Anyone recommend something maybe similar to the Rhino beam to improve night shots please?
In reply to Post #1
With a phone or camera? Loads of cheap led lights available, a flash is miles better with a camera tho
With a phone or camera? Loads of cheap led lights available, a flash is miles better with a camera tho
In reply to Post #2
A camera... night shots have been OK but I would like to make them better!
A camera... night shots have been OK but I would like to make them better!
In reply to Post #3
The trouble with most night shots, your blasting a flash directly to the face, which gives a really unnatural look. Getting the flash off camera and above the eye line makes a huge difference. If you think about it, pretty much every face you see is lit from above, the only time you see faces lit from below the eyeline is in tv/film/theater when it's intended to create a sense of unease. I actually prefer night shots as I can control the light without tons of power.
After that would be the cold, clinical light. I use a slight warming gel (I'm not talking about deep heat
) plus a strip of green corrective gel, this gives an overall more natural colour and balance with the ambient light.
Softening the light would be next, this leads to bulk tho, as the diffuser has to be big or its pointless. Less bulky to use 2 flashes and easier to manage in wind
If you have a broader interest in photography I'd recommend tapping strobist 101 into Google, a brilliant resource to get to grips with flash photography
The trouble with most night shots, your blasting a flash directly to the face, which gives a really unnatural look. Getting the flash off camera and above the eye line makes a huge difference. If you think about it, pretty much every face you see is lit from above, the only time you see faces lit from below the eyeline is in tv/film/theater when it's intended to create a sense of unease. I actually prefer night shots as I can control the light without tons of power.
After that would be the cold, clinical light. I use a slight warming gel (I'm not talking about deep heat
) plus a strip of green corrective gel, this gives an overall more natural colour and balance with the ambient light.Softening the light would be next, this leads to bulk tho, as the diffuser has to be big or its pointless. Less bulky to use 2 flashes and easier to manage in wind
If you have a broader interest in photography I'd recommend tapping strobist 101 into Google, a brilliant resource to get to grips with flash photography
In reply to Post #3
I use 2 trakker flood lights (nitelife) my phone on a tripod (iPhone 11 pro max takes amazing pictures) one floodlight is below the camera and one is above the camera, no shadows or nasty looking light. Seems to work a treat very time I would imagine the same goes with a camera.
I use 2 trakker flood lights (nitelife) my phone on a tripod (iPhone 11 pro max takes amazing pictures) one floodlight is below the camera and one is above the camera, no shadows or nasty looking light. Seems to work a treat very time I would imagine the same goes with a camera.
In reply to Post #5
How do you compose the shot and fire off the shutter with an iPhone? I'm thinking of using mine rather than a camera.
How do you compose the shot and fire off the shutter with an iPhone? I'm thinking of using mine rather than a camera.
Buy a Sony A7s, turn up the ISO number and you pretty much don't even need a light as it's an extremely highly sensitive low light camera. Can be picked up on the cheap from eBay now. Can practically take shots in the pitch black and turn shots into daylight viewing.
Sony low light
Sony low light
In reply to Post #6
Go into “accessibility”
Turn on voice control
have the camera on or say “Siri, take a photo” which will open the camera. I turn it on myself to frame the shot.
say “volume down” which will take the photo (obviously!)
Go into “accessibility”
Turn on voice control
have the camera on or say “Siri, take a photo” which will open the camera. I turn it on myself to frame the shot.
say “volume down” which will take the photo (obviously!)
In reply to Post #8
Wow. Thank you. I didn't know they did that!!!
Wow. Thank you. I didn't know they did that!!!
In reply to Post #9
Or try the App "photo timer +" takes loads of piccies with delays that you want and then discard the dodgy photos of fish flapping, blinking and swearing
Or try the App "photo timer +" takes loads of piccies with delays that you want and then discard the dodgy photos of fish flapping, blinking and swearing
In reply to Post #10
So it basically discards every one of my trophy shots of the last thirty years then?
So it basically discards every one of my trophy shots of the last thirty years then?
In reply to Post #6
Sorry bud only just seen this, like mentioned below set it up like that. It really does help out a lot more and makes it a lot easier
Sorry bud only just seen this, like mentioned below set it up like that. It really does help out a lot more and makes it a lot easier
In reply to Post #21
Do you take the stands or just use storm poles?
Do you take the stands or just use storm poles?
In reply to Post #21
That's a lot of kit when a couple of Bankstick adapters do the same job!
That's a lot of kit when a couple of Bankstick adapters do the same job!
In reply to Post #1
Look up ISO invariance and use a grey card for starters. Off-camera flash and a softbox will be a massive improvement if you're prepared to carry it. I use one by magmod and it really cuts out specular highlights.
Look up ISO invariance and use a grey card for starters. Off-camera flash and a softbox will be a massive improvement if you're prepared to carry it. I use one by magmod and it really cuts out specular highlights.
