HonlPhoto Speed Grids: Controlling Contrast
While hanging out with the Western Kentucky photojournalism students this weekend, I got a chance to play around with David Honl's new speed grids for a bit. Long story short, I like his better than my DIY versions -- for several reasons.
I have been spending a lot of time lately reverse engineering the light of a few photographers whose work I really admire. What I am seeing is that it is not the light that calls attention to itself so much as the light's ability to draw you into an image in a specific way. I love the idea of subtly -- or not so subtly -- highlighting a portion of an image to draw the eye in.
In the past, I would go on the assumption of the quality of the fill light somehow being less important than the quality of the main light. I'd pay less attention to the feel of the fill light, as it was just there to keep the main light from leaving the wrong kind of shadows.
But recently, I have been paying more attention to my fill light -- even creating it first -- and then laying main light down on top of that. For those of you who do not use a flash meter (as I don't) this can be a very helpful approach to creating exactly the lighting ratios you want.
Take this portrait of (WKU PJ student) Emily, for example. In the photo at left, I sat her in front of a metal case in the WKU photo studio and shot her with a shoot-thru umbrella straight on.
I did this purposefully, to create a specular highlight that I would then have to control. Basically, I wanted to give myself some excessive contrast to then knock down.
Looks fine, except for the line going right through her head. But this wasn't going to be my final photo -- or even my main light. I wanted the straight-on umbrella to be my fill light. But I created my fill with the same level of attention as my main would get.
Then I dropped my flash's power level down two stops. Now I have a darkish photo, lit only by my fill light. But the fill light has the same attention given to it as a main light, and I know that it is filling exactly two stops down.
Now, I bring a second SB-800 at camera left, with a warming gel, and fire it through one of Honl's grids. I used the 1/8 grid, which throws a tighter beam than the 1/4.
As I bring the gridded light up on her face and choose my power setting to get the best exposure, my grid becomes my main light and my umbrella becomes my fill. And the fill is exactly the quality and the quantity that I want.
As far as the grid itself, I really liked the smooth falloff at the edges of the beam much better than my DIY versions. The light was more uniform and the pattern was a little looser, too.
Not to poo-poo my DIY grids, because they have served me well. But the store-bought grids are also smaller (cubic inches are always at a premium in my case) and had a very rugged build. You could probably run over them with a car and they'd be fine.
But back to the light, this is something I will definitely be experimenting with over the next few weeks. I am putting together a portrait series as a long-term project. And I think that hard light, coupled with the right kind of fill, will be a good fit.
These production sample grid spots are going to get a lot of use over the next few months. (So, sorry, Dave. These are not coming back.)
_______
Related links:
Gear used: Nikon D300 | Tamron 17-50/2.8 | Nikon SB-800 | Honl Speed Grid
First Look: Honl Speed Grids
DIY Grid How-To's: Cardboard | Straws | Coroplast
WKU Photojournalism Program
I have been spending a lot of time lately reverse engineering the light of a few photographers whose work I really admire. What I am seeing is that it is not the light that calls attention to itself so much as the light's ability to draw you into an image in a specific way. I love the idea of subtly -- or not so subtly -- highlighting a portion of an image to draw the eye in.
In the past, I would go on the assumption of the quality of the fill light somehow being less important than the quality of the main light. I'd pay less attention to the feel of the fill light, as it was just there to keep the main light from leaving the wrong kind of shadows.
But recently, I have been paying more attention to my fill light -- even creating it first -- and then laying main light down on top of that. For those of you who do not use a flash meter (as I don't) this can be a very helpful approach to creating exactly the lighting ratios you want.
Take this portrait of (WKU PJ student) Emily, for example. In the photo at left, I sat her in front of a metal case in the WKU photo studio and shot her with a shoot-thru umbrella straight on. I did this purposefully, to create a specular highlight that I would then have to control. Basically, I wanted to give myself some excessive contrast to then knock down.
Looks fine, except for the line going right through her head. But this wasn't going to be my final photo -- or even my main light. I wanted the straight-on umbrella to be my fill light. But I created my fill with the same level of attention as my main would get.
Then I dropped my flash's power level down two stops. Now I have a darkish photo, lit only by my fill light. But the fill light has the same attention given to it as a main light, and I know that it is filling exactly two stops down.
