Our Own Mr. Fixit

1/180 second, F 4.0, ISO 800

During the Pandemic, Dean, a Burlingame resident, opened his garage workshop and offered to repair his neighbor's ailing small appliances. 

I knew that there would be several visual elements in play. I obviously needed my subject, but I wanted to include things that said, "garage". There were two options available: I could make the photo with my back to the open garage door, or I could include the street as part of the background. After unpacking a minimum amount of equipment, I took some sketch photos.

1/250 second, F 5.6, ISO 3200

I made this available light shot, just to get an idea of where I could start. I was surprised on how much detail was retained in the "shadows" while keeping the highlights pretty much in check. The photo had some possibilities if I could manage to get a small, recognizable appliance on the workbench. The background whispered garage workshop, but I was hoping for something more visual. Sure, I could pull a Joe McNally and completely stage the small workshop to point where it resembled a set from This Old House.

1/125 second, F 4.0, ISO 800

I decided to add some flash to decrease the disparity between the shadow and highlights and improve the color rendition. I used my standard setup: A shoot-through umbrella with a radio-controlled speedlight. To the good, the flash helped to fill in the shadows while keeping the feel of the bare fluorescent tubes. To the bad, I lost much of the intimacy provided by the selective lighting. I was able to reduce the foreground brightness by tilted the flash head towards the ceiling.

I was pleased with the outcome, background not withstanding, and was about to suggest that we move an appliance onto the table. But when I realized the "workbench" was where Dean was eating his breakfast, I decided to look elsewhere for my shot.

I turned to find Dean  working on a vacuum cleaner resting on the floor. Not the location I wanted, but by facing out, I could see the street and his Vespa in the corner. 

Since my key light was already in place from the last shot, I simply rotated it towards Dean and adjusted the flash output slightly. I also added a Nikon SB-80DX, aimed at the Vespa, and configured it to fire in synchronization with the key light. I attempted to contain the Nikon's output to a narrow beam angle, but due to some design quirks of the reflector, didn't contain the spread to the extent I wanted. Still, with the light feathered slightly to the right, I contained the light to the corner of the garage. 

Try as I did to get a "working on it" photo, it proved almost impossible due to the low angle necessary to capture any details of Dean's face without distorting the background. In the end, this posed photo was to best option, as it gave the photo a more personal feeling.

My editor was pleased with the final effort. I felt I achieved the "garage handyman" sense of the photograph, and was able to keep all the necessary visual elements properly exposed. Had I brought a trunk full of lighting equipment I probably could have spent another 30 minutes perfecting to photo, but I don't think anybody would have noticed any major improvement. Besides, Dean had other things to repair!

Light Stands

    For a compilation of the morning walk images, click here.

Left to right: 12-foot Avenger, a paint pole, a Flashpoint Nano 8.5', and a Manfrotto 6',* 

I just received a pair of Flashpoint Nano light stands I purchased from Adorama. I have more lightstands than I'll ever need, but this particular model brings something new to the table.  Extended, its height is 8.5', and when collapsed, it's only  22.5". It's taller than the 6' Manfrotto stands that collapse to 19". For an additional 3.5" in storage space, I gained full 2.5' of elevation, which is nothing to sneeze at.

Here's the rub: If I use the catalog measurements for each light stand, the installation of the requisite umbrella/flash mount and a suitable speedlight would add about 10" to the overall height. This means that the face of the flash would be positioned at about 6' 10" with the Manfrotto.  The Flashpoint is taller by an additional 30", giving me a working height of 9' 4".

In practical terms I can position my light well above the eye level of a rather tall subject. This means that I have greater flexibility to position my light for better facial modeling. 

If you examine the photo from last week's post, you can see that there the light is almost perfectly level with my subject's face. Notice that the catchlights (highlight in my subject's eyes) are centered on the pupil, and there is almost no shadow beneath her nose and chin. Raising the flash/umbrella combination higher would have given my subject's face a more three-dimensional look, and would have darkened her knuckles a tiny bit. The shot was made with the 12` Manfrotto which, looking back,  I should have extended a bit more.

Lightstand Ethics: While useful, photographers must be aware that lightstands in public thoroughfares can present a tripping hazard to pedestrians, so I only use them when I'm sure it can be deployed safely. If you have access to an assistant, one could collapse the legs and use it like a monopod, making it much less hazardous and easier to move from place to place. In years past, I've attached a battery-powered, blinking red hazard light as a warning.

Stability: I usually have a carabiner somewhere in my bag. This allows me to use my camera bag as a makeshift weight to help to keep the light stand from tipping over. In a pinch, I've used bungee chords and gaffer tape to the same effect.

The Big One: My last two assignments of 2020 were shot in areas not normally open to the public, so I brought a 12-foot Avenger Light Stand to the "set" (far left, top of post). It normally rides across the floor of the back seat of my car, available for use when needed. Even though I seldom extend it to its full height, the correspondingly longer legs provide a more stable platform when using softboxes or large umbrellas.

Paint Pole Solution: Having a VAL (voice actuated light stand) allows me to make photos in situations where a stationary light stand might pose a tripping hazard to pedestrians (second from the left).  In the photo, I'm using a 4' paint roller extension pole. Cissie (my assistant) is quite capable of hoisting the paint pole to shoulder height if needed. If I have a locally conscripted assistant who can't raise the extension pole that high, I'll use a chair, or something similar, to support the weight. I normally carry a compact monopod in my bag, and bring the paint pole for heavy and/or bulky lighting setups.

The New Flashpoint Lightstand. You can see that the new lightstand (third from the left) seems to be half-way between my extended paint pole and the shorter Manfrotto unit. I'm looking forward to using it, since it seems to be just the right combination of height, weight, and compactness. When working on location, I carry my equipment in a rolling duffle bag, and the collapsed length of 22.5" will fit with room to spare.

The Manfrotto 5001B. This was the "go to" light stand, thanks in part to David Hobby's anointing it as the ideal starter portable light stand. Proportionally, it seems to match perfectly with his go-to light modifier, a compact double-fold shoot-through umbrella. It is also favored by Bob Krist, travel photographer for National Geographic Travel. It turns out that a pair of these lightstands will comfortably fit in a Pelican 1535TRVL Case, a sturdy case that complies with federal carry-on regulations. The 5001B is still a good choice, but you may be forced to have you subject sit down if you're alone and want to do something creative in the lighting department.

Be Gentle: The Flashpoint stand is a not the most robust piece of equipment, but it is a compromise of size, weight, and price point. Please, be careful with it, and learn to deal with its shortcomings. BTW, if you can spend a little more of a stand that's slightly shorter, click here to read David Hobby's current preferred entry level stand. I've bought LumoPro branded products before, and they're worth the extra money.

*Visual Dissonance: I had to attach an umbrella bracket to the Manfrotto to hold the flash. The speedlight is actually 6" higher than it should be.