Help! 7D video shooter asked to do stills with strobes

J Davis

J Davis

Veteran
My work just asked me to do a bunch of stills (product shots) and gave me access to a studio with strobe lighting.
I no nothing about strobe lighting because I'm a video guy, continuous lighting all the way,
and any stills I've done have always been friends and family, natural light.

Could someone hit me up with a 101 basics?
Like how do you correctly measure exposure when the flash is only on for a split second?
 
bump
really hoping there is a still photog amongst you guys, looks like this is happening to me v. soon
 
I am not a pro photographer but what i see ppl doing is that they're using a light meter... so when they measure the light when it flashes, the light meter capture the measurement during that split seconds, then they use that to set the camera to...
I'm sure you could find much more info than that by just google it or search on youtube... on how to use one of those light meter.
good luck.
 
There are probably several options. The studio may be equipped with a flash meter. Set it in the center of your scene and set off the strobes. It will then tell you the proper fstop for a given ISO. The flashes may also be automatic where you set the ISO and they shunt the light away after they sense enough reflected back to them.

You may also be able to get away with it quasi video style. Take few shots at various settings and review them in the lcd. May not get the absolute best result this way, but if all else fails.

On final thought... the studio might have continuous lighting that you are familiar with.
 
With the 7D's excellent low light ability, you may not need to use the strobes. you might be able to use the modeling lights on the strobes and adjust intensity with the dimmers if they have them and still benefit from the quality of light from the softboxes. With these new excellent low light sensors, strobes will be antiquated soon enough.
 
I'd just do it continuous light. I haven't shot stills in a LONG time, but I'd avoid them if I didn't need them. Honestly, I am surprised the 7D can even trigger a strobe!
 
Thanks for your help dvxuser's
I'm going to go with what I know which is continuous lighting

EDIT:
who moved this thread and why? And why to Off topic?
I would have thought other video guys who now own a video DSLR might be finding themselves in a situation like this.
 
PerroneFord said:
I'd just do it continuous light. I haven't shot stills in a LONG time, but I'd avoid them if I didn't need them. Honestly, I am surprised the 7D can even trigger a strobe!
Click to expand...

It can actually wirelessly trigger certain Canon strobes in groups.

I'll keep my pocket wizards.
 
J Davis said:
who moved this thread and why? And why to Off topic?
I would have thought other video guys who now own a video DSLR might be finding themselves in a situation like this.
Click to expand...

I did.
As correctly mentioned above, this is very much about still photography (even though the camera in question can shoot video). If someone asked about shooting stills with the DVX100 or XL1 (which even has a flash connector on it!), it would also belong in here.

And I left a redirect in the VDSLR section.


- Mikko
 
PerroneFord said:
When he said "strobes" I wasn't thinking of camera strobes, I was thinking of studio strobes.
Click to expand...

Ok cool
Thanks for leaving the redirect.

PerroneFord said:
When he said "strobes" I wasn't thinking of camera strobes, I was thinking of studio strobes.
Click to expand...

Yes thats what I meant.
I meant strobe lighting that is already in the studio, triggered by the camera (I guess) - total noob when it comes to stills and product shooting
 
If the facility is set up strictly as a photo studio, it might not have the necessary AC / ventilation to allow for hot continuous lighting. Be sure to check.

- Mikko
 
mikkowilson said:
If the facility is set up strictly as a photo studio, it might not have the necessary AC / ventilation to allow for hot continuous lighting. Be sure to check.

- Mikko
Click to expand...

ok -- good 2 know ... don't want to burn down the agency where I'm freelancing
 
I'm curious to know how they came to think you could just rig up and shoot this? Is it something you said you could do on a resume and now you have to deliver or are they just mot thinking this through?
 
If it were me, I'd get 2-3 Kino's and maybe 1-2 hot lights and go to town. I've set up that much in my apartment with no problems at all.

3 Kino Divas at close proximity could throw a few thousand footcandles on the products. MORE than enough to simulate strobes.
 
I don't know if this is too late, but you could try asking them if you could have access ahead of time to familiarize yourself with their studio/equipment/lighting. Write down brands/model numbers and google them as well as post more info here.

Larry
 
Flash rules

Flash rules

Every flash has a Guide Number, that is the product of the f stop and the distance between the flash and the object at 100 ASA.

Say you have one flash with GN 40.

First, you set your camera to 100 ASA, or, if you set your camera to 200 ASA, you calculate the effective GN as 40 x (200 / 100 ) = 80.

Now, you set your stop at f/8 and you put the flash 10 feet away. Or you set your stop at f/16 and put the flash 5 feet away (from the subject). It doesn't matter where your camera is.

That's the basic theory.

Pay attention that the GN can be in feet or meters.

If your flash has a spot/flood function. If it does than the GN is usually for the spot.

If you bounce the light , the distance is the light path ( say you make a right angle with a bounce card, than your distance is one and a half longer. so, adding some absorption, you drop a stop or more).

Likewise, diffusion drops around a stop.

If you use two flashes, than the surfaces illuminated by both flashes correctly on their own will be one stop over-exposed when both fire.

Using two or three flashes, you can use the guide numbers to position them as key/fill/ etc., at the correct distance to have the right ratios, than you do a test and tweak the exposure, than you tweak different area by moving the flashes in or out.

Enjoy.
 
Lets make this simple. Using GN can confuse even most Pro's.

I don't know what you are using to trigger the strobes, but assuming you know how to do that then just follow this process.

1. Take the first photo
2. Look at the LCD
3. If it's too bright, bump up the aperture number on the 7D, or turn your strobe power down, or move the lights further away from your subject
4. If it's too dark, lower your aperture number on the 7D, or turn up your strobe power, or move your strobes closer to your subject
5. Do this until the image appears to be properly exposed
6. Shoot the rest of your shots while leaving everything set the exact same way. Don't more the lights, don't turn up the power, and don't change the camera settings. If you do, you will have to start back at step 1

Also, shoot at the cameras lowest ISO setting. Also set your shutter speed to at least 1/160th of a second to kill the ambient light.

You will likely want to use umbrellas or soft-boxes to soften the light. Same principles as video here. For product shots, you don't want hard shadows if any shadows at all.
 
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