Lessons
Class Introduction
13:12 2Why Strobes & Film?
05:09 3Using Sync Speed
10:21 4How To Avoid Ghosting
05:45 5Equipment Overview
04:12 6How To Use Your Camera With Strobes?
06:27 7Triggers & Receivers
03:39 8How To Set Up A Light Meter & Strobe Unit
08:03Demo: Equipment Set Up
07:59 10Create A Natural Light Look
10:05 11Light Modifiers
09:39 12Catchlight In The Eyes
08:41 13Metering Overview
03:40 14Meter With Strobe For Color Film
22:44 15Meter With Strobe For Black & White Film
26:00 1645 Degree Light Placement
09:01 1790 Degree Light Placement
15:01 18Backlight Placement
04:13 19Feathering Light
08:07 20Lighting For Groups
25:44 21Speedlights with Film
08:42 22TTL Vs Manual Mode
09:21 23Gear For Location Film Photography
03:26 24Set Up On Location
04:08 25Know Your Film Lab
16:21 26How To Find The Right Lab
14:47Lesson Info
Demo: Equipment Set Up
So that's all the equipment you need, that is it. And putting it together is pretty easy. So, let me show you how I do it. We're gonna bring it all out here. So we'll set up the Rolleiflex because it's fun. First thing you need to do is you need to make sure that you have a light on a stand (laughs). So again, we talked about how stands don't really matter as long as they are heavy enough to hold your equipment and they're safe, so I would choose a stand, in theory, and I'd get my light on it. Then I would go ahead, if I were getting ready for a session, and I would set my trigger up on my camera, I'm gonna shoot with the Rolleiflex. So I would put trigger on, and we're going to use the Profoto Air Remote. (beeping) I'm gonna test it, oh now they both are going. We'll put that one in too, why not. Okay, and now just gonna plug that in. So camera's good to go, gonna put my camera on a tripod. Not so fun fact, I was doing this the other day for our pre-shoot videos and I almost dropped m...
y little camera here, would've been very sad. So I would raise that up, but I'm not going to right now. Camera's set, trigger's on there, everything's done. It's talking to the light. And then, I would come in and I would meter. I'd get my meter all set and then I, now I know I don't have a light modifier on any of my lights, we're gonna get into that in the next segment. This is fancier than mine. How do I pull this up Lacy? Oh, never mind, here we go. But I just wanna show you everything I do to get ready before I start a session. So I get my cameras ready, I get my lights ready. I make sure they're communicating. And I test my buttons. See, this is a good idea. There we go. I'm not gonna face this this way 'cause I don't want two lights, but then I get it up and then I would meter. I work with little kids, like I said, so sometimes I'll just meter myself before my clients get there because I know that they're going to be in the same light, but then I would meter. Not gonna do that right now 'cause we're gonna learn all about that in just a second. But really, that's it. Everything's set up, everything's talking, everything's communicating. And at this point, it's just taking pictures. So there's a few things that we need to do to go in and adjust these lights to get it to be that look that we love with the natural light, and we're gonna spend the entire next segment doing that, I'm gonna show you that. But really, once you get the equipment, once you have it and you know how it communicates and works together, then it's just like working with window light, it really is, light is light. Same rules apply. So if you, again, if you can work with the sun shining through a window, you're gonna be able to work with this shining thought a softbox the same way. I do have a question. Back when we were talking about different ISOs and how all the Sure. Things work together, and this was from JennyHY who just said, since you do have so many cameras, when you're in a session, do you ever load different ISO films with a couple of different cameras so that you're not completely stuck at an ISO in a low light situation? Yeah, I do all the time. Or I'll have, and I don't really necessarily do it for ISO, that being stuck in an ISO doesn't bother me, anymore, but I'll do it for film stock. So I'll have black and white, for example, in the Rolleiflex and I'll have color in my Hasselblad, and then I can decide on how I wanna shoot, what I wanna do, so absolutely. Great. And also, I have so many cameras, and they all look a little different. You know, like the Rolleiflex is gonna produce a different looking negative than the Pentax 67, than the Hasselblad 645, so it's kind of fun to have those at the studio all ready to go because they're all gonna look a little different in the work. Great, so back when we were talking about