With a flash, how do I get skintones like this?

[deuxcent]

As an event photographer, I know my way around a flash, and I have posted flashed photos here that I'm really happy with. But I gotta say I rarely get colors and skintones as good as this guy:

http://web.mac.com/philip.greenberg/JaxPartyNYC/1.html

The photos with the tuba are wicked good. I assume it's all flashed and it isn't bounced off any walls or ceilings either by the looks of it, because these shots were taken in what looks to be a huge ballroom (at night). How does this photographer achieve that perfect blend between flash and ambient light?

Must. Learn. His. Secret.

Thanks,

dc

 

[almari]

As an event photographer, I know my way around a flash, and I have posted flashed photos here that I'm really happy with. But I gotta say I rarely get colors and skintones as good as this guy:

http://web.mac.com/philip.greenberg/JaxPartyNYC/1.html

Skin tones are either the camera settings and/or the processing software methods that he uses.

.... How does this photographer achieve that perfect blend between flash and ambient light?

This is really not hard. Go to manual mode - rear shutter sync - a slow shutter speed - around 1/20th to 1/30th of a second and use a flash modifier that allows you to control the bounce amount and the amount of flash that is sent forward. I have tried many different flash modifiers and currently prefer the Joe Demb Jumbo Flip-it over the others I have used in the past.

---
http://www.almariphoto.net

 

[Joe Federer]

Some of that looks like bounce, some straight-on with a demb-like thing, etc. Balanced with ambient as needed. Nothing too crazy...

It could be a 'light on a stick' technique as well, but it's hard to tell...
--
JOE FEDERER
Websites:
http://www.joefederer.com
http://www.willowlakefarmwedding.com
http://www.federerphotography.com/blog

 

[Bruce Allen Hendricks]

You can bounce in a huge ballroom easy...just crank up the ISO. Dennis Reggie calls it "flooffing or something like that). When you are shoot at 3200 ISO it's no problem to bounce off a wall 75 feet away.

To be honest, I really don't this guy's lighting on the website is all that you make it out to be. I see a lot of DEAD eyes and over unflattering results. It's OK, but nothing to write home about.

Bruce Allen Hendricks MPA, F.Ph.
http://www.impactphotographicdesign.com

 

[deuxcent]

Joe:

In terms of balancing the flash with the ambient, I get mixed results. How do YOU do it?

dc

Some of that looks like bounce, some straight-on with a demb-like thing, etc. Balanced with ambient as needed. Nothing too crazy...

It could be a 'light on a stick' technique as well, but it's hard to tell...
-

 

[Joe Federer]

I've posted about it before - but I can't find it right now.

Basically, I set my exposure manual at 1 stop below ambient and kick up my subjects with some sort of off-camera light source (most of the time an off-camera flash on a lightstand near the DJ speakers, sometimes an off-camera flash on my assistants camera or in their hand, sometimes in my left hand, sometimes bounced off something (remember, bouncing off a person is perfectly acceptable - if they are wearing a neutral color), sometimes it's a movie light in my assistants hand, sometimes it's a flashlight, sometimes the sb800's are just sitting on tables pointed at the ceiling...etc)

--
JOE FEDERER
Websites:
http://www.joefederer.com
http://www.willowlakefarmwedding.com
http://www.federerphotography.com/blog

 

[deuxcent]

You can bounce in a huge ballroom easy...just crank up the ISO. Dennis Reggie calls it "flooffing or something like that). When you are shoot at 3200 ISO it's no problem to bounce off a wall 75 feet away.

Ah, but the walls and ceilings in the ballroom photos were painted gold and dark, and the walls were partially paneled too from the looks of it.

To be honest, I really don't this guy's lighting on the website is all that you make it out to be. I see a lot of DEAD eyes and over unflattering results. It's OK, but nothing to write home about.

I just shot an event in an auditorium two nights ago with nasty, strangely unpredictable incandescent overhead lights that rendered skintones too yellow in some images, way too red and orange in others. I belatedly set a custom white balance using a grey card but it was still all over the place. So right now, I suppose I'm inclined to perhaps over-admire other people's seemingly effortless flash photos....

dc

 

[NJOceanView]

Interestingly, I'm not sure this is the all-time best flash I've seen. Some of it seems harsh to me.

The others' responses about letting in ambient light will make a big difference.

For color, I usually use a gel and set my color temperature manually. It saves me from having two different colors in my shot -- the balanced color from the flash and the yellower color from the ambient light. It makes a big difference in getting good color right out of the camera, which is important given the large number of shots needed and the urgency of getting them to the client/publication quickly once the event is completed.

 

[slowhands214238]

Is it possible some of those overhead incandescent lights were really newer CF bulbs "shaped" like traditional incadescents? If so, one could expect quite a bit of variation depending on your shutter speed and which part of the 60Hz cycle you captured... unless you set to 1/60th to minimize the partial cycle capture.

