Is the COB 300D powerful enough to expose for windows in interview shot?

[ozmorphasis]

Looks fine. I'm nit picking here:
1. Looks like you're shooting down on him a little. I would have lowered the camera.
2. I would have put the key on the opposite side and used the window light as your fill.
3. I don't like the black tv screen behind him over his head and the horizontal line on the wall. My eyes are drawn to them. I understand it's difficult filming on location. Like other said if the foreground/background ratio. Using things like hair light helps add separation from the background. I think you were fortunate to be able to get away with using only one light.

As someone who still uses hair lights all the time, I have to say that I really appreciate shots that look like one source, so I really appreciate what LKorver has done here in that regard, and I think key looks best 90% of the time when it appears to be motivated by any major light sources in frame, so I'd keep to the windows staying on Key side. Totally agree about the screen.

 

[Peter C.]

As someone who still uses hair lights all the time, I have to say that I really appreciate shots that look like one source, so I really appreciate what LKorver has done here in that regard, and I think key looks best 90% of the time when it appears to be motivated by any major light sources in frame, so I'd keep to the windows staying on Key side. Totally agree about the screen.

That's interesting didn't think of it in those terms. He did a lot right. In particular it can be difficult to keep the light from reflecting in the subject's glasses.

 

[Lkorver]

No, he is adjusting exposure at the camera, not the fixture. You can tell because the entire frame gets hotter, including the buildings and all. But yes, M18! ; )

You're right! Not sure how I didn't notice this.

 

[Lkorver]

As someone who still uses hair lights all the time, I have to say that I really appreciate shots that look like one source, so I really appreciate what LKorver has done here in that regard, and I think key looks best 90% of the time when it appears to be motivated by any major light sources in frame, so I'd keep to the windows staying on Key side. Totally agree about the screen.

All great points, loving the critical feedback. Unfortunately, that TV screen was bolted to the wall and wasn't able to be moved. So I had to bring the camera level up and shoot down a little to create a little separation between the top of his head and the bottom of the camera. I agree that a hair light could've helped a little for sure.

 

[doubledark]

My favorite thing about these board room shots is the reflection patterns off of the table.

many years ago, when Photoshop first appeared, there was a story floating around that a boardroom shot was done in NYC for a company's annual report.

All the dept heads were flown in and the photographer took a dramatic shot with the skyline as background.

After the shoot, and before the annual report was printed, one of the executives was fired and the replacement had to be hurriedly photographed in the exact spot as the previous exec.

The new exec was then photoshopped into the team photo and the file went off to the printer and several thousand annual report copies were printed off.

But no one noticed the reflection in the boardroom table was of the since fired executive and not the new replacement.

 

[ozmorphasis]

many years ago, when Photoshop first appeared, there was a story floating around that a boardroom shot was done in NYC for a company's annual report.

All the dept heads were flown in and the photographer took a dramatic shot with the skyline as background.

After the shoot, and before the annual report was printed, one of the executives was fired and the replacement had to be hurriedly photographed in the exact spot as the previous exec.

The new exec was then photoshopped into the team photo and the file went off to the printer and several thousand annual report copies were printed off.

But no one noticed the reflection in the boardroom table was of the since fired executive and not the new replacement.

That's hilarious. I think Photoshop has since added a tool in the toolbar: Exec Clone Brush ; )

 

[Run&Gun]

One of my interviews yesterday was shooting out the windows of the press box of a sports venue. I always have my 800 watt HMI in the truck and that was my plan. The only problem, the damn ballast was dead-stick. Mother F*****... And my second 800 was 2.5 hours away(I don't carry them both unless I know we will need them). Plan B: about a year or so ago I started carrying a pair of Nila Boxers, too. So I bring them up and put them both up, knowing that they are going to be on the ragged edge, IF they can get me that close... I ended up with two Boxers(Nila used to call them 800 HMI equivalents)(BS!) at 100% and a Gemini at 100% and was able to just get me to the spot with nothing to spare. I also ended up with much flatter lighting than I would have liked on the subject, because it just became a case of using brute force with multiple fixtures to just get the required level of illumination on him to balance out with the background, instead of just one large, powerful source that I could then do a little modeling with and then bring in fill, if I needed/wanted. And they'll have to tweak to get the skin tones acceptable, because in my opinion Nila LED's are green and even when you try to WB to them(which I did), they still don't look quite right.

Sorry, just needed to vent a little...

 

[ahalpert]

Bummer, Run&Gun, but it sounds like you averted disaster.

What is dead-stick? Wouldn't turn on?

 

[Run&Gun]

Bummer, Run&Gun, but it sounds like you averted disaster.

What is dead-stick? Wouldn't turn on?

Yep. It was D-E-A-D... No indicator lights, no fire to the head, nothing... We checked the outlets and changed the fuses in the ballast. I had that ballast repaired a few years ago. I just dropped it off at Barbizon this afternoon for their service guys to check out. I can't remember if they fixed it or it had to be sent back to Bron Kobold last time. It is 14+ years old, though. Lord only knows how many thousand hours that thing has probably run.

I'm fortunate enough to have built-up a lot of gear over the years, so I usually have more lighting than I need on any given shoot, resulting in effectively having back-ups for some things. Maybe not a one-for-one back-up for everything, but I can still usually make it happen.

Skin-tone wasn't to my liking and it was a little flat, but they can at least tweak his skin-tone's, some.

 

[Peter C.]

I always run with a pair of 1x1 panels. Key and Fill, if one dies I have a reflector for the fill. One of the power supplies recently went on me. I also own a paired cameras. Helps me sleep better.

 

[doubledark]

another Luke Serveld masterclass (I'll stop now) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGbBACrWK7E

 

[Run&Gun]

Looks great to me. Have you considered cooling off the rest of the room and windows a bit just so skin tones aren't competing so much for the same warm tones? The screen above his head is not ideal, but after shooting a bazillion board room talking heads, I totally understand the limitations in finding a perfect composition.

My favorite thing about these board room shots is the reflection patterns off of the table. Always adds a nice texture to the frame, but again, I'd prefer that they contrast the skin a bit more by having them cooler. Of course, that's totally matter of taste. Your shot looks great.

Board rooms and offices can be fun sometimes.

This was from several years ago. I was fine with letting the windows blow a little, because nothing out there was really pertinent(not the subjects natural environment). It just happened to be the space we had for the interview. And it helped keep some of the focus on the subject.



I did a shoot many years ago in a board room/meeting room and the producer wasn't tied to a traditional shot, so I actually just set the camera on the board room table with the wide angle on it. It was a pretty cool shot. But I can't seem to find it, right now. I'll post it later, if I can find it.


Found it. Wasn't exactly like I remembered it, BUT it was 14 years ago... And there are days now where I've forgotten what I ate for lunch, by dinner time. Lol

Also, look how crappy cell phone cameras were.