P15 Minimize Postproduction Steps with Lighting

• 2:30 p.m. - 3:40 p.m.

• School Photographers, Professional Photographers---------------

• Digital photography, like film, still depends on light to record images. Discover simple explanations about light power and light control for optimal shooting and minimal postproduction steps.

• Speaker: Jean-François O’Kane, The StudioCoach

Minimize Postproduction Steps with Lighting

I would rather be fixing photos

6 easy to solve mistakes

• Sync speed too slow (blur+color shift)• Modeling light too strong (color shift)• No tripod (2 to 50% sharpness)• No lens-hood (2 to 20% more saturation)• Depending on post color calibration. The file

should be compliant when shot.

Use dependable equipement• The strobist approach

– Max power 60w/s– High dependence to batteries– No modeling light– Full range of modifying accessories (Mini-Max)– Precise settings but often complicated– TTL on multiple head varies every shot depending on

clothing , skin color and ambient light (watch why not auto)

– Can cost as much or more than a studio strobe

Use dependable equipement• The studio approach

– Needs 110v– Gives more power– Wide range of accessories– Range of prices and powers– Why a 300w/s flash cost ½ of another

Use dependable equipement

Pro 300w/s flashes• Recycling time ½ power

.4 sec full power 1.1 sec• White balance ± 2% when changing

the power min to max• White balance ± .1% on consecutive

flashes• Power ±.5% on consecutive flashes• 16 dedicated reflectors• Full range of softboxes

Commercial 200-400w/s flashes• Recycling time ½ power

.7 sec full power 1.9 sec• White balance ± 4% when changing

the power min to max• White balance ± .1% on consecutive

flashes• Power ±1.5% on consecutive flashes• 16 dedicated reflectors• Full range of softboxes

Auto anything is evil

• « What P and M stand for »– P stands for Passive « I let my camera take charge… »– M stands for Master « I tell my camera what to do. »– The camera is looking for 18% grey… if it can’t control my

camera it will make it happens…

6 easy to solve mistakes

STOPSHOOTING

AUTO

My goal in life

• Shoot trusting my expensive camera– Enjoy the view– Press a button

• Come home• Happily spend 4 hours ajusting colors and

density of the kids jerseys on my new Photoshop

• And hope the parents will not put pictures side-by-side

O’Kane is a lying!

• It’s impossible….– I’ve paid $3000 for my new body!– All manufacturers say in their brochure that I will

have exact colors and tone...

We want proofs!

• Here they are. Test on Olympus E-3

So you think it’s only my camera!This test on Nikon D-3

P P

M

3TWSAKAL:QQD3ThingsWeShouldAllKnowAboutLight: Quality/Quantity/Dispersion

• Quality– The color balance of the light

• Can be read by a color-meter• By doing a custom white balance

• Quantity– The amount of light

• Incident with a light-meter• Reflected of a grey card

• Dispersion– How the light is spread

First ajust for quantity

• Grey card• Personal references • Pro target• Based on the

histogram response

Then and only then for quality

• On a grey card or on a target.

Shoot for your histogram

• The histogram is the response to a lighting situation through YOUR camera.– The histogram is unique for each photo

Shoot for your histogram

Process for the batch

• You only have 2 choices– Do the SAME mistake all along and 1 click correct

• Set M• Look in LCD• Shoot a reference card• Shoot the kids• Process on computer

Process for the batch

• You only have 2 choices– Expose and white balance at picture taking

• Set M• Read target or card• Set speed-aperture-WB• Shoot

By the way here are some of my athletes

Thank you

• www.TheStudioCoach.com– Coaching – Speaking - Consulting

• www.Jean-FrancoisOKane.com (blog)– Find this document

• www.ColorBalanceCoach.com • www.BoothPhoto.com• www.alb.co.kr