Gel your flash to (as best) balance to the ambient color temp
Vary your shutter to include as much of the ambient as desired.

Bounce/kick flash as desired

 

[BAK]

It's pretty big deal if James Taylor is singing, so there will be some pro stage lighting in the place.

And we know that a lot of the groups were taken in the same place (with the lettered / logoed background, where it would be easy to set up studio-style lights with umbrellas or softboxes.

Once upon a time I watched an event photographer shoot a cocktail party, using one flash unit with a small umbrella on a tall lightstand, so the flash was about eight feet off the flor, and two feet above tall people. An assistant with a headset carried this, and the photographer, with a head set communicated with the assistant.

Another flash was on the camera, triggering the remote on the lightstand.

We know that for many of the shots, the main light was high and to the side.

And we know that the side changed from shot to shot, which suggests the pole rather than a big bracket on the camera.

If I was trying this, high ISO, to allow a decent shutter speed, with the sensor sensitive enough to allow the background to burn in.

For the skin tones -- perhaps an amber filter on the flash, and light balance set to incandescent, so that the flash and the background lights were both close to the same temperature.

LOW BEDGET WAY: A Gary Fong Lightsphere with the amber dome, on a sidede bracket, and the camera set on the Night Portrait scene mode icon. (Of course, you need a camera with scene modes)

 

[jean bernier]

Many techniques were used on that shoot: it goes from direct flash, with the logos panel at the back, to bounce flash (some telltale reflections in glass panes), maybe some daylight from large windows for some of the shots, definately a large flash modifier was used in many of the shots.

There was not special care with tungsten filtering the flash in order to match the ambient tungsten: just look at the horizontal with Glen Close listening to the speaker: the color balance is off on the speaker, as he is under stage light.

Even the Taylor shots are way off balance, where ambient tungsten obviously dominates.

So, although I know how ektic this type of event can be, more so with big stars present, I give the photographer the passing note, as a nice gesture.
--
Jean Bernier

All photographs are only more or less credible illusions

 

[Vegasluvr]

Many photographers do not know how to Photo Shop their work. Many over saturate their images. I tell photographers do not go overboard in photo shop when tweaking their images. And calibrate your monitor too.

Our monitors are calibrated daily. And before I let someone start printing, I make sure they are educated in color technology.

But by the same token, each of us has a different view of color tones so it is up to the viewer to make the final judgement.

 

[Bruce Allen Hendricks]

Interresting - what percentage of your pro clients let you tweak their files?

Myself and everyone I know have calibrated their monitors to their lab's specifications and don't let the lab touch their files - almost on penalty of death (or at least threatening to go to another lab).

Not being able to speak for others, myself I love having that control. If there ever is an issue with a print I know it's my fault and I then have an refference to what is happening and what I need to do to correct it. It someone else adjusts my files after I work on them it would be a guessing game as to what is wrong (my monitor, the labs, the tech who had eye strain, etc)

Of course pricing is better bacause the lab doesn't have to spend anytime on my files, just sent them to print. In fact, with software like ROES and WorkStream the photographer bascially sends the print into the lab's work flow automatically.

It's almost as if I'm just remting their machines to print. Plus, you end up getting your work back so much faster. It was almost scary this week.....I sent in 4 24x36 prints (print only, no mount or laminate requested) on Monday morning at before 10:00AM. I recieved an e-mail from the lab before noon saying the images were printed and ready. I was in awe.....

I know digital has drastically effected the lab business. However it seems like the labs that are flexable to change with the times (or at least willing to try) are doing OK. Yes the business model has drastically changed for labs, but even the one location labs if they are willing to keep up with the times, service their clients well and are looking at different products to offer can do rather nicely.

Bruce Allen Hendricks MPA, F.Ph.
http://www.impactphotographicdesign.com

 

[MusicDoctorDJ]

The skin tones on that website don't look very good to me.

Kind of an orange cast to most of them.

Now, before you say that perhaps my computer monitor isn't calibrated, I do know that the skin tones from flash out of my cameras are generally spot on when viewed on my monitor.

I shoot JPEGs, not RAW, and do minimal to no PP and they print from the photo lab excactly what I see on my screen.

--
J. D.
Colorado



Remember . . . always keep your receipt, the box, and EVERYTHING that came in it!

 

[Timberwolfpuppy]

He's using bounced flash all right. In the white background pics, he is using direct flash, however, he may have a white diffuser over the front of his direct flash.
Sometimes he is bouncing from a side wall; this isn't ambient light.

Because he is getting that warm glow of ambient light in his backgrounds, this indicates that he is using weak direct or bounced flash and then exposing for his backgrounds. He may be using f2.8 for example.

I would not say the fleshtones are exceptional, but he is trying to keep from using direct flash as much as is practical.

I will tell you of a technique that could be added. He could put a amber filter over his flash unit output; and then add to this an exposure level which will pick up his backgrounds. As a result, he will no longer get the golden backgrounds.

