Help with problematic shoot!

[Bobby Gill]

Hey!

So I'm an amateur photographer, used to shooting landscapes and nature... but I've recently been persuaded by some friends of mine to shoot them for the back cover of their bands new release on vinyl.

We only have a very short window of opportunity to get it done, so will be shooting outside, in the park, in the dark.. Possibly under tungsten street light...

I have a 5Dmk2, tripod and two YN560s to play with.. luckily they want it in black and white, so colour temperature mismatch shouldn't be an issue... I haven't got any reflectors - only two diffusers, but I might invest if you think its worthwhile..

My fear is blowing them out, and losing all of the background... maybe I will fire one flash at them, with the other lighting the background? or getting them to stay very still..... i guess, and doing long exposures?

I haven't done HDR before.. am I able to just do bracketed exposures and layer them in lightroom?

Any advice at all on how to get the most out of this lighting situation, and also, the process of publishing for print, would be very much appreciated!

 

[vintagesnaps]

Persuaded by friends... short window of opportunity - sounds like a double whammy for an amateur photographer who does landscapes (in the park in the dark, make that a triple). I think the best thing to do might be to tell the friends that you don't (yet) have the expertise or equipment to do this, and they need to hire a pro photographer if they want professional quality photos for their album.

Best I can suggest is get to the location and do test shots.

 

[KmH]

Run Forrest! Run!

No doubt. You need to go to the location in advance and do test shots to determine exposures (subjects and background) and lighting ratios (subject to background).

Hopefully, you're aware of how to control the exposure of the flash units using the flash unit power setting and the lens aperture, while controlling the ambient light exposure with the shutter speed, both with a single shutter release.

Step #1 of the process of publishing for print is to register your copyright(s) of the published photograph(s) with the US Copyright Office.
How to Register the Copyrights for Your Photographs | NatureScapes.Net – The Resource for Nature Photographers

 

[photo1x1.com]

I second the opinions. You sould go to the location in advance with two or three (other) friends, do a lot of test shots, changing the settings, looking at the files (take a notebook with you?), changing the settings again and repeat . Writing down the best results and just dial them in at shooting time (probably using manual mode). You could also show these test shots to the band so that they know what they will get (takes a lot of pressure from your sholders on shooting day).

Here are some thoughts:

1. be aware that the closer you get with your flash, the more light fall off you will see from your band to the background (inverse square law). Place the flash far away, pump up the ISO and you may light foreground and background (if desired).
2. Shooting through anything white and partly transparent from a slight distance will soften your light - you can get a cheap umbrella, or even use your bed sheet. But be aware that this will reduce the power of your flash (shouldn´ matter that much though since you are in total darkness)
3. Regarding your flash: bring fresh batteries!!!!
   
4. consider using rear curtain sync for the flash. You could use long exposure to expose for the background, and finally let the flash fire to expose and freeze the band. I´ let them play and do as if they perform - could look interesting, but of course is a special look that is not for everyone. For this to work though, the band needs to be in a rather shady area in the park.
5. Focus is critical and difficult in the dark. Use a torch to focus, and then set the focus to manual to keep it there (or use back button focussing). Noting more frustrating than seeing your images are out of focus when you get home.
   
6. If noise is not a problem, you could light your band with a torch, or other continuous lights. You can even switch that on and off to your needs, while you are taking the image to adjust the final brightness. You can even move with the light if you use long exposure to create a soft light effect (if you wear black clothing, a black cap and black gloves, you can even walk through the frame, especially if you block the light from the torch with your body).
   I once shot this image - I exposed for the stars, which would have totally overexposed the room and the pool. So I switched on the lights in the room and the pool for only a second, and so it all blended together. I hope you understand what I´m trying to say
   
   
7. Another nice option is using long exposure, and walking around with your flash, manually firing it at different locations. Always blocking the light with your body and ideally wearing black, as in 4.
   
8. And finally - don´t forget photoshop. You can always blend two shots together - one for the band, and one for the background. That way you can expose one shot for the background (before the band arrives at the scene), leave the camera on the tripod, and then you shoot another one for the band. There are even services in the web, that will create a separate layer for your band (clipping path) for peanuts.

BTW: what´s your camera? Some models allow you to transfer the (jpg - shooting RAW+jpg) files to a tablet for a quick check, very handy!!!

If you prepare really well for the shooting, you shold be out of trouble, even if you are not that experienced.

 

[SteveGP]

Hey!

So I'm an amateur photographer, used to shooting landscapes and nature... but I've recently been persuaded by some friends of mine to shoot them for the back cover of their bands new release on vinyl.

We only have a very short window of opportunity to get it done, so will be shooting outside, in the park, in the dark.. Possibly under tungsten street light...

I have a 5Dmk2, tripod and two YN560s to play with.. luckily they want it in black and white, so colour temperature mismatch shouldn't be an issue... I haven't got any reflectors - only two diffusers, but I might invest if you think its worthwhile..

My fear is blowing them out, and losing all of the background... maybe I will fire one flash at them, with the other lighting the background? or getting them to stay very still..... i guess, and doing long exposures?

I haven't done HDR before.. am I able to just do bracketed exposures and layer them in lightroom?

Any advice at all on how to get the most out of this lighting situation, and also, the process of publishing for print, would be very much appreciated!

I have a 5DMk3 and do a lot of night street shooting. Not sure about the MK2 but my MK3 does an incredible job at high ISOs. I've even shot street night photos at ISO 12,800 with an 100mm, f2.8 and the noise is only noticeable when zooming in. As others have suggested, some test shots should help you make decisions. Also if you're worried about noise at the high ISOs maybe you shouldn't be. Sometimes I even add a little noise to my photos to get a more moody or dramatic look. Since they want B&W, some noise might actually be effective to make a band photo not so run-of-the-mill.

Here's one I took at ISO 12,800 on my MK3, 100mm, f2.8, 1/50 sec:
Deep Ellum Streets - spetermann

 

[Derrel]

The park. At night. Rather vague, no pics, but some parks have a LOT of streetlights!!!

Basic Urban Nighttime work means" TRIPOD,tripod,tripod
Lens Aperture, for ease of working? f/8.
Flash: the open test fire (red button) is an easy way to fire a flash, or two flash units, connected to one another via 7" PC connector cord, or photo slaved to fire as ONE, single "unit"

Exposure time for lighted areas" 10,15,20,25,30,45,60 seconds, give or take. At f/8. At ISO of 100.

Lighted areas "show up". Areas that are dark, or un-lighted do not "show up" when the lighted areas are exposed right.

Basic Idea: Figure out what "landscape" or "parks cape" you wish to have show up...use the right Timed Exposure for that, say 15 seconds. have the band stand in a NON-lighted, foreground area, in darkness. Pop! The flash one time, or the two flashes, connected and in a Manual Flash Power mode, at the right distance to get a good exposure, at f/8.

Stand with the flash(es) unit(s) aimed directly at the band, at a slight left or right of camera position, such as 7 o 'clock. At 13 seconds into the timed exposure of 15 seconds, fire the flash(es) manually, with the Open test Fire button.

Done! Move on to the next exposure. Shoot in RAW, of course. For B&W, no need to gel-match the flash to the street lamps.

 

[Piccell]

Try a composite of the persons shot in daylight inserted into the park at night with a long exposure.