In reply to Post #11
No you delete them
No you delete them
In reply to Post #1
I use my RM bivvy light as a reinforcement for the camera flash, helps you see what you're doing and also helps the camera to focus, have since bought a Rhino but have yet to use it.
I use my RM bivvy light as a reinforcement for the camera flash, helps you see what you're doing and also helps the camera to focus, have since bought a Rhino but have yet to use it.
In reply to Post #26
I got a multiple led fill in lamp. Bank stick adapter tapped into tripod leg - jobs a good one , does me ok. E of the bay wasn't expensive
I got a multiple led fill in lamp. Bank stick adapter tapped into tripod leg - jobs a good one , does me ok. E of the bay wasn't expensive
In reply to Post #1
Use built in flash and rhino beam or cheaper equiv, at an angle on separate tripod. Use tripod and intervelometer to avoid moment and your sorted.
At night i use max s/s with flash which think is 1/200, iso 400 and 4.5f
Use built in flash and rhino beam or cheaper equiv, at an angle on separate tripod. Use tripod and intervelometer to avoid moment and your sorted.
At night i use max s/s with flash which think is 1/200, iso 400 and 4.5f
In reply to Post #28
Does the rhino have any impact on the shots with those settings or is it just a handy floodlight?
I've got 2 generic 96led and if I used them both set 6 feet away with those settings I'd have to bump the iso to the 3200 region or more.
Does the rhino have any impact on the shots with those settings or is it just a handy floodlight?
I've got 2 generic 96led and if I used them both set 6 feet away with those settings I'd have to bump the iso to the 3200 region or more.
In reply to Post #24
Off camera flash is the way forward 2 in 1 brollys are cheap, light and compact for transport and very versatile. Bigger softboxes can be a pain to transport and usually involve noisey velcro. Smaller decent quality ones don't make much difference imo, although I do take a lastolite easy box for convenience. Easier to cover that up with a clear bag in the rain. I tend to use 2 flashes to soften shadows, one lighting me and the fish, the other at lower output either bouncing off the floor or off the bivvy. I find the dirty light from this more natural in the shadows.
Invariance is useful to know for raw shooters, you might get a jpeg shooter cursing you for that one when they try to push a jpeg 3 stops
Off camera flash is the way forward
2 in 1 brollys are cheap, light and compact for transport and very versatile. Bigger softboxes can be a pain to transport and usually involve noisey velcro. Smaller decent quality ones don't make much difference imo, although I do take a lastolite easy box for convenience. Easier to cover that up with a clear bag in the rain. I tend to use 2 flashes to soften shadows, one lighting me and the fish, the other at lower output either bouncing off the floor or off the bivvy. I find the dirty light from this more natural in the shadows. Invariance is useful to know for raw shooters, you might get a jpeg shooter cursing you for that one when they try to push a jpeg 3 stops
In reply to Post #29
Not at all. So much better and it helps illuminate the swim so you can see what your doing without needed a head torch eg
Not at all. So much better and it helps illuminate the swim so you can see what your doing without needed a head torch eg
In reply to Post #31
I thought not, I only see the one small light source in that pic.
I use one mounted with the off camera flash so I can see how the shot will look. It doesn't fit in the softbox with the flash so I put a headtorch in there instead.
Another plus with off camera flash, you can set it further away which minimises the difference in brightness between subject and background.
I also don't have a single setting I use for night shots. If the whole scene is being lit (ie dense solid background) I would use base iso at max shutter speed, but if is an open or patchy background I'd be at 800 or 1600, shutter around 1/80 and as wide open as I dare for aperture, just to avoid the inky blackness.
The other reason for using the warming gel mentioned in an earlier post, those areas with only natural light take on a nice blue cast when you've set the white balance for the lit areas. This looks good on boring overcast days too as you can turn day into a 'blue hour' look
I thought not, I only see the one small light source in that pic.
I use one mounted with the off camera flash so I can see how the shot will look. It doesn't fit in the softbox with the flash so I put a headtorch in there instead.
Another plus with off camera flash, you can set it further away which minimises the difference in brightness between subject and background.
I also don't have a single setting I use for night shots. If the whole scene is being lit (ie dense solid background) I would use base iso at max shutter speed, but if is an open or patchy background I'd be at 800 or 1600, shutter around 1/80 and as wide open as I dare for aperture, just to avoid the inky blackness.
The other reason for using the warming gel mentioned in an earlier post, those areas with only natural light take on a nice blue cast when you've set the white balance for the lit areas. This looks good on boring overcast days too as you can turn day into a 'blue hour' look
In reply to Post #22
I use the stands at home from non-carpy camera work. I use single banksticks for carp shots (not necessarily at night).
I use the stands at home from non-carpy camera work. I use single banksticks for carp shots (not necessarily at night).
