how are thes type of shots accomplished?

Joined: 02 Jan 2007 Posts: 190

I really like the shots where the lighting provides just enough for the main portion of the subject and then everything else is in shadow. how is this done?

I posted a link to the first pic I could find on a quick search from google images.

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:13 pm

A single soft box (flash) with a high output and as high a shutter speed that you can use with the flash.

The high out put of the soft box will allow you to shoot at f/16 or f/22.

The high shutter speed combined with the small f/stop will severely under expose everything except what the soft box it lighting.

You can do this with a speed-light off camera. Just use your smallest available f/stop and your highest available shutter speed.

Joined: 02 Jan 2007 Posts: 190

thanks for the info.

I have a 430EX speedlight. What would I need to enable me to use it off camera? How do I control it as the slave without having another master on the camera?

Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:16 pm

ryguy76 wrote:

thanks for the info.

I have a 430EX speedlight. What would I need to enable me to use it off camera? How do I control it as the slave without having another master on the camera?

I am not familiar with your camera. I would think all you need is a long synch cord. It should not cost much.

Here is a discussion: Discussion

Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:40 pm

There is no pc sync connection on the camera or the flash. You have to either use the hotshoe cord that Canon sells, only 2 feet long, or get their remote transmitter for $200. You may be able to find a longer hot shoe cord, but it may be expensive. If you decide to get a transmitter, look into getting a two pocket wizzards. They transmit over radio frequency instead of over Infra Red light. They have much longer reach and are more reliable.

Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 57 Location: Phoenix AZ

The things said so far will work well. You have problem though. the flash that you have cannot make light that soft on its own. you will need to soften that light some how. one way is to bounce it off of something big and reflective think like a wall or big a white umbrella or something. or get some kind of large defuser like the one made by Garry Fong. I use that and it works great.

There is an easy way to do this type of shot however that uses no strobes. You have to get your model to work with you on this. use a nice soft light like the light from a window with a thin shade over it or what ever light you have then stop your camera down so that you can get a nice long exposure. at least 6 seconds. get your model to hold very still then half way through the exposure get them to move just part of their body like there had to a new place and then hold still again. this will take some practice and if the model moves at all it will make picture look blurry but it is a way to get this shot with the normal ambient lighting that you have available to you.

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:54 pm

resevordg wrote:

...get your model to hold very still then half way through the exposure get them to move just part of their body like there had to a new place and then hold still again.

I assume you're talking about the second set of hands showing in the picture and trying to replicate that look. If that is so, I'm sure you're looking at the picture the wrong way. I believe that in this example, the other set of hands are male, presumably the father's hands. Not a double exposure.

Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Posts: 374 Location: Georgia

Yes its deffinately just another pair of hands. This was probably done with a single soft light (ie softbox, or window). Just meter for the stomach a shoot.

Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 174 Location: Baltimore, MD

I liked this picture alot, so much so I gave it a whirl and tried it out using my fiance who is 9 months. I took packards advice and instructions. Afterwards I realized I forgot to set a low apeture. So this was a f5 shot. I had to take into PS to get the blackness. Should have just paid more attention to what packard was saying and ste it to f16 or so. it would have saved me the trouble of post processing it.

I used a tripod mounted sb800 and a 500th shutter speed. I know its not a great picture but I was trying to replicate the same effect. Great advice packard. good instructions.