If he has a powerful flash, such as a Norman 400b or 200b, (warning here: you need a voltage protector for digital cameras with this unit) he can surely bounced from high ceilings and far away walls. This is especially true when he is using f4 or f2.8! The wall color decreases his bounce strength by 1 full f stop if the wall is beige or greyish. Of course, it may be decreased by 2 full f stops for some of those medium grey walls.

And lastely, if he has an assistent, which he must have, or he is using stands, he is using direct but globe diffused flash from an angle. look at those dark nose shadows. Here, his techniques are wanting, and he should have used some fill flash.

Because I cannot tell what exactly he is bouncing off of, I cannot judge this photographer for "best decisions".

A safer, 'less theatrical" use of lighting is to use a key light and a fill light. The assistent holds the key light or the key light is mounted on the camera bracket. The photographer then exposes for his backgrounds, or lets them go black, or he can use another assistent to use fill flash to bounce and fill the backgrounds. All it takes is assistents who can read minds!

Given that this photographer cannot control the event, I think he did a good job.

 

[Timberwolfpuppy]

I don't consider the "blend" of ambient to be perfect. Using a handheld incident meter will do the job to know what the ambient light levels are. Then the photographer simply memorizes what these are and uses them when he / she is pointed in that direction.

If you don't know what the level of light is you can start at 1/4 sec at f4 for ISO 100. This is nearly unusuable because of the slow shutter speed for events. So, you need a 1/60th or better. You would then change your ISO and flash strength to give you a 1/60th.

As for fleshtones, it is possible that he is using a Fuji S5 or S3 camera. These are popular event cameras. Go to the Fuji forum to know more.

As an event photographer, I know my way around a flash, and I have posted flashed photos here that I'm really happy with. But I gotta say I rarely get colors and skintones as good as this guy:

http://web.mac.com/philip.greenberg/JaxPartyNYC/1.html

Skin tones are either the camera settings and/or the processing software methods that he uses.

.... How does this photographer achieve that perfect blend between flash and ambient light?

This is really not hard. Go to manual mode - rear shutter sync - a slow shutter speed - around 1/20th to 1/30th of a second and use a flash modifier that allows you to control the bounce amount and the amount of flash that is sent forward. I have tried many different flash modifiers and currently prefer the Joe Demb Jumbo Flip-it over the others I have used in the past.

---
http://www.almariphoto.net

 

[Timberwolfpuppy]

Yes, you need to know more about flash techniques. Joe Federer is a big one for preserving ambient light. I am not a crusader for ambient light. I say make the people look younger, decrease dark shadows across noses and allow the backgrounds to be 2nd or 3rd in importance to making the people look good. You should flatter the people's looks I say.

You can bounce in a huge ballroom easy...just crank up the ISO. Dennis Reggie calls it "flooffing or something like that). When you are shoot at 3200 ISO it's no problem to bounce off a wall 75 feet away.

Ah, but the walls and ceilings in the ballroom photos were painted gold and dark, and the walls were partially paneled too from the looks of it.

To be honest, I really don't this guy's lighting on the website is all that you make it out to be. I see a lot of DEAD eyes and over unflattering results. It's OK, but nothing to write home about.

I just shot an event in an auditorium two nights ago with nasty, strangely unpredictable incandescent overhead lights that rendered skintones too yellow in some images, way too red and orange in others. I belatedly set a custom white balance using a grey card but it was still all over the place. So right now, I suppose I'm inclined to perhaps over-admire other people's seemingly effortless flash photos....

dc

 

[seanmcr6]

Maybe it's mounted on a balcony or something...but most of the "lit" shots have a soft light mounted pretty high. Just look at the shadows under the chins...For a lot of those shots of random people on the main floor...the light is always coming from a slightly different angle...so I think he's got a mounted light in one spot...or an assistant walking around with him and a pole mounted light.

There are a bunch that are clearly bounced shots...and there are a bunch that are just ambient. You can never have just one lighting solution for the whole event when covering stuff like this...

As for the while balance...in all the shots where the whites are indeed balanced, there are plenty of white reference points. (tux shirts mostly)...so correcting in post is very easy indeed....and note that he's correcting the white balance for the strobe light, not ambient.

sean

 

[seanmcr6]

in a lot of the shots...in the mirrors at the back of the room...you can actually see his light. It's definitely mounted on a high stand against a back wall...

--
sean

 

[raoultrifan]

Joe:

In terms of balancing the flash with the ambient, I get mixed results. How do YOU do it?

dc

You may mix the ambient room light (probably warm incandescent light from tungsten) with a full CTO gel over your flash light, ISO 1.600-3.200, 1/45 or 1/60 sec. exposure time and f/4 - f/2.8 aperture (or even bigger if you got). If it's fluorescent light in the room, you should use green flash filter instead full CTO.

Regards,
Raul.

--
http://flickr.com/photos/raoultrifan/