Now, I bring a second SB-800 at camera left, with a warming gel, and fire it through one of Honl's grids. I used the 1/8 grid, which throws a tighter beam than the 1/4. As I bring the gridded light up on her face and choose my power setting to get the best exposure, my grid becomes my main light and my umbrella becomes my fill. And the fill is exactly the quality and the quantity that I want.
As far as the grid itself, I really liked the smooth falloff at the edges of the beam much better than my DIY versions. The light was more uniform and the pattern was a little looser, too.
Not to poo-poo my DIY grids, because they have served me well. But the store-bought grids are also smaller (cubic inches are always at a premium in my case) and had a very rugged build. You could probably run over them with a car and they'd be fine.
But back to the light, this is something I will definitely be experimenting with over the next few weeks. I am putting together a portrait series as a long-term project. And I think that hard light, coupled with the right kind of fill, will be a good fit.
These production sample grid spots are going to get a lot of use over the next few months. (So, sorry, Dave. These are not coming back.)
_______
Related links:
Gear used: Nikon D300 | Tamron 17-50/2.8 | Nikon SB-800 | Honl Speed Grid
First Look: Honl Speed Grids
DIY Grid How-To's: Cardboard | Straws | Coroplast
WKU Photojournalism Program
Strobist Lighting Seminar DVDs Are Back In Stock
Browse: Reader Photos | Strobist Gear on Amazon
Feed your brain: Great Lighting Books
by David, at 12:45 AM.
18 Comments:
Another great post. I like how you seem to just throw it out there like this technique you've started using recently is, you know, just something to think about.
I think this post will likely have a very large effect on the way I think about lighting. I hope there will be posts coming that will dive into this technique in even greater depth.
--Zeke
nicephotomag.com
.
This is a nit-picky comment, but is it really necessary to put "after the jump" in nearly every article? To my eye, it damages the flow and readability of your otherwise excellent articles.
David,
How are you able to gel the Honl grid? Gel on then grid on? Would be more helpful to have grid then gel, but this looks like one sided velcro which then uses up the part of the speedtrap that you need for your standard gel?
Interesting post as always.
Cheers
Duncan
Very interesting, thanks!
And of course you took the gorgeous girl as a model. Thanks again ;)
I'm amazed at how much the Honl grid coupled with umbrella fill knocks down the harshness of the SB-800's light. Would love to see the same pose, same model with Honl-equipped SB-800 only just for comparison.
might take a while to get used to the reflections in her eyes; the soft light from umbrella's fine, but the hot pinpoint is somehow off-putting
I've been looking at the Honl equipment for the past few days and really liking what I see; thanks for letting us know how the grids work!
Is that all of the pictures? And is the a link or pic of the grid?
To Nash in Dubai-
Got your comment, but you did not leave a way to contact you. You are in the right class, so no worries there. You can see the Lighting 101 series in one pdf here, or you can also read it sequentially on the site, by clicking on Lighting 101 on the upper right.
See you there!
David H
This travel bug has hit me to.
I am going to a photcruise starting Tuesday.
http://kblawson.wordpress.com/
All are invited to go via photos and my new blog. My first post is “throw momma off the boat”. Yea, that right, my 90 year old mom and me are going to panama canal for 10 days. As she refers to me; her 732 month old son, “kennyboy”.
Why Panama canal? You gotta know my mom. So I hope to post from the ship as often as possible
Got all my strobes packed, and ready for the light to shine of me and mom
Mosquitoes and all
Ken
Interesting, this is exactly the same lighting as from a large beauty dish.
I think that I get grids and I think that I get snoots - they booth seem to do similar things (limit the light to one direction in a tight area). Are grids a harder light than snoots? WOuld love to understand more about these two similar but different modifiers.
I currently own the Honl straps, flags, and snoots and love all of them!
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
How does the 1/8 grid offer a tighter beam than the 1/4 grid--that seems counter-intuitive.
JAG-
Thanks for the info, but FYI, the person you are linking to actually stole two of my photos to use as advertising on his commercial site.
I didn't come after him - just made him remove them ASAP. But neither am I inclined to publicize him on the site.
Thanks for understanding,
David Hobby
It's very easy to make lighting really complex.
Separating out the parts and working with each individually really simplifies it. Think of it as layer on light in different areas.
Good post today.
I was about to mention what anonymous above said: 1/8th should throw a wider beam than 1/4th, but who's countin? :D
1/8 and 1/4 refers to the width of the honey comb cells. To me it makes sense that a thighter grid with smaller cells (1/8) would produce a thighter beam, but I guess I just have to order both and test for my self ;-)
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