan (rim light), Enfield and some for the bar

Flash 3/4/5: inside the bar to ensure fairly even light.

Ambient light was controlled by shutter speed, the original test photo was taken on (I think) 1/50, the final photo on 1/200.

I would use another one of two to complete the scene but we were running out of time, hence imperfections in exposure and composition.
Still, a good example of what can you do with just few strobes within just few minute :)
 
Nod said:
The old, cream bullet is (to my eyes) amost overlit (and not cropped at all - proper computer not 'phone). Shame the modern bike is hidden behind the biker in the flashed shot - they're very good looking bikes (I have one).

Getting a bit picky, the classic bike's rear wheel is a bit deformed by the UWA effect in the corner. I know that this deformation is due to physics rather than any lens fault but it does detract a little from the picture (IMO).

Got to have a little giggle at the shadow under the classic bike - at a quick glance, it could be taken for a puddle of oil - the old ones were rather less oil tight than the new ones and this dripping led to a slightly unkind nickname - Royal Oilfield.

P.S. I think your signature needs updating, unless you want to continue promoting your next trip as being a few weeks ago!
Click to expand...

Signature amended, thanks!
 
HoppyUK said:
Cool example of how light transforms a picture :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Thanks mate, I really like making photos like that. It's so much fun transforming scenes.

Next step: get some good lights with battery pack to have a chance against the sun. Because currently I'm picking my battles :)
 
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