Studio Lighting Workshop - Brain Picking Exercise

[Kath]

I've been asked to pitch delivery of a workshop on studio lighting.  I think we can assume only very basic knowledge of how a camera works and definitley no experience of using studio flash (not talking speedlights on this occasion) is there anything from this rough plan that you think I've missed and/or do you think the running order makes sense?

Studio Lighting Workshop (1 hour.  90mins max)

Health and Safety - electrics/trip hazards/tipping hazards/pinching hazards (overhead lighting system)/burns/fire.

Recap properties of light
Recap Aperture/Shutterspeed/ISO

Using a light meter (ambient/incident/reflected/modes/changing iso/understanding the readings)

Flash sync speed

1 light set up

Inverse square law

2 light set up

Modifiers

Lighting ratios (1:1, 2:1, 4:1, 8:1)


Any other hints and tips gratefully received!!

Kath

[zou]

That's a lot to take in, ina short time, if folk are as 'beginner' as you suggest. But having said that I'm not into studio/flash lighting at all so I'm not best placed to judge the pitch.

[peterob]

I suppose, if it is very basic (my level), flash triggers - how they work - how flashes communicate.  Also I suppose flash vs continuous lighting now that this is available with LEDs. My son has borrowed them but  I bought a set of NEO 2 (three lights +stands in a nice peli case) some while ago as a present for my wife who was doing some copy work/ still life.  I only got as far as plugging one into its mains transformer to see if it worked and taking a couple of shots of my grandson before he got bored, then they vanished, never to be seen again.  

[beatnik69]

Maybe give out some handouts. Some of the ideas will be a lot to take in, in one sitting

[Kath]

I did wonder if I was being too ambitious with the amount of content.

Use of flash triggers - yes! I made an assumption there that it would be obvious. It wouldn't be. Thank you.

Handouts - yeah, I would always give handouts at the end. At the moment all I need to do is spend ten minutes outlining what I'd deliver and how/why but it would be worth mentioning the handouts!

[zx9]

Jun 23, 2023 14:24:16 GMT Kath said:

I did wonder if I was being too ambitious with the amount of content.

Use of flash triggers - yes! I made an assumption there that it would be obvious. It wouldn't be. Thank you.

Handouts - yeah, I would always give handouts at the end. At the moment all I need to do is spend ten minutes outlining what I'd deliver and how/why but it would be worth mentioning the handouts!

That is a lot to take in for a first session.

I would add a bit about backgrounds, distance, keeping shadows off them by using a third light or using shadows on them deliberately.

I am assuming this is for people not table top but I don't think you have said, should be made clear in the outline brief.

[Ivor E Tower]

It's a lot of ground to cover in 60 to 90 minutes, particularly for those who have no previous experience of the subject.
I think you may have to cover the basics and explain that for some of the other topics (eg 2-light set-ups and modifiers), the participants will either need to do their own research, or request that you set up a follow-on session....

Don't forget to include plenty of examples - either photos shot to demonstrate the points you are getting across, or do some live shots during the talk to explain/show what happens

[dreampolice]

I would also concur that it seems a lot to cover. I have been doing photography for a long time, but have never used a studio, and only used what ever is available for light (normal house lights and lamps and window light) if doing a table top sort of thing for the themes on here. So, even with my experience of photography your lesson plan is totally alien to me and seems daunting. If one has little experience of cameras then I think it may be a step too far.

You could always do it far more low key and just look at using available light as the problem could be that the students may be the sort to never use the stuff you are talking about, let alone enter a studio (I am of course making an assumption about them and could be way off the mark) and they could lose interest.

I thing I learnt when teaching trauma care was not to get too in depth and technical. No one ever remembers, all they want to know is how and a basic understanding of why.

[peterob]

Jun 26, 2023 10:48:27 GMT dreampolice said:

I would also concur that it seems a lot to cover. I have been doing photography for a long time, but have never used a studio, and only used what ever is available for light (normal house lights and lamps and window light) if doing a table top sort of thing for the themes on here. So, even with my experience of photography your lesson plan is totally alien to me and seems daunting. If one has little experience of cameras then I think it may be a step too far.

You could always do it far more low key and just look at using available light as the problem could be that the students may be the sort to never use the stuff you are talking about, let alone enter a studio (I am of course making an assumption about them and could be way off the mark) and they could lose interest.

I thing I learnt when teaching trauma care was not to get too in depth and technical. No one ever remembers, all they want to know is how and a basic understanding of why.

To me the description "studio" is synonymous with artificial lighting - so even were the subject not "studio lighting" I would expect the use of artificial lights and their control to be 90% of the content.

[dreampolice]

Jun 26, 2023 11:10:21 GMT peterob said:

Jun 26, 2023 10:48:27 GMT dreampolice said:

I would also concur that it seems a lot to cover. I have been doing photography for a long time, but have never used a studio, and only used what ever is available for light (normal house lights and lamps and window light) if doing a table top sort of thing for the themes on here. So, even with my experience of photography your lesson plan is totally alien to me and seems daunting. If one has little experience of cameras then I think it may be a step too far.

You could always do it far more low key and just look at using available light as the problem could be that the students may be the sort to never use the stuff you are talking about, let alone enter a studio (I am of course making an assumption about them and could be way off the mark) and they could lose interest.

