[obsoquasi]

Hi guys, 

 

I am trying to wrap my head around this: I'd like to create hard shadow patterns on my subjects face. The usual way would be to move my strobe a couple of meters back and the use a snoot to direct my strobe (of the Elinchrom variety) on a gobo/cookie, which in turn will project on the subject a fairly sharp shadow pattern. The problem with this is two-fold: 1) sometimes I don't have a couple of meters to push back the strobe (e.g. when I am attempting that from the side) and 2) I can't benefit from the inverse-square-law and let the light fall off between the model and the background. Bringing the strobes closer will make the light source bigger and eventhough it's a snoot it will still create fuzzy shadow patterns. You guys have any other ideas how I could attempt this with strobes? If not, I am trying out continuous light sources: halogen lamps for example are pretty small and point-source-y...

 

cheers, 

 

John

 

http://www.obsoquasi.ch

[wchutt]

The book "Light: Science and Magic", will tell you exactly what you want to know. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to manipulate light or light any object in any circumstance.

[obsoquasi]

Hi, wchutt, thanks for the hint, I actually already have this book and checked it again if it contains a solution. It's an awesome book for lighting, but it doesn't answer my question though. Imagine the shadow pattern that conventional window blinds make on the wall in the morning hours, I am looking for that kind of distinctly sharp shadow patterns. Conventional strobe bulbs are already to large to act as a point source at close range.

[Guest]

Hi guys, 

 

I am trying to wrap my head around this: I'd like to create hard shadow patterns on my subjects face. The usual way would be to move my strobe a couple of meters back and the use a snoot to direct my strobe (of the Elinchrom variety) on a gobo/cookie, which in turn will project on the subject a fairly sharp shadow pattern. The problem with this is two-fold: 1) sometimes I don't have a couple of meters to push back the strobe (e.g. when I am attempting that from the side) and 2) I can't benefit from the inverse-square-law and let the light fall off between the model and the background. Bringing the strobes closer will make the light source bigger and eventhough it's a snoot it will still create fuzzy shadow patterns. You guys have any other ideas how I could attempt this with strobes? If not, I am trying out continuous light sources: halogen lamps for example are pretty small and point-source-y...

 

cheers, 

 

John

 

http://www.obsoquasi.ch

 

What if you put an aperture in front of your light to let only a central area through? You loose a lot of light from the strobe, but it will be more like a point source. 

A simple try would be aluminum foil where you cut a hole in it.

[obsoquasi]

What if you put an aperture in front of your light to let only a central area through? You loose a lot of light from the strobe, but it will be more like a point source. 

A simple try would be aluminum foil where you cut a hole in it.

I like that idea!! What I am going to try is to actually use the protective head for that - including a piece of foil with a aperture hole in it. I guess I just have to be careful not to overheat the unit. No modeling lights! Thanx, photonius!

[Fkid]

I'd say the only way to get sharp shadows in close distances would be

with a lens in front of the flash. Won't you have an old enlarger to

try removing the light source and put the flash?

But be careful with overheating, even if you turn off the modelling lamp, the flash bulb emits heat too when shooting.