Am I correct? The 'Polaroid'

[Reschsmooth]

Thanks to those who helped with my calculations the other day.

I have bought some Tri-X (320) but couldn't buy any instant film to go in the 4x5 back. I therefore used the D200 as a 'Polaroid'.

I was going to shoot the F at an effective ISO of 16 at f/5.6 at 1/60th (with yellow filter).

I set the D200 at ISO 250 (4 stops) at f/22 (4 stops), converted the image to B&W with a Tri-X filter using a yellow filter.

This is the result. My first attempts resulted in a background that matched the tones of the bud too much. So I killed ambient light and let the strobes do the work.

C&C appreciated, primarily on exposure and light positioning. Note, the film image will have much less DOF as it will be at 5.6.



As far as repositioning the lights, I don't have a lot of room to play with. This is an image of my set up and I am seriously cramped. The ceiling is not much higher than top of frame. There is crap everywhere.



Don't be put off by the tilt in the camera - it comes out straight (at least in the viewfinder).

[biggerry]

I will be interested to see the film version, lighting POV, its nice and seems accentuated nicely for a lowish key image.

[biggerry]

oh, and i would like to say no probs with helping out, but, really i was useless, nonetheless, thank you for the insights you have given me into film.

[Remorhaz]

Patrick - my concern would be if the DoF will be as shallow as you anticipate you might not get much of the flower in focus - even here at f/22 it looks like it drops off.

[Reschsmooth]

Thanks guys.

I will look at reducing aperture by a stop or two, where I can, and increasing light correspondingly.

[aim54x]

Wow that camera does look very precariously perched on top of that 222RC.

I am eagarly awaiting more images from this camera...this is a very nice start

[Reschsmooth]

Wow that camera does look very precariously perched on top of that 222RC.

I am eagarly awaiting more images from this camera...this is a very nice start

Cameron, that image is from the D200 to illustrate what I expected the image from the neg would look like. However, having developed the meg last nit, I think I need to add at least 1 stop of light.

[aim54x]

Wow that camera does look very precariously perched on top of that 222RC.

I am eagarly awaiting more images from this camera...this is a very nice start

Cameron, that image is from the D200 to illustrate what I expected the image from the neg would look like. However, having developed the meg last nit, I think I need to add at least 1 stop of light.

Whoops, I misread that

[surenj]

Patrick,

I reckon this cross light is not that awe inspiring and slightly un-natural. How about having a go with a hollywood style light for this flower? Or perhaps a three point portrait type of setup to give it more edge.

Since there is one thing in the frame, I feel that it needs to be epic.

Could you explain to us n00bs why you chose the hard and soft combo for this still life?

Just a few thoughts as you can polaroid all you want.

[Reschsmooth]

Patrick,

I reckon this cross light is not that awe inspiring and slightly un-natural. How about having a go with a hollywood style light for this flower? Or perhaps a three point portrait type of setup to give it more edge.

Since there is one thing in the frame, I feel that it needs to be epic.

Could you explain to us n00bs why you chose the hard and soft combo for this still life?

Just a few thoughts as you can polaroid all you want.

Good points, Suren

Firstly, what do you mean by hollywood style light?

A poor tradesman blames his tools, blah blah blah, but I am seriously constrained by lack of height, lack of space, and generally lack of light modifiers (limited to brollies, soft boxes and the home made strip light for the SB800.

What I can do is swap the large softbox for a much smaller one. I am aiming for a low key look, almost film noir. I may actually see if I can make a home made snoot for one of the strobes to change the shape of the light, rather than soft/hard lighting as per the current set up.

Thanks for the thoughts and I am going to shoot more tonight (and will develop straight away). I will then take D200-scans tomorrow night for show-n-tell.

[Reschsmooth]

Rigthteo, the 4x5s have been shot, developed and crudely scanned.

Here are two results (all I have done is a crop and making the edge black with a bit of contrast increase).

C&C appreciated. The apparent specks to the left on the first are water drops. The second image doesn't have this.



This image is the correct orientation. There is the strip light to camera left and the snoot on strobe at camera right, aimed at the top of the bud.