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01/25/2009 08:52:41 AM · #1 |
I checked the forum to see if this topic has been discussed and found nothing.
Lighting Equipment listed for the photograph info.
I'm proposing that the site lists strobe and continuous lighting equipment to be added to profiles.
And possibly taking it a step further to add technique.
i.e.- bounce, fill, painting, ambient, etc...
I figured it would help with the site galleries and browsing so users can see what
photographers are doing with their light sources and help others see potential and
inspiration. Thanks. |
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01/25/2009 09:35:17 AM · #2 |
To add to this idea, and a good one by the way, why not offer members only the chance to upload next to their image the lighting setup/diagram/plot so that others way learn how that image was lit.
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01/25/2009 09:38:07 AM · #3 |
While I agree that having lighting info would be very helpful, I doubt you'll see it happen. Too few people can be bothered to enter their camera settings as it is - I can't imagine most people taking the time to fill out yet more fields.
I've taken to simply listing my lighting gear in my profile, and when I post an image where I used it, I generally describe how in the "Photographer's Comments" box. I should probably create a folder in my portfolio for setup shots and the little Photoshop lighting diagrams and start posting those as well, and inserting them into my comments as thumbs.
I wish that the drive to learn/share knowledge would pick up around here, but sadly I think it comes down to people being lazy or rushed - they figure a photo is enough and don't bother to tell anyone about how they made it.
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01/25/2009 09:43:40 AM · #4 |
Im guilty of not posting how I do shots to. I think sometimes because I feel I am preaching to the choir. But I dont have any great lighting set ups and am looking into buying some. So I would like to see the set ups to.
There are so many types. Strobes and flashes and continuous. Then softboxes and umbrellas and all this technical equipment to make the flashes work. Hahah. My mind is taxed. I think I am just going to go with continuous and a mix of soft boxes and umbrellas. I read that soft boxes control the light more then the umbrellas do but I like continuous lighting so I can just move them around rather then worry about all kinds of equipment prices for flashes to work. But I think this is a good idea to for the site. I really like the "Learn" area and like to read those. It would be nice to see the set ups there to.
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01/25/2009 09:58:20 AM · #5 |
I don't see it as being lazy by not posting a lot of information. I use to post all the details of my shots, but either few were interested in the details or the lighting, lens, appature, shutter speed, ISO, etc., that worked for me, wouldn't necessarily work for anyone else. There is a lot more to photography than knowing how to set your camera and where to place your lights... there is a lot more that needs to be understood or known than just the list of equipment and settings and showing a 2D image of the lighting set up.
If people ask, I'm more than happy to share the info, but if you want to talk about lazy... too many times it's the person that is trying to copy the way an image looks that is too lazy to figure it out and do the work. They want it handed to them. And too many times, even if it is handed to them, they never say thanks or they blotch it up anyway.
Sometimes, the image by itself is enough... sometimes a book of instructions behind it won't help at all.
Mike
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01/25/2009 10:11:27 AM · #6 |
Originally posted by MikeJ:
I don't see it as being lazy by not posting a lot of information. I use to post all the details of my shots, but either few were interested in the details or the lighting, lens, appature, shutter speed, ISO, etc., that worked for me, wouldn't necessarily work for anyone else. There is a lot more to photography than knowing how to set your camera and where to place your lights... there is a lot more that needs to be understood or known than just the list of equipment and settings and showing a 2D image of the lighting set up.
If people ask, I'm more than happy to share the info, but if you want to talk about lazy... too many times it's the person that is trying to copy the way an image looks that is too lazy to figure it out and do the work. They want it handed to them. And too many times, even if it is handed to them, they never say thanks or they blotch it up anyway.
Sometimes, the image by itself is enough... sometimes a book of instructions behind it won't help at all.
Mike |
I agree entirely with your final statement, regarding an image my itself vs. a book of instructions.
However, I have to respond to your second paragraph; there's nothing wrong with someone wanting to copy an image in order to learn from it. How else are we supposed to learn? Yeah, you can play with setups for a week until you get lucky and get it right, but having a model to work from can make everything "click" that much faster. "They want it handed to them." Yes and no. Some people are truly lazy and do want everything laid out for them - but I tend to think that most people here who are actually interested in this kind of information do NOT want that. They want the model to work from, something that gives them a place to start. From there they can start to get results and then tune the setup to their own tastes.
I'll be the first to admit that when it comes to posting the details of my shots, I'm lazy. It's a pain in the butt to have to go back into Bridge and call up the EXIF and find what my settings were ('cause I hardly ever remember). Entering data into all the fields for multiple photos takes a lot of time that I'd rather spend in other ways. But if I don't bother to put the data there, then I feel I really shouldn't expect anyone to take the time to help me when I ask questions about my shot.
There IS a lot more to photography than the numbers and the details, but knowing how to set your camera IS the first step! I know for myself, there have been many times when having those numbers got me started. You can't figure out all the subtle nuances if you don't have the big, basic blocks to start with. Yes, what works for one shot won't necessarily work for another, but at least it's a reference point, and I think that is important.
Granted, not every shot posted here needs all this information. But if someone is posting a shot and wanting help with it, or a review, I think that information IS important, because it can help us help them. The numbers do matter when it comes to giving someone advice! And especially when people post studio shots or examples of a new technique they've tried, the more information, the better for everyone.
Back to the original point of the thread, I think that all this information would be great - I just don't think that most people will take the time to provide it. And I still think that mostly it's out of laziness - it takes too long, it's a hassle to look it back up, or they're just not willing to bother.
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01/25/2009 10:11:30 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by MikeJ:
I don't see it as being lazy by not posting a lot of information. I use to post all the details of my shots, but either few were interested in the details or the lighting, lens, appature, shutter speed, ISO, etc., that worked for me, wouldn't necessarily work for anyone else. There is a lot more to photography than knowing how to set your camera and where to place your lights... there is a lot more that needs to be understood or known than just the list of equipment and settings and showing a 2D image of the lighting set up.
If people ask, I'm more than happy to share the info, but if you want to talk about lazy... too many times it's the person that is trying to copy the way an image looks that is too lazy to figure it out and do the work. They want it handed to them. And too many times, even if it is handed to them, they never say thanks or they blotch it up anyway.
Sometimes, the image by itself is enough... sometimes a book of instructions behind it won't help at all.
Mike |
Mike, I for one find the details sometimes very useful. I do not look at everybody's details even if it was a good photo, but I often struggle with something and then it is very helpful to see what the settings and equipment were of someone who got something "right" in that sence. Like you stated, I often find that what mattered was not what I thought. But at least I made the discovery.
I also do not have fancy lighting equipment and would like to see what people use and how they use it. Personally it would be very helpful and interesting. |
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01/25/2009 10:32:19 AM · #8 |
I'd like to see something thats done in many other forums.
Automatic Exif data viewing(when not stripped by SFW) and also keywording automatically done.
Example When I upload a photo to flickr, it will give the option to let viewers look at the exif data so they can see the settings taken at.
It also pulls my keywording done in LR and makes them tags automatically. Surely it cant be that hard to extract the exif put it in a table, and do the same with keywords.
Matt
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01/25/2009 01:56:24 PM · #9 |
"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink"
Having the option opens a whole new door of possibilities.
It's up to the user to input the data as always...
Even when I look at my exif data, it says strobe not fired
when using my studio stuff.
and just like there's a "lensbaby" club and people who flock
together with the same equipment... its just going along those
lines.
And on a tangent, for those who want to understand light in general:
Best basic lighting book I have ever read |
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