A great portable setup

RyanLilly · Dec 1, 2008

So I'm sitting here at the Bartenders Charity Ball, doing some lighting and projection for Bud Select, and the guys taking portrait shots of groups of people have a simple setup that is producing great results. Using one 1600w/s strobe with about a 45" soft silver umbrella slightly camera right and about 7 ft tall, and the camera mounted to the same stand just hanging to the left about 5ft up. The key seem to be the backdrop,which in this case is actually a video projection screen. The screen provides a solid white background and perfectly bounce light back on the subject creating evenly light people and eliminating shadows. The quality is exceptional especially for a one light setup.

To top it off the camera is tied to a 15" liveview monitor, sends the photos right to a purchasing station,and the phtograper is using a wireless shutter release cliped to his lapel.

Fido screens are expensive but the results are quite nice.
Just thought some people might find this of interest, and I'm killing time on my iPhone.

- Ryan

JerryPH · Dec 2, 2008

Hey, using 1600 w/s can overcome a LOT of the challenges us with the 100-150 w/s strobes have to face... lol

Edit... you mention portable. That 1600 w/s setup is running off a battery and not plugged into some 110v socket or off a generator?

Even then, I would not really call a 1600 w/s monolight on a light stand with umbrella and backdrop with 20lb battery very portable. It's more... luggable... lol

Ygrazi · Dec 2, 2008

What's a fido screen?

RyanLilly · Dec 2, 2008

Everything ran from a normal 120v socket. It's portable in the sence that a photog and salesperson could move and setup the whole thing fairly quickly, and it could easily be transported in a van, a bit tight for a car. Some people would consider it a pretty large setup in some aspects. Besides the screen, strobe, camera and monitor, they also had the sales station with a computer and screen running some pos software, and a video projector showing images they had taken throughout the party.

JerryPH · Dec 3, 2008

Sounds like an awesome sales setup. I've seen them before and it is impressive what can be done quickly, but you and I have different points of view on what portability is... lol.

Me it's a camera around my neck and a lightstand with strobe (with or without umbrella) in each hand and walk over to my next locations sans power outlet. Of course, I cannot do slideshows, nor post process/print on the spot either.

chrisburke · Dec 3, 2008

hmm the comment about him using a video projection screen got me to thinking... instead of buying a bunch of back drops with different designs, and carrying them around with me... could I download backdrop patterns, and project them on a white backdrop??? would it work well or would it look bad??? anyone have any thoughts?

JerryPH · Dec 3, 2008

If the flash hits it, it whites out REAL easy.

Your subjects would have to be separated from the backdrop and the flash VERY tightly focused on them alone... a challenging act indeed.

RyanLilly · Dec 3, 2008

Ygrazi said:
What's a fido screen?

LOL. Video. Typing on my phone.

I think that you would not have much luck trying to project backgrounds without washing them out.

goodoneian · Dec 3, 2008

chrisburke said:
hmm the comment about him using a video projection screen got me to thinking... instead of buying a bunch of back drops with different designs, and carrying them around with me... could I download backdrop patterns, and project them on a white backdrop??? would it work well or would it look bad??? anyone have any thoughts?

i have a projection screen at my house and the smallest amount of light hitting it whites it out as jerry said, even with my subject say 10+ feet in front of it. plus, even with something playing on the screen i have to use a pretty slow shutter speed to pick it up