Lowell Tota lights

T

tucker07205

Active member
I'm doing an interview in my basement which as fluo lights. I have 2 tota lights on hand. I don't have the $$ to get any more lights at this time. What is the best way to set these lights up for a simple interview. Only the subject needs to be lighted. Thanks for any answers
 
Re: Lowell Tota lights

You should try to make a 3-point lighting with the two lights plus a styrofoam sheet for fill. If you don't know nothing about 3-point, check Walter Graff's articles at dvinfo.net. I'd use the approach he describes in an article entitled: Beyound 3 point lighting, but if that's too difficult, you can get good results from a basic setup (that is: One frontal (The Key Light), a little to the side at a 45º Angle slightly higher than the talent's face, A sheet of foamcore on the other side, barely off the frame, to reflect some light in the shadowy side (and to adjust contrast, the Fill Light), and one behind him, barely off frame to the side of the foamcore, iluminating his back and back of the hair, so you can create a "halo" of light around him (That's a backlight). Control the later not to overexpose, and you're set.

EDIT: And expose to the side of the talented that is lit by the frontal reflector, since that is supposed to be your "Key" light. The skin (if caucasian) should read around 60% on the marker...
 
Re: Lowell Tota lights

[quote author=tucker07205 link=board=lighting;num=1099686796;start=0#0 date=11/05/04 at 12:33:16]I'm doing an interview in my basement which as fluo lights.  I have 2 tota lights on hand.  I don't have the $$ to get any more lights at this time. What is the best way to set these lights up for a simple interview.  Only the subject needs to be lighted.  Thanks for any answers[/quote]

Simple. Take both lights and put them at a 45 degree angle to your talent so they light his face form both sides. Raise the lights up to a comfortable level so they don't create shadows. The key is that the lights need diffusion. You should not use these lights without something to diffuse the harsh light they make. If you do not have diffusion, try bouncing the lights into something white such as a piece of white foam core art card you can buy at a local crafts shop and let that bounced light hit your talent. As for the room lights, try looking at a monitor with them on along with your Omnis and them off and see what looks better.
 
Re: Lowell Tota lights

can you talk more about diffusion?

i have a couple of lowel lights and they are god awful bright!

i have the pro light, the tota light and the dp light.

would you use a softbox?

i have the 10x12 gel holder for the tota light and even with that it puts out so much light.

matthew
 
Re: Lowell Tota lights

I have a Tota that I only use in softboxes. It works fairly well for that purpose and I usually end of using softboxes whenever I shoot anything. You can put 300, 500, or 750 watt lamps in a Tota, so switching bulbs that would be one simple way of cutting the amount of light.
 
Re: Lowell Tota lights


which softbox do you have?

i saw a photoflex that looked good but i don't understand the whole "speedring" thing, i get the impression that those connect the softbox to the light.

i'm a big fan of kits where you get everything together, makes it so much easier to know that everything is going to fit.

so if someone can suggest a specific softbox setup that will mount to my tota light i'll run out and get it.

matthew
 
Re: Lowell Tota lights

I have all Photoflex boxes. A small Cinedome, and medium and large Silverdome NxTs. The speed ring acts as the adapter between the softbox and the light. Different speedrings allow you to use the softbox with different lights.

My suggestion is to get a medium Silverdome NxT and the Tota speedring.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=140665&is=REG

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=310260&is=REG
 
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