Basic Photography Course

important tools that make your portrait lighting units
either more dependable or more versatile. They aid in
creating the exact lighting affect you want. Common
accessories are as follows: diffusers, barn doors, snoots,
and umbrellas. If accessories are not available,

compromises in the lighting can alter the effect and
quality you desire.

Diffusers.

You use diffusers when you want to

change specular light to a softer, more diffused light.
Diffusers are made of translucent or mesh materials
that, when placed in the light beam, break up or
diffuse and soften the light. The finer the mesh, the
more diffused the light. When only a small amount of
diffusion is needed, a wide mesh material, such as
gray window screen, works well. For more diffusion,
two pieces of screen can be placed together slightly
out of alignment, or a finer mesh material, such as
white cheesecloth, can be used. Floodlights initially
produce a fairly diffused light, but diffusers may also
be used with them. Diffusers can be mounted on the
light unit or placed somewhere between the light unit
and your subject.

There are many reasons for using a diffuser instead

of a light that already produces diffused light. A diffuser
may be needed when you do not have a soft light

available. A softness that is between two different light
sources may be needed, or you may want to produce a
small area of diffused light that can only come from a

spotlight with an installed diffuser.

Barn Doors.

Barn doors are made from opaque

material. They are usually made of metal, painted black,
and attached and hinged to the front of a light unit. They

can be positioned to block or feather a portion of the
light produced by the unit. Barn doors are made for both
spotlights and floodlights. They are good accessories for
controlling spill light.

Snoots.

Snoots are cylinders, open at both ends,

usually made of metal and painted black. They are used
at the front of a spotlight to limit the size of the circular
area projected by the unit. Short, wide snoots give a large
circle of light. Long, narrow snoots give a narrow circle
of light. A cardboard tube or black-rolled paper can be
used for a snoot when you need to improvise.

Umbrellas.

Umbrellas work much like the

reflectors used on floodlights and provide an excellent
means of converting specular light into soft, diffused
light. They are used with any light source. The light unit
is pointed away from the subject; the umbrella is

7-4

attached in front of the light and reflects or bounces the
light back and onto the subject. The reflected light
falling on the subject is softer and more diffused than

the light originally emitted by the source.

The reflecting surface of the umbrella determines

the quality of the light. Umbrellas are usually made with
a matte, white surface that provides a very soft,
completely diffused light. Some umbrellas are
constructed with a shiny, metalized surface. Metalized
umbrellas throw a somewhat specular light, but the light
is softer and spread over a larger area than the light
emitted by the original light source.

FILM FOR PORTRAITS

For black-and-white portraits, black-and-white

panchromatic film is generally used. With a pan film,
the appearance of any red spots, veins, or redness in the
subject's skin is apparently reduced in the final print,
because of the sensitivity of the film to red. Conversely,
an orthochromatic film can be used when the texture of
a man's skin, especially an older man, is to be

emphasized.

When you select a color film for portrait

photography, there are two important considerations:
What type of product is to be produced and what is the
color of the light source?

Another factor to consider in selecting a film for

portraiture is the ISO film speed in relation to the
intensity of the light source. A slow film can be used
successfully with a light source that has relatively
high intensity, such as an electronic flash unit. When
the same slow film is used with a light source that has
relatively low intensity, an extremely wide aperture
must be used. When a fast film is used with a
high-intensity light source, a smaller aperture is
required, increasing the depth of field which may not
be desirable for portraiture.

When you are shooting portraits, do not be stingy

with film. With a medium-format camera, you have 9 to

15 frames to work with. When you have the

commanding officer or the admiral in the studio for a
portrait, shoot at least the entire roll. Never shoot just
three or four frames. Film is cheap and you want to
provide the customer with a variety of poses and
expressions to choose from.

