Studio Portrait Photography

[pm63]

The only reason why I stick around is that I'm been participating on the TPF long enough to know it has its ups and downs.

Haha, believe me that compared to some of the places I've visited on the internet, this is the epitome of polite, intellectual discussion. There is disagreement, but it is mature disagreement.

Besides, heated discussions are always the most interesting and manage to hold my attention. I don't know about others who have been following, but as someone who intends to step into the world of off-camera lighting soon, this thread has been very informative and a real eye-opener, beyond simply a budget strobist level.

 

[Bifurcator]

Yep! Heated debate rocks! It's just when the word "you" starts getting used in sentences that things go out the window.

 

[mr_baseball_08]

Poppycock! Balderdash! You must be very young and are just discovering it for yourself or something. The actual reality is quite different however! Just pick up a photography book written in the early to mid 70's. And all these same techniques are discussed right in there. The recommended setup from any dealer was alway a two flash system and always both were for off camera use. Either a large long bracket system (more rare) or tripods and reflectors and diffusers. No one serious about flash photography used on camera flashes much - and it all started just months after electronic flashes were introduced! It was happening with bulbs too tho not as much. Bulbs were kinda fun though Spent bulbs look kewl!! Anyone remember "Flash Cubes"? Weeee...

You're basically saying something as absurd as "The rubber tire is a new invention only a year or two old." :stun: :lmao:

I guess you're misunderstanding what I'm saying. I'm not saying off camera lighting is a new "thing." I may be a young photographer but I am well aware of that fact.

I'm simply saying that this idea of "strobism" is a relatively new thing. New companies are popping up every single day just to feed the strobist community. Lumopro, Pocketwizard, Radiopopper, etc. Lastolite, a 20 year old company, has recently began releasing products featured for battery powered strobes. I suppose on this issue we may just have to agree to disagree.

 

[Bifurcator]

Oh, I see what you're saying. OK, yeah you're right in that regard. The word "strobist" or "strobism" isn't even an officially recognized word yet. 80% of the products and 99.9% of the techniques are the same however and that was my argument. So the techniques have only recently been unified and conceptualized under the banner of "strobism" but are themselves only just slightly younger than electronic flash units - which are about... mmm... 40 years old or so. In a way I guess you're saying that the isolation, definition, and commercialization of these aspects of photography are what's new. And that's true. Before, it was just common information and DIY rigging we all shared with each other in books, papers, classes, and word of mouth and we all just called it "flash photography" or simply "photography".