In reply to Post #32
Off-camera flash and diffusers work best when close to the subject and give off a softer light the closer they are. Aperture will control your look as well as flash power. Working with ambient light or lack of, it would be beneficial to increase ISO to a level that won't increase noise hence my comment on ISO invariance as different camera manufacturers have slightly different levels. I always use ISO 640 on my sony as it has no detrimental effect on noise levels at all. It also takes much less power from the flash and gives a more subtle look. Also, warming gels are orange cooling gels are blue if you're shooting in auto WB it will have no effect whatsoever as the camera will correct the WB. You need to be adjusting the kelvin levels manually to create the desired look i.e golden hour etc. Also to really simplify this, just get a flash unit that can shoot TTL, and edit in a programme that has total control of a RAW file like Adobe Lightroom or photoshop, job done problem solved.
Off-camera flash and diffusers work best when close to the subject and give off a softer light the closer they are. Aperture will control your look as well as flash power. Working with ambient light or lack of, it would be beneficial to increase ISO to a level that won't increase noise hence my comment on ISO invariance as different camera manufacturers have slightly different levels. I always use ISO 640 on my sony as it has no detrimental effect on noise levels at all. It also takes much less power from the flash and gives a more subtle look. Also, warming gels are orange cooling gels are blue if you're shooting in auto WB it will have no effect whatsoever as the camera will correct the WB. You need to be adjusting the kelvin levels manually to create the desired look i.e golden hour etc. Also to really simplify this, just get a flash unit that can shoot TTL, and edit in a programme that has total control of a RAW file like Adobe Lightroom or photoshop, job done problem solved.
In reply to Post #34
This is where I stop using diffusers so much, where I place my main light further away usually, I'd need huge diffusers, and a 3ft brolly is pretty compact for travel but a menace to use in wind. This is where 2 flashes come in because I can have hard shadows from the small light source, but fill the shadows with the second flash so they're not ugly.
The warming gel is orange, if I'm only lighting myself and fish with it, the naturally lit areas will be a dark blue once you've white balanced for the warm area
This is where I stop using diffusers so much, where I place my main light further away usually, I'd need huge diffusers, and a 3ft brolly is pretty compact for travel but a menace to use in wind. This is where 2 flashes come in because I can have hard shadows from the small light source, but fill the shadows with the second flash so they're not ugly.
The warming gel is orange, if I'm only lighting myself and fish with it, the naturally lit areas will be a dark blue once you've white balanced for the warm area
In reply to Post #35
Check out the MagMod MagSphere, I use them for run and gun wedding photography, they are really good at diffusing light in a small package. Can be used with gels and grids and attach to any flash by a magnetic rubber grip. Quick, simple and does what they say on the tin. I've tried several over decades of shooting weddings and find these the best out there by a mile.
Check out the MagMod MagSphere, I use them for run and gun wedding photography, they are really good at diffusing light in a small package. Can be used with gels and grids and attach to any flash by a magnetic rubber grip. Quick, simple and does what they say on the tin. I've tried several over decades of shooting weddings and find these the best out there by a mile.
In reply to Post #36
I think I have one of those, I've always seen it as an indoor modifier tbh and prefer a flash bender for when I want some directional and some bounce from the one flash.
The magmod stuff is good tho, just a bit pricey when you want to build a kit. I don't have wedding pressure tho, if my kit breaks its annoying, not a major headache
I think I have one of those, I've always seen it as an indoor modifier tbh and prefer a flash bender for when I want some directional and some bounce from the one flash.
The magmod stuff is good tho, just a bit pricey when you want to build a kit. I don't have wedding pressure tho, if my kit breaks its annoying, not a major headache
In reply to Post #21
i also use one of these lights, but slide it onto the top of the camera, has an adjustable brightness on it, and orange lens if needed.
i also use one of these lights, but slide it onto the top of the camera, has an adjustable brightness on it, and orange lens if needed.
In reply to Post #6
I use an app called "Hey camera". You basically point the phone towards you, say "Photo" and it takes a shot.
I use an app called "Hey camera". You basically point the phone towards you, say "Photo" and it takes a shot.
In reply to Post #31
Nice cameltoe!
Nice cameltoe!
In reply to Post #40
Pmsl
Good night shot though Vinny, just the tip of the head shadowed, other than that, perfect
Respect to people not sacking them for hours and hours on end. I have some proper **** night shots from over the years. I use a large Coleman lantern placed at the side of the tripod. Improved some for me but still far from happy
Pmsl
Good night shot though Vinny, just the tip of the head shadowed, other than that, perfect
Respect to people not sacking them for hours and hours on end. I have some proper **** night shots from over the years. I use a large Coleman lantern placed at the side of the tripod. Improved some for me but still far from happy
In reply to Post #6
I use an app called "Hey camera". You basically point the phone towards you, say "Photo" and it takes a shot.
I use an app called "Hey camera". You basically point the phone towards you, say "Photo" and it takes a shot.
In reply to Post #40
In reply to Post #41
Cheers mate, usually have it angled more to avoid that, but I personally think it's a cheap way of getting decent shots
Cheers mate, usually have it angled more to avoid that, but I personally think it's a cheap way of getting decent shots
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