model photos in pools -

I i like to light up a human model in a pool so that the background is black or very very dark what lighting technik and strobes i the way to go

Something like Zenas Holloways Photos

Zenas Webpage

I have some models that i like to shoot and i like to experience with lighting .. for the first time..

Is there a need off strobes or can i go with uw lights to?

Will be a d125 and a aditional uw light (very strong) for creating some fill light enough?

Lambis

Hi Lambis

I've never done this type of photography, but looking at these images from zena the lighting could be coming from external rig's place above the water as the shadows in the second image show that lighting may well have been from above and then fill flash added just to enhance.

As for the black backgrounds, It could be as simple as a fast shutter speed manual exposure , But i wouldn;t put it past zena to use a weighted black canvas as the backdrop, much as a studio would use one.

if i was going to try it , i firstly give it a go with 3 strobes,

2 strobes based as slave units way out to the sides of the model so that light was cast side ways into the subject, and then using a unit attached to the camera for the trigger just as a slight fill in.

For a totally professional job then i'd be rigging up external above water lights and add a little underwater.

All just my opinion of course, Never done it , but i wish you the best of luck with it, love to see what you manage to get.

as most of your work tends to be with free divers you model shouldn't have much of a problem holding her breath !!

regards

Craig

Most of these type of shots are lit with studio lights outside the pool. This tends to give the caustic lighting that makes the shots look UW. Which is actually what most of these people want.

You can either use a long synch cable or fire the studio flashes by using a slave setup with a small UW strobe on your rig.

A few photographers use continuous lighting for these types of shots. But flash heads are usually more popular.

There are definitely safety considerations of using high powered studio lights near water.

Drapes are quite easy to weight down for backgrounds. And be prepared for your models to hate you by the end of the day. They will also be very self conscious about their looks - as they will be out of their normal element. It is well worth having a dedicated makeup artist with you all day as make up will need constant retouching.

Alex

Thanks guys

Reason to aks is that , after many months of searching, i just have found a model that is a freediver to :-)

I was always thinking to do this and in general that was may main reason to look for strobes.

I was more thinking to do this in a dark pool where i can illuminate

the surface from above with my UW torches that i have

about slave strobes i need more or less create a UW studio.

How you slave 2 strobes with the main storebe together is there special cables?

about the power of the strobes. To cast side light to the subject will it be enough to work with 125 wats ca i 1 meter away from the subject?

Lambis

Hi Lambis

Ok here's my thoughts again.

You hit the nail on the head with the Studio Setup.

I think you would more than likely do the best job if you could use some lighting from above the water and use a black canvas backdrop using underwater guns for SAFETY

Its all trial and error work,

You could mount 2 or 3 slave units just above the water or just under the surface if you not planning on getting the surface in the shot on a pole rig system so that each end rests onto the pool side "Keep it simple" see my drawing.

I'd use a gun with built in slave like YS120 Ys90 or as big as i could get.

Everthing shot in MANUAL.

Using the figures quoted by ikelite for the DS125 the GN = 10m Underwater.

If we used an aperture of 5.6 this would give us as working exposure distance of approx 1.75m (GN / F-stop = Strobe to subject distance). You could always lift up the pole to suit the lighting output by simply placing boxes under the pole at each end until you get the desired output of cast downlight your looking for.

then i'd attack it with a single light underwater for fill in and slave triggering and see what you get

Real shame we dont live in the same country as i'd love to have a crack at this with you just for fun.

regards

craig

Thanks Graig

For safety reasons i will use some stronge Diver lights for the surface and aditional 3 strobes that i will borow..

I will try to make a test run with to see where i am getting and what i can archive. I will use a Nikon 16mm for this and i am pretty sure that it will work but it will kick me in terms off errors :-)

1.75 meters is s sweet spot fo diver portaits

The pool that i am training is a good one and i remember they have some lighting that they use in competitions, some big spot lights .I will take a closer look on friday..

Real a shame we dont live in the same country but i will keep you inform with this project her in wetpixel..

I am really new in lighting and strobes unterwater, never use a strobe in Uw but i think i go with the traditional studio setup and try to simulate it underwater...

What i am getting off this? Maybe some great diver portraits but mostly i just like to learn to paint with light underwater.

Lambis

EXACTLY MY MAN

Photographer = LIGHT PAINTER !!

Use your paints in a creative fashion and buy creative paints ...

Look forward to seeing your efforts

regards

Craig

Photographer = LIGHT PAINTER Very good...

I am a greek Craig :-) You are right about it...

Normaly in Greek Photographer means "writing (Grafo) with light (Phos)" but you are right becauce in old greek they have use to workd Writing for painting as they have use the word talking for singing

So the old stupid Greeks have paint and sing but newer write and talk :-)

One more think about light... My name, Lambis in greek means "shining". From lambis comes the english work Lamp.But not shining like Steven Kings film :-)

So i hope my men that i do it right and "shine" and if not I have always wetpixel to find help.

