Practical tips - Applied knowledge
PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY USING SIMPLE MEANS
by Cyrill HarnischmacherEveryone these days wants their products to be presented in the best possible light. Whether it is for an Internet auction or a product catalogue, the photographs have to be coherent, all key product details must be clearly visible and everything has to look "professional". Photos where it is obvious that they were taken using a "snapshot camera" are going to be perceived as "cheap". The viewer subconsciously transposes this cheap impression onto the product. Normally studio flash equipment is used for such product photos. But it is also possible, using relatively simple means, to create good product pictures without investing a whole lot of money.
The studio configuration
A desk, an improvised seamless backdrop using a large sheet of paper, two system flash units with a flash2softbox adapter and softboxes. The first system flash unit is triggered by the camera via synchronous cable, the second flash via a servo adapter.Configuration 1
Configuration 2
Configuration 3
Configuration 4
Configuration 5
Detail shots
Two softboxes were also used on all detail shots.
Practical Case Study by Martin Krolop
WWW.KROLOP-GERST.COM/BLOG/?p=295
Hello dear photo enthusiasts,
my name is Martin Krolop of Krolop-Gerst Fotografie [Krolop-Gerst Photography]. We have taken some time to come up with a little piece on some great photo gear. Today we want to take a closer look at the flash2softbox system.
We encountered this gear several months ago and we were immediately excited about it. Normally we carry three or four Elinchrom Rangers with us when we are traveling "on location". That includes a 4400WS flash unit, but it means 50 kg net weight without the entire selection of light modifiers. If you compare this to the flash2softbox, the advantages are obvious. Our entire gear, including 3 flash heads, only weighed around five or six kilograms. In the meantime, we wouldn't want to do without those little L-brackets and softboxes. But enough said. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty.
On the following pages, we'll show you a few blocks of photos. Along with all the "making-of" details, so that all readers and viewers can get a true feel for each setting, along with one or two results.
Below we see examples of truly mobile flash photography. One possibility of using the system consists of placing an emphasis on extreme mobility. To us, in clear terms, it means we are only holding one softbox, including the flash unit, in our hand or attaching both to a very small tripod. Even fully-assembled, the softbox can then be attached to a backpack.
As we can see above, another tremendous advantage is the possibility of using an automatic flash exposure sensor (for Canon ETTL). This means we never have to manually adjust the flash settings, the camera does this automatically.
A BRIEF PRIMER IN PHOTOGRAPHY:
Perhaps there are photographers out there who might be interested in our methodology on how to work effectively with a flash. It's not as difficult as many believe and at many workshops we encounter pure amazement at just how simple it is.- 1. We take a few trial shots in order to find a well-lit background. The background can, for instance, be a tad underexposed in order to bring out shapes in the sky.
- 2. Then we store those settings using the M mode of the camera.
- 3. Now all we have to do is turn on the flash. The easiest way to transmit the signal is via a TTL cable. This extends the flash mount on the camera 1-to-1 to the flash unit.
- 4. In 95 % of all cases, this is sufficient to take a perfect photo. If there is a lot of black in the picture, or a lot of white, however, then you have to correct this slightly by adjusting the flash. Thus you have to tell the flash that it shouldn't overexpose black and vice-versa with white. You can do this directly on the flash via the EV flash correction in 1/3 exposure steps.
The advantage of using the TTL automatic program also includes the use of high-speed synchronization for the flash. This enables you to reach exposure times beyond 1/200s without having to use flash. HS flash is a huge topic heavily shrouded in mystique, so we'll have to leave it at that for now. Anyone is free to call us and ask us questions or send an e-mail. Many of the photos with great softness despite extreme brightness were only produced with the aid of the HS function. The best examples are the photos below this paragraph. Despite direct sunlight and a clear-blue sky, it was possible to work with great softness.
Now that we have talked above about ways to use the system as an "EXTREME MOBILE FLASH SYSTEM", we can now turn to the second way we use it. This method involves a complete studio system with light modifiers from soft to hear and this with several flash units on tripods.
In a nutshell: If we still cannot or do not want to haul along our large generators but we still require a complete lighting system, then we take the flash2softbox system. This entails adjusting the flash settings manually and triggering them with wireless triggers. This option only exists, of course, if the distance between the model and the flash remains constant and thus the illumination isn't altered. But the system allows you to achieve excellent illumination and special settings.
Here we would also like to show you a special treat. These are not BEFORE and AFTER photos but rather WITHOUT and WITH shots. But we clearly recognize that by using flash, the background can be slightly underexposed and thus does not burn out, yet at the same time the model is optically accentuated through the use of flash. Without flash, the photo would have to be more brightly exposed, and the sky and snow would burn out.
That brings us to the end of our discussion. If anyone would like more information, they should simply surf our blog. It contains many tips and tricks on the topic of photography. Videos, light setups or light adjustment tips.
We'll gladly vouch for the flash2softbox system. Indeed, we heartily recommend it. Of course it doesn't replace the mobile generator of a professional photographer. But then again it doesn't have to. It's not a question of competing with but rather finding ways to enhance other gear, and we would maintain that in many areas our generators cannot do what the flash2softbox system can do and vice-versa.
The photos further down below were also made using the flash2softbox system. Ultimately we can also demonstrate that the system can even hold its own in the professional segment. Even professional photographers must often limit their baggage and weight, without forgoing the ability to manually control lighting.
MORE INFO AND MANY DETAILS ON LIGHT SETTINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHY AT… WWW.KROLOP-GERST.COM/BLOG/?p=295
