advice on setting up a shot

[bomzi]

I'm working on a personal project photographing guys that work in convenience stores in NYC. I had initially done this using my 35mm digital but want to reshoot using my newly acquired Sinar f2 (woohoo!). Its important that everything in the shot be in focus so I think I need to use a flash to increase my DOF. Any thoughts on how to set this up? I've attached an older image as reference. I'm going to use a 90mm lens to capture the space around the subject as these stores tend to be very small and I have a canon 430ex flash that probably needs a softbox on it... not sure.

I appreciate any advice.

thanks!
Randhir

[Peter De Smidt]

I don't think that you'll have enough light with that flash. You'll need at least F22.

[Jody_S]

My Metz 60CT4 (combo bounce & fill in one unit) would do it at f22 or possibly f32 on manual, with a fast film, but even then I don't know if you'll get enough DOF with a 90. You could go with a 65 SA, zone-focus before you go inside?

[chassis]

I'm thinking like Jody, a 65 or even 58 SA would be good. I have done some indoor portraits with a 58 and like the results.

[bomzi]

Thanks for the responses!
Forgive my ignorance. Whats a 65 SA?

[cdholden]

Super Angulon

[John NYC]

I just bought a 1,300 watt second monolight to use with my 8x10. I think that is the kind of firepower you need to get even illumination in the shot as you framed it and use a reasonable f-stop. Your Canon Speedlight will not cut it for this shot you showed, imho.

Go to a website (or get an iPhone app) to calculate the DOF for the lens/film size. I don't think you are going to be anywhere near to everything being in focus with that small of an area. That front counter is maybe three feet away from your camera? If you focus there at 3 feet, at f/22 with a 90mm lens on 4x5, you will only have from 2.44-3.99 ft in "acceptable" focus -- a total of 1.46 feet. If you go up to f/45 (where you will definitely be seeing diffraction) you can have 3.51 feet of DOF.

Using a 65mm lens with the same parameters, you would have 31.7 feet of DOF. But remember, you will now have some pretty serious wide angle distortion going on and the pictures might look weird.

[Jay DeFehr]

Hi Randhir,

As others have suggested, moving to LF will leave its mark on your images, for better or for worse. If you have time to go in, set up some/several lights, check exposure in various positions, and make the necessary adjustments/ introduce the required light modifiers, match the perspective of your digital shots with the corresponding LF lens, and use camera movements to place the plane of focus, I'm sure you can get results that look essentially similar to your example, but in the process you will change the dynamic to such a great extent that the character of the images isn't likely to be very similar to your example.

On the other hand, if you want to walk in with a Crown Graphic and a mounted flash powerful enough to allow you to zone focus and compose via the wire finder, ala Weegee, you might retain some of the candid character of your example, though the overall look is likely to be very different.

In short, formats are not interchangeable except under controlled conditions, and not always. That being said, I think a project centered on going around at night shooting convenience store clerks should maintain some tension. Good luck!

[Brian C. Miller]

I'm working on a personal project photographing guys that work in convenience stores in NYC. ... I'm going to use a 90mm lens to capture the space around the subject as these stores tend to be very small and I have a canon 430ex flash that probably needs a softbox on it... not sure.

DOF Master
For a 90mm lens, f/22, 7ft to subject:

Subject distance 7 ft
Depth of field
Near limit 4.46 ft
Far limit 16.3 ft
Total 11.9 ft
In front of subject 2.5 ft (21%)
Behind subject 9.3 ft (79%)
Hyperfocal distance 12 ft
Circle of confusion 0.1 mm

I think that a 90mm would be a tight squeeze. Try it out in order to know for sure. I have a 75mm, and it would do nicely in there. You can pick up a 75mm for $300 to $700, depending on make and condition.

I agree with the others, your little flash wouldn't do very well. Look for a larger flash that you can use bare-bulb, or bounce it off the ceiling. Used flashes can be bought for a reasonable price.

[Frank Petronio]

A nice way to work is to have an assistant holding a flash head on a pole or collapsed light stand up and off from the camera, classic position. A small umbrella or large beauty dish. Like a 600w Monoblock or a Dynalite head and pack or something 500-1000 watts.

Portra 400 in Grafmatic. Crown or Technika with rangefinder set up for 90mm. If you can't use a rangefinder, pre focus and use a string measured to suit the correct distance. Remember 1/3 in front - 2/3 behind rule for depth of field.

65-75mm is for wimps, you'll just get clutter.

Go at a slow time, get in and pitch your idea, smile, give them a postcard of your work, get their name, bring in assistant from outside, have a $$$ battery professional strobe or already have an extension cord with the ground plug removed ready to hand to the clerk to plug in. Beg them to plug it in. $5 bills help.

Hit it with the flash meter, hang the shutter at 1/15th, tell XnameX to hold the heck still since they're so stoic anyways - and get 2-4 shots in two minutes and out.

Don't be black or you might get a shotgun in return.