I thing I learnt when teaching trauma care was not to get too in depth and technical. No one ever remembers, all they want to know is how and a basic understanding of why.

To me the description "studio" is synonymous with artificial lighting - so even were the subject not "studio lighting" I would expect the use of artificial lights and their control to be 90% of the content.

True, but I also take it as a home studio set up, whereas the subject whatever it is could be illuminated by whatever artificial light is to hand, or indeed using natural light but involving the use of blackcloths for instance which I have used either on a frame or draped over whatever I wanted to hide.

[nickr]

I never touched studio lighting - as in for portraiture, anyway - until I turned pro. I had done a fair amount of product work over the years - in sixth form, I did some insurance photos of antiques, including a lot of silver, for various people and I learned an awful lot about that side of it very early on, courtesy largely of the library, and then trial and error...

But not people. Suddenly, I had to. I had used multiple small flashguns before, which helped, and I knew the inverse square rule, but studio flash? Never touched it. And I found it's simultaneously the simplest and most complicated thing about photography. Simplest, because all I really need is even lighting, nothing special, and with digital, and a flash trigger, honestly it's dead easy - two lights, same distance from the subject at 45 degrees to it, quick check with the flashmeter and adjust until it looks right. Simple as. Play with brollies and softboxes as required. Extra light for the background if the subject is close to it. Complicated - any other lighting effect.

I've done a few lighting workshops over the last 7 years, and learned a lot in terms of getting better lighting, but all of them have required that basic knowledge.

[Kath]

Okay, I probably should give a bit of background because it might make more sense but it's a bit hush hush, so schtum, everyone! I've applied for a job as a photography technician at the art school in Glasgow. I think I have very limited chance of getting it because they want darkroom experience and I've not set foot in one in the five years since I graduated but I couldn't 'not' apply. I've to give a ten minute presentation on what I'd include in a Studio Lighting Workshop so we can assume that an actual photography studio using flash head units is definitely involved, along with use of an infinity curve/paper roll backgrounds etc and various modifiers.

I've adapted my presentation from a workshop that I used to deliver here pre-covid and I've included a section where I talk about assessing the pre-existing knowledge in the class nad having two possible routes to go down...one more basic and one a bit more complex.

I"m not even sure that I want the job. It's a much longer commute using a fairly unreliable train service, there's less holiday, I am not convinced the pension is as good and there's no possibility of doing it from home if IBS strikes me down. But...it's photography. And it's the art school. So if by some major miracle I don't eff up this interview and they decide they want me, I'll have some soul-searching to do!

[zx9]

Jun 26, 2023 18:52:23 GMT Kath said:

Okay, I probably should give a bit of background because it might make more sense but it's a bit hush hush, so schtum, everyone! I've applied for a job as a photography technician at the art school in Glasgow. I think I have very limited chance of getting it because they want darkroom experience and I've not set foot in one in the five years since I graduated but I coudn't 'not' apply. I've to give a ten minute presentation on what I'd include in a Studio Lighting Workshop so we can assume that an actual photography studio using flash head units is definitely involved, along with use of an infinity curve/paper roll backgrounds etc and various modifiers.

I've adapted my presentation from a workshop that I used to deliver here pre-covid and I've included a section where I talk about assessing the pre-existing knowledge in the class nad having two possible routes to go down...one more basic and one a bit more complex.

I"m not even sure that I want the job. It's a much longer commute using a fairly unreliable train service, there's less holiday, I am not convinced the pension is as good and there's no possibility of doing it from home if IBS strikes me down. But...it's photography. And it's the art school. So if by some major miracle I don't eff up this interview and they decide they want me, I'll have some soul-searching to do!

Good for you, I hope all goes well.

[Kath]

Jun 26, 2023 19:20:05 GMT zx9 said:

Jun 26, 2023 18:52:23 GMT Kath said:

Okay, I probably should give a bit of background because it might make more sense but it's a bit hush hush, so schtum, everyone! I've applied for a job as a photography technician at the art school in Glasgow. I think I have very limited chance of getting it because they want darkroom experience and I've not set foot in one in the five years since I graduated but I coudn't 'not' apply. I've to give a ten minute presentation on what I'd include in a Studio Lighting Workshop so we can assume that an actual photography studio using flash head units is definitely involved, along with use of an infinity curve/paper roll backgrounds etc and various modifiers.

I've adapted my presentation from a workshop that I used to deliver here pre-covid and I've included a section where I talk about assessing the pre-existing knowledge in the class nad having two possible routes to go down...one more basic and one a bit more complex.

I"m not even sure that I want the job. It's a much longer commute using a fairly unreliable train service, there's less holiday, I am not convinced the pension is as good and there's no possibility of doing it from home if IBS strikes me down. But...it's photography. And it's the art school. So if by some major miracle I don't eff up this interview and they decide they want me, I'll have some soul-searching to do!

Good for you, I hope all goes well.

Cheers!  I'll let you know.  If nothing else it's a trip to Glasgow and there's an exhibition on at Street Level that I want to see and I have book tokens burning a hole...

[Ivor E Tower]

Fingers crossed for you too. It's a long, long time since I used a darkroom...... either the one at Uni or my parents' bathroom converted by hardboard over the windows and old worktops placed over the bathtub. Somewhere in my loft is my old enlarger and all the film developing stuff, trays etc etc