Strobing cactus in the field
To a so called traditional purist the thought of introducing artificial light into a photograph, especially into a landscape, might be viewed as appalling. For as long as I have been involved with photography, I have spent countless hours debating what is the true definition of art and photography and where to draw the line when it comes to capturing and manipulating an image. The problem is, everyone seems to have a different idea as to what that definition should be and where to draw the line. In fact, for most of us the line we have drawn changes over time and will continue to do so in the future.
No matter where you have defined your position regarding what constitutes a pure photograph, there will always be someone who will fall on either side of that definition and in the natural course of things, the criticism will follow. Even Ansel Adams scoffed at the notion that he was a “traditional purist”. During his time, he was the master of manipulation and innovation, always looking to better fulfill his artistic vision, to which I believe he never compromised.
Before digital capture there was gelatin-based films, and before gelatin-based films, there were glass plates. Which capture process represents a true or pure photograph? The process that came first? Just look at the changes we have seen in the printing side of things over the years. Do you really think a photograph increases its intrinsic artistic value and artistic expression if it is printed using for example, the platinum palladium process over a digital printing process? There are a group of photographers and print collectors that have a vested interest in making you believe that is the case.
Anytime there is change in the process of creating or the capturing process of photography, those who resist that change the most, typically become the most out spoken critics against moving forward. For many, change and the introduction of a new process or technology becomes a threat to the established status quo. Again, art and the means of creative expression is not limited to one process over another or by the inability by some to accept the progress of change. Without change, art would be stifled and confined to the box of tradition and preconceived ideas.
It was in the mid 80’s that I first began shooting portraits in the field using portable strobes with a soft box bank. At the time it seemed like you could count on one hand the number of photographers doing this on location. It was an exciting time of exploration, and that approach became very much a part of my signature look for some 20 years.
Using strobe lighting in the field allows me to illuminate the subject in the foreground while at the same time keeping the background exposure value down. It doesn’t take a PHD to figure out how to do this, especially now with digital capture. In the old days I used Polaroid to test my composition, exposure and lighting. Today, with digital capture the ability in proofing is instantaneous and the learning cure is increased a hundredth fold.
About two years ago I began photographing a series of images on desert cactus. As I began thinking how I would approach this, it was only natural for me to introduce artificial strobe lighting into the foreground. At first I tried using a large soft box but the amount of light needed to overpower the sun was too much. Instead, I just used a strobe light with a standard reflector. You can view a number of those images on my web site or under the ‘Print’ category on this site.
To overpower the sunlight in its full intensity, your strobe output has to be at least one stop brighter than the Sunny 16 rule. The Sunny 16 rule is a quick and accurate way of achieving a perfect exposure in full sunlight by setting your camera at f/16 and setting your shutter speed to match your camera or film’s ISO. For example, if you were shooting at ISO 100, you would set your shutter speed to 100th, (or the closest equivalent, say 125th) and if you were in full sunlight you would then set your aperture at f/16. Of course, during the early morning and late afternoon hours this will not be applicable, but for starters, you at least need to understand how this works in full sunlight.
Due to the fact that most SLR digital cameras have focal plane shutters, their flash sync speed will fall between 180th and 250th. My current Canon’s sync speed is 250th. This is the fastest shutter speed I can use when I am syncing a strobe in the field. Once you reach your max sync on your shutter speed, the only other variable you have to adjust, is your strobe output. In some cases my strobe light needed to be positioned 15 to 20 feet from a cactus. To achieve f/16 to f/22 light on cactus this far away, the power output needed must have a guide number of 280 to 440. Most top end on-camera flashes have a guide number of 160-180. I have rigged up a system to piggy back two Nikon SB28’s that can achieve a 300 plus guide number that works great in the field. However, for most of the desert images I have shot, I have used a White-lighting 1600 and a Vagabond battery pack. This kit is a bit heavy, but it gives me more power than I will ever need.
On overcast days or if you are shooting during the early morning or late light, you can get away with using a much lower shutter speed or much less strobe output. I normally will have both of my systems in the car with me, and if it is overcast and I know I have a ways to walk, I will use the two Nikon SB28’s set up.
This saguaro was on a hillside and completely in the shade. I illuminated it using one single strobe f/16 at 250th. Captured digitally with a Canon 1ds using 5 images stitched in PTGui creating a 200 Meg file.
Diagram 1, One Light Setup in the field. I normally use Pocket Wizards radio slaves to trigger the strobe light.
To achieve one stop brighter value on your foreground subject do the following.
Set you camera ISO to 100. If the sun output follows the ‘Sunny 16 rule’, set your f/stop to f/16 and have your strobe output set at f/16 power and your shutter speed can then be set to 250th, one stop darker that what 125th would achieve.
If you can get your strobe output to f/22, then you shutter can to be set at 125th. But this will take a lot of power to produce.
If you have a camera that has a leaf shutter, the sync can be set at 500th, and you can then get away with your strobe output at f/11.
The Canon G10 has a leaf shutter that can be set to 4000th. This will allow you to set you f/stop to f/4! This means that you can get away with using a very small portable strobe to achieve the same effect.
“Photography, as we all know, is not real at all. It is an illusion of reality with which we create our own private world”. Arnold Newman
CLASSIC QUOTE
IMPORTANT TIP!
Anytime there is change in the process of creating or the capturing process of photography, those who resist that change the most, typically become the most out spoken critics against moving forward. For many, change and the introduction of a new process or technology becomes a threat to the established status quo. Again, art and the means of creative expression is not limited to one process over another or by the inability by some to accept the progress of change. Without change, art would be stifled and confined to the box of tradition and preconceived ideas.
Accepting Change
