Building Peter Lindbergh's sunbounce cage...would appreciate feedback from pros!

[Taija71A]

Yes, if the 'Physical Properties of Light' were constantly changing for Photographers... We would all be in a lot of 'Deep Trouble!'
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Agreed in full Dan. I too... Learned an awful lot (Very large amount) -- From the 'early' Dean Collins Videos.
No DVD's for me however... Just plain old VHS Tapes.
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Okay Dan... 'You Win'.
Your suggestions were of course not very wise -- They were 'Pragmatic and Practical'.
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Also of course... Having a good knowledge of 'Subtractive Lighting' (Leon Kennamar) --
Can be extremely beneficial in 'Fine Tuning' your Results.

[Neal Chaves]

I took the course in photojournalism at Boston University and there it was suggested that "available light is the light you have with you". Later I traveled assisting a very successful location photographer who had found that "Most photographers fail because they don't bring enough light to the job." Here's a portrait I made with an 8X10 and sharp 360mm lens under cloudy-bright conditions with 400 speed film and 2000WS from a medium softbox high at camera left and another 2000WS from a bare head inside the garage. f45-64 at 125th. Straight scan of neg.

[Daniel Stone]

Neal,

I've met(and worked for) some photographers who simply CANNOT work WITHOUT strobes. Many have said "I wish I could, but I gave up". I guess it's a personal choice in the end. But yes, having a strobe at hand(even if not needed, but just in case) can really help if the natural sources dim

One of the best "natural light" photographers I've assisted did not WANT her pictures to look "strobey", so we used large sources and LOTS of bounced strobe heads to make things look as natural as possible. Think bright, beach conditions in the Bahamas or Hawaii, where everything is bright, but the contrast(even for color neg film, until she went fully digital) level was still too high, especially if the subjects were backlit, or during high-noon conditions. We/she primarily used strobes(if a griflon/ultrabounce or foam core bounce was not enough in itself) to fill/open up shadows, not as a primary light source(since that was usually the sun).

Pictures like this:

[Ari]

Conversely, I spent a few years assisting a Paris-based German photographer who didn't own strobes and never even rented them.
He would tell me that nothing looks as good as daylight, and I'm inclined to agree.
He used only daylight and occasionally would pull out a large black or white piece of fabric to slightly alter the contrast, or to play with reflections in glass or mirrors.
The guy is as successful as you can get without being a household name, so to each his own.

I'd bring strobes only if I hired an assistant, which is exceedingly rare these days.

[Tobias Key]

Conversely, I spent a few years assisting a Paris-based German photographer who didn't own strobes and never even rented them.
He would tell me that nothing looks as good as daylight, and I'm inclined to agree.
He used only daylight and occasionally would pull out a large black or white piece of fabric to slightly alter the contrast, or to play with reflections in glass or mirrors.
The guy is as successful as you can get without being a household name, so to each his own.

I'd bring strobes only if I hired an assistant, which is exceedingly rare these days.

I think that there are two types of 'natural light' photographer.

Type A are usually amateurs or beginning professionals who, don't feel confident using strobes and try to spin it into some kind of misguided artistic 'purity'.

Type B know how to use strobes, but know how they want their photographs to look and don't think strobes are appropriate to their style.

Being a Type B is best.

[LabRat]

I think the the keys to using this kind of lighting is it are;

#1/ To be in a medium to low key,

#2/ Not hard, but in a natural softness,

#3/ To not be able to tell it was deliberately lit, and,

#4/ The light should at least have a sense of some directionality to it (usually from above)...

When this light is slightly dimmer and slightly directional, I call it "death light" (like something used to expose some past-living thing)... There's an emotional element to it that is somber...

Steve K

[xvelids]

Hi all,

Thanks for getting back to me. The replies have been helpful in their critique. I'd also like to add a few points. I'm building the 12x12 because I need the size for the subject matter. I'm largely using subtractive lighting to shape the light, contrast and my subject. I'll have a few reflectors and might bring a beauty dish for extra pop, but am largely avoiding the silks. Furthermore, I've seen the MSE sun-bounce cage before and you are all right - it's wildly expensive.

Also just FYI - I'm not copying Peter Lindbergh, but I'm applying the practical aspects of the cage for a certain light - but in terms of creative direction and what I'm doing with the portraits are entirely different.

Thanks!

[Ari]

I just wanted to add a small coda to this, now that the OP is safely on his way.
After having given up on strobes - again - I found this on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/120824488407...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
It comes in a few different rectangular sizes, and seems practical to use as it will attach to a light stand, and be positionable.

[xvelids]

Awesome - Thanks for recommending that! I don't have many hands on deck so having a reflector that can attach to a light stand is great!

Quick question - anyone out there shoot with a Calumet 8x 10 C1 - black beast? I have a carbon fiber tripod, but part of me feels that it is a little top heavy. (haven't tested it yet!) Any recommendations for a cheap old heavy one that can support it? My friend suggested the tiltall 4602, but I haven't used that one either. I'm ok for a heavy tripod weight since I won't be moving the tripod far at all and will be doing portrait work.

[Daniel Stone]

Awesome - Thanks for recommending that! I don't have many hands on deck so having a reflector that can attach to a light stand is great!

Quick question - anyone out there shoot with a Calumet 8x 10 C1 - black beast? I have a carbon fiber tripod, but part of me feels that it is a little top heavy. (haven't tested it yet!) Any recommendations for a cheap old heavy one that can support it? My friend suggested the tiltall 4602, but I haven't used that one either. I'm ok for a heavy tripod weight since I won't be moving the tripod far at all and will be doing portrait work.

Get a BIG #5 Studex Gitzo with a No5 Studio head. Pair that with the hand crank center column, you've got a great, highly stable, heavy-enough base to work from. Especially with the C1, which ain't no lightweight!