MAKING THE APPOINTMENT

When possible, portrait times should be made by

appointment. Using an appointment system gives you a

contents

Basic Photography Course

<- previous page

next page ->


DOFMaster for Windows On-line Depth of Field Calculator DOFMaster for Mobile Devices On-line Depth of Field Table Hyperfocal Distance Chart Articles FAQ Recommended Books Support Contact Links Home As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.	contents <- previous page next page -> important tools that make your portrait lighting units either more dependable or more versatile. They aid in creating the exact lighting affect you want. Common accessories are as follows: diffusers, barn doors, snoots, and umbrellas. If accessories are not available, compromises in the lighting can alter the effect and quality you desire. Diffusers. You use diffusers when you want to change specular light to a softer, more diffused light. Diffusers are made of translucent or mesh materials that, when placed in the light beam, break up or diffuse and soften the light. The finer the mesh, the more diffused the light. When only a small amount of diffusion is needed, a wide mesh material, such as gray window screen, works well. For more diffusion, two pieces of screen can be placed together slightly out of alignment, or a finer mesh material, such as white cheesecloth, can be used. Floodlights initially produce a fairly diffused light, but diffusers may also be used with them. Diffusers can be mounted on the light unit or placed somewhere between the light unit and your subject. There are many reasons for using a diffuser instead of a light that already produces diffused light. A diffuser may be needed when you do not have a soft light available. A softness that is between two different light sources may be needed, or you may want to produce a small area of diffused light that can only come from a spotlight with an installed diffuser. Barn Doors. Barn doors are made from opaque material. They are usually made of metal, painted black, and attached and hinged to the front of a light unit. They can be positioned to block or feather a portion of the light produced by the unit. Barn doors are made for both spotlights and floodlights. They are good accessories for controlling spill light. Snoots. Snoots are cylinders, open at both ends, usually made of metal and painted black. They are used at the front of a spotlight to limit the size of the circular area projected by the unit. Short, wide snoots give a large circle of light. Long, narrow snoots give a narrow circle of light. A cardboard tube or black-rolled paper can be used for a snoot when you need to improvise. Umbrellas. Umbrellas work much like the reflectors used on floodlights and provide an excellent means of converting specular light into soft, diffused light. They are used with any light source. The light unit is pointed away from the subject; the umbrella is 7-4 attached in front of the light and reflects or bounces the light back and onto the subject. The reflected light falling on the subject is softer and more diffused than the light originally emitted by the source. The reflecting surface of the umbrella determines the quality of the light. Umbrellas are usually made with a matte, white surface that provides a very soft, completely diffused light. Some umbrellas are constructed with a shiny, metalized surface. Metalized umbrellas throw a somewhat specular light, but the light is softer and spread over a larger area than the light emitted by the original light source. FILM FOR PORTRAITS For black-and-white portraits, black-and-white panchromatic film is generally used. With a pan film, the appearance of any red spots, veins, or redness in the subject's skin is apparently reduced in the final print, because of the sensitivity of the film to red. Conversely, an orthochromatic film can be used when the texture of a man's skin, especially an older man, is to be emphasized. When you select a color film for portrait photography, there are two important considerations: What type of product is to be produced and what is the color of the light source? Another factor to consider in selecting a film for portraiture is the ISO film speed in relation to the intensity of the light source. A slow film can be used successfully with a light source that has relatively high intensity, such as an electronic flash unit. When the same slow film is used with a light source that has relatively low intensity, an extremely wide aperture must be used. When a fast film is used with a high-intensity light source, a smaller aperture is required, increasing the depth of field which may not be desirable for portraiture. When you are shooting portraits, do not be stingy with film. With a medium-format camera, you have 9 to 15 frames to work with. When you have the commanding officer or the admiral in the studio for a portrait, shoot at least the entire roll. Never shoot just three or four frames. Film is cheap and you want to provide the customer with a variety of poses and expressions to choose from. MAKING THE APPOINTMENT When possible, portrait times should be made by appointment. Using an appointment system gives you a contents Basic Photography Course <- previous page next page ->	As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
	WWW.DOFMASTER.COM © 2006 Don Fleming. All rights reserved.