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One Light Revisited - part 2 of 1 2 3

by Dave Montizambert Published 01/08/2016

The set-up:

Model, Emma Dawn Cartlidge, stood 1.8 metres (6ft) in front of a light grey wall and was on an oblique angle to this wall. A Vivitar 285 flash was clamped to a light stand and was positioned 2.4 metres (8ft) from Emma which made it 3 metres (10ft) from the background wall. This raw light struck both Emma and the wall, see diagram D and image A in Image 2 to view the effects of this direct light on Emma and take note that the wall background is not anywhere near pure white. For this first image, the camera was set to f 11 at 1/200th at 800 ISO for a correct exposure on our subject.

To brighten the background and to soften the light quality on Emma, a Chimera white nylon translucent fabric stretched over a 1.2 x 1.8 metre (4ft x 6ft) Chimera panel frame was placed 0.6 metres (2ft) from the subject, see diagram E in Image 2. The light from the Vivitar flash now has to pass through the fabric to strike Emma, making the fabric the 'Main Source of Illumination' and not the Vivitar flash - the flash is now considered the 'Origin of the Source' (lighting-tech speak).

The white-fabric of the main-light-panel absorbs two stops of light thus dropping Emma's exposure to two stops under, see image B in Image 2. Notice how the background wall is unchanged since the panel blocks none of the light from the Vivitar from its surface.

To restore the exposure on Emma, the camera aperture is opened up from f 11 to f 5.6. This exposes her nicely while it overexposes the background wall into pure white (R: 255 G: 255 B: 255 levels), see image C in Image 2 as well as the hero image in Image 1. Perfect!

The subject shadows were filled in with a second Chimera panel placed on the opposite side. This white reflective fabric panel caught light spilling past Emma from the main-light panel and redirected onto her dark side, see diagram F in Image 2. Done!

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Contact Dave Montizambert

1st Published 01/08/2016
last update 09/12/2022 14:57:08

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