ghosting, Bob7 said, he's from Tucson, hey Bob, Hey Bob. Said, do you get ghosting when you use flash for fill? And is it different when you're talking about fill flash than what you're showing us here? I mean, no, and like I said, I shoot with ambient light all the time, I shoot at a sixtieth of a second all the time, and those ghosting photos that I showed you that was the only time that has ever happened to me. And it's actually more rare than I make it sound when you're shooting with, like, if you are coming into a situation where you're using fill and you're using natural light, you're still gonna be fine. Really, it's only really gonna happen, the reason it happened on that day is it was an extremely bright day, and I just had so much natural light, and honestly I probably had my lights turned down too low, but most of the time, I've been in outside situations where I've taken a reading and I kind of wanna get my fill light to look a lot like my ambient light, and so I bring them to the same level, and I've never had a problem. So I just wanted to talk about it, that it could be a problem, so if you go in and something happens you know that, okay, this is normal, this is how I fix it. But, I hardly ever have issues with it, so tell him he's okay. Oh, I can tell him. (laughs) Bob, you're okay. You're okay. Okay a couple more questions are coming in. James Singson says, on triggers, do they have to be universal triggers? That's a good question. Most trigger, as far as universal for a brand? I think so. Yeah, and most triggers are. So the PocketWizards will work with any brand camera that you have. Most triggers do. The Profotos are unique in that they do have brand specific triggers, and those ones are cool for digital photographers because they can be put into TTL mode, which is kind of cool, right? You're like yeah (laughs). So if you don't wanna think about it, you just wanna set it and do it, that's great. But most triggers are universal and they'll work with whatever camera. And that, honestly, like at the beginning, I said that was one of my big fears about could I get a modern wireless trigger to work with a Rolleiflex from the 50s, and the answer is yes because they are universal. It doesn't really matter, they're just doing the job. They're looking for that shutter to fire. Cool. Yeah. And so, just as we're talking a lot about, are things the same as digital, or are they slightly different for film? Videem Becker had said, and Videem is tuning in from Israel, so welcome, and he said, so if I understand correctly, shutter speed is responsible for ambient light and aperture is responsible for strobe light, is that correct? Yes, that is correct. Great, you've got it. You've got it, well done. (laughter) That's kind of a interesting way to, it's a different way of thinking about those things.
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
a Creativelive Student
Wow! with a lot of online stuff out there one can become rather overcome with too much information, however, the way Sandra presents her courses is just perfect! Her honest and simple and easy to understand approach was just what I needed. Not once did I think she was just going through the motions, she really loves what she does and it shows. To be able to rewatch and rewatch was also a key for me. Since I have dyslexia I have to take things one half step at a. time. After completion of the class I had a new found confidence when using strobes. A must have.
Micah Hewett Images
Out of all the classes I own on Creative Live, Strobe Lighting with Sandra is my FAVORITE! She is an incredibly kind and gifted teacher. She explains everything on a simple level and then gradually build to more complex issues. I am 100% happy with this course. Thank you Sandra!!
Amy
Do you own a film camera? Then you NEED this class. I knew I *kind of* wanted to try shooting with a strobe, so I bought this class as some encouragement. But honestly, I half expected to do the class and not actually buy the strobe (because strobes are scary!). But as soon as I finished this class I IMMEDIATELY bought a strobe, umbrella modifier, a backdrop, and seamless paper (in Storm Grey because I basically want to be Sandra.) I felt so empowered to shoot with strobes and film and suddenly what had seemed terrifying now seemed doable. My very first test roll turned out great after following Sandra's easy tips. Now that we're in the winter months, I can shoot indoors with my film camera and strobe! Thank you, Sandra, for so generously sharing your knowledge with us and for being such a great teacher! And to anyone even remotely considering this class, DO IT. There's no way you'll regret it.
Student Work
Related Classes
Lighting