Its a nice project that will fill my time untill iam going to the ocean again..I Sweden right now it imposible to dive - very very cold.

O.K. Now we speek about strobes etc...

Normaly i am anyway on the way to go with one strobe, one Ikelite D125 from Ryan. I am not thinking to buy a second strobe right now..

I have to a big Greek UV light 30 watt lumens 750 that maybe with some Gelatin Filters will work great as fill light..Strarlight proffesional

I was thinking to buy a not expensive mini tripod to put it on the botom of the pool with some weights and put there the d125...

for this i need

1. sync cable ca 4 - 5 meters long

2. a adapter so that i can put the d 125 on a tripod

3. a arm setup that work for for this king off shooting, I was thinking about 2x 8" segents.

What are you thinking about this? just my ideas ... late in the night...

Lambis

Hi,

This shot was taken using 3 strobes. Two were placed outside the pool, one above to the right and one above to the left. One was used on the housing for a little fill and to trip the above-water slaves. I think this one illustrates the point nicely.

Model photography is fill-flash photography. Pools with dark bottoms are best, IMO.

Hope you enjoy.

Cheers

James

Great photos james and yes, you illustrate the point very good.

what strobes have u use? and are they trigered with opltical slave sensor?

do you have use tripids for puting the strobes abouve the surface on position or do you have 2 guys that hold them :-)

Lambis

HI Lambis

Dam shame that the DS125 hasn't got wireless slave built in, you could have triggered it with a smaller unit on the camera housing "any strobe"

I think cheap tripods will be just fine for you DS125.

Lambis you could always use an openair swimming pool with that Big flash gun called the SUN for overhead lighting.

But on the other hand in Jan in sweden... best not eh, or you'll all end up in Hospital.

I would suspect that somthing like a HID Metal Halide light would do an excellent job, nice and crisp 10.000k light (depending on model), there are plenty of OUTDOOR units available.

Have fun

Craig.

Cool stuff james..

Yes it is a shame that the DS125 hasn't a wireless slave. INON stobes have it .... Hmmm 1 Ike 125 or 2 Inon d2000W thats the question ....

Openair swimming pool in Sweden.. Its snowing and we have -37 celsious in some parts off Sweden,,, Brrrrrrrrr...

In Egypt when i will go i will have plendy off them.. and a Big flash gun called the SUN for free :-) Nice idea!!!!!

If you have some links about HID Metal Halide 10.000k lights please put its on Wetpixel.

Today i will test my UW flashlight in the pool. Just the light.

I will use it to light up a ca 1.5 to 2m away diver.. and see how mutch coverage and light is comming out..

We will see....

Sooo, james...who's the model? I see wedding ring... Sarah?

I know Zena uses a LOT of big Subtronics! These have wide beam + power which is what this sort of shooting requires. I've been involved with a couple of shoots like this using both underwater strobes and above water studio strobes (+ film type continuous lighting). If you go this route then you'll need an electrician to work with you to provide viable isolation and electrical saftey systems.

I'm working on sorting out a Pocket Wizzard connection from the housing (wired into the PC flash socket) which will be floating and will be used to trigger the studio strobes. Hope to sort this out by April if anyone's interested.

Lambis, if you can, I'd sugggest that you provide a link to Zena's photos rather than include them!

About your Pocket Wizzard connection i am am 100% intrested!!!

Please keep me inform.. We are on the end very close.. U.K. - Sweden :-)

Its more easy to find and hire studio lights that to buy expensive strobes!!!

I will anyway have one strobe and a aditional uw light for fill in etc.. that i will try to put it wherewwer i can on the bottom off the pool via a mini tripod.

Stuido lights are easy to find and today i will inpect the pool and talk later to a e electrician (I am lucky i have a close friend for this)

And yes you are right i will change to links Zenas photos...

Lambis

Are you gonna do this in Sweden or i Egypt?

I'm home in Sweden now on holiday and my flash just lies on the shelf collecting dust. I'll probably go back to Hurghada in the beginning or in the middle of the next month. In Hurghada I can get a hold of 2-3 S&S Ys-120 if your are interested.

Pedda I will do it in Sweden the first shotting

In ca 1 to 2 weeks...and the probelm is ,, finding so fast strobes...

I will be in Egypt Mai Juni for freediving photos...

Where exactly are you living in sweden? I am living in malmö that is cold and snowy right now.. everything is white....

I ahve just test a UW light today but is not working Hard fall of very intesive center. is like a spot... and not contol of the intesivity.. the pool is deep but very dark

Follow photo i have taken with available light and have overexpose in Raw converter.. normaly the photo was near Black!!!!

lambis

I'm living outside Karlstad and that’s around 520Km from Malmö. We have around 60cm snow here at the moment and it's still snowing :-)

I'm going to use my flash either week 6 or 7 to take some more baby swim pictures.

The same her Pedda.. snowing.. snowing.. snowing

You live to far away............

Baby swim photos? with just one flash? i like to see some...

lambis