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Reverse Engineering Part 2

Lesson 13 from: Hack Your Light

Chuck Arlund

Reverse Engineering Part 2

Lesson 13 from: Hack Your Light

Chuck Arlund

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Lesson Info

13. Reverse Engineering Part 2

Next Lesson: Hipstamatic Shoot

Lesson Info

Reverse Engineering Part 2

This is old and this is this is going way back in the archives of chucking um this was a fashion shoot where it was about we called the mod marie it was like right after marines when that came out and was like for a hair stylist was really going to do this kind of fun little take on mon marie antoinette and all the sensors so here's what I'm looking at here we had a pretty strong light coming in from this window and I set her down in the room and we've kind of got this and construction legs out even more ways to your flight let's let's really stretch it out all right check this out I'm going to get a reading first one is going to be really black so I'm going to knock it down to because we don't have as much light as they did it was bright and sunny that day so let's see what this is doing you know there are you okay what I'm looking at is the skin uh light on her see it the highlight it's on her hair and on the side of her cheek okay, so that's what I've got to kind of go off of um yep...

there it went they're instructing levels or solid drop him no problem that's right? Okay speed light where to go again? We'll see if this will work this time that was the picture was lit with a speed light you want to put this understand? I think we're the umbrella holder go there does right there on the money all right um I'm gonna try to lighter with us anybody know the answer to a be a model or just look like one yet assess if you think being a model or just look like well yes somebody actually just posted the answer let me see if I could grab it it is his name kevin purchase you know the name was fortified and the answer was asking for it by hole with guitarist eric erlandson no no, that was incorrect. That was incorrect. The song comes from a band called the banging um and uh I forget the guy's name but he became the lead singer of the oh just just lost the exes so if that was a band of the nineties um giving you back to that photograph again as I trip over all every court doing them gosh um ok where's my light source coming from yeah look the highlight in the shadow on the news the nose in the cupcake and kind of across the fabric so yeah it's just coming from kind of like that right? You do something like that we'll see what we got going on and it is pretty flashing in it cool before thank you shooting before way don't have the cool wooden panel back there but you guys are amazing that's that's hysterical um yeah I work you could see the country ok kind of look at me and escaped at the edge of the right to the edge of it keep going there you go and kind of sit up and present yourself yes there does through to our good all right cool uh so it's kind of we're getting spread now you can see your foot you can see it's spreading across way could get even closer with it and make it more dramatic I'm going to zoom it back out to like yes sir yes ma'am is it really that figures I don't know if it's doing anything because it's fired right now the way we got running five point six okay three to look this way just a little strange it's just a little bit more like this right there look at me yes I'm going against my rule where I'm looking down on her it's okay it was I think go back to it but what you see how we've got what we're contouring light sources a lot closer all right see you a lot of getting a flash closer like this check that out you know let's add some drama can we put the blue background behind you get some help with take it in front and I will just go up over her you get that thanks let's go over the top of a radio all right cool we still got some white from the top and let's go back this way with if we can which way like towards that you want to go to the other side you know in questions granted comments were so this light up guys amazing difference what happens in the light source gets closer in it power goes down softer shadows it's still it's got the great room ran right there is this all about placement I mean yeah so we have ah nick rabbinic who says do you worry about the color temperature of the different lights when mixing the mono light speed light and adding natural life no, the reason is every one of my images is kind of unique sometimes if they're really weird you know like if I've got you can see that it's just bizarre color temperatures yeah I'm going to start dialing and kelvin you see what works I do own expo disk which they worked fabulously just don't use it that much but generally now auto pretty much gets me pretty close and then when I picking image I'm certain messing with that stuff and post anyway so that's you know I'm just not that technical about it again it's a situation if I was shooting the dance studio I'm gonna get a specific white balance because I've got a thousand pictures that all need to look identical and you know and sink them all and there are gonna be good so I totally get that but how I'm shooting him what I'm shooting it's just didn't I don't know I don't I've never had an issue with it okay let's try to get this actually is getting closer so I get this back right here look around I mean very ok is it real or are we gonna eat that later yeah can I get that I can't because nothing looks better you know what is it nothing tastes better than thin fields nothing tastes as good as thin feels thin nothing tastes as good is that kate moss stephen run on any one three two now broadway or shortly broadway so let's turn your head this way drop can we have a prop change we'll look at me what a prop change drop change apple but just look low fat aereo now this next picture I turned her head just a tiny bit into the light just a little bit and we've got kind of a front of light but the loop is coming towards the and she's got the shadow side of earnest when you do it a little bit more you had the sweetest little right and then plants back at me there in three two one cool and we're still getting a nice to see the hair there's still some hair like light coming in from the top yeah way it's probably closer let's do something why not consume any throw me that like sock that's in my bag that little white thing see it you got it was through here good morning check it out it's going to be all the darker but we can turn that up a little bit so I hear you three two also very a little bit different we'll turn it up too much we should re meter yeah that's you know yes please because you know what's this doing what is this is somebody asking what this is this's this's the beauty to sock here they're on the internet saying that it's a free hotel shower cap modifier they're going to turn it up a little bit to get up for fifty cents when it's a beauty just refused twenty dollars to stretch out just a little bit more yeah yeah I love that guy was good cool okay so let me do one without life okay so you look at the hair like this is what I want you to look at this last one was out without flash I know I move hold on there that's without flash but you see how this sunlight is really providing a lot of ami alliance I put that flash on and dude that's cool and there we owe but somewhere in the sea q turn your body a little bit lean over the front you like that just like a perfect just love it whoops! I'm coming under cool so now we've got the sunlight was really flaring I've turned her in the light I'm a changed anything we're shooting a little bit lower angle go ahead glance at me now I'm going to be looked like looked like dorothy in the wizard of oz just closing your eyes you see that kind of cool and I can turn this down where it's more of the room lion area yeah so where of even they're out let's see that flash no that's without flash and with flash put those side by side possibly just to suit it's not quite as hillary see how the flash even though it's still got the same feel it's like it just kind of even your skin tone out eleven war the fly side even though it's not it doesn't look like overly flash were still using the natural light it's just by using a flash just kind of let you make stuff look a little bit better ok let's try something else he's like yes let's try something else let's do the freaky friday guitar rock oh that one now let's do that one yeah let's see if we can do that not that one another well that's simple that's just a big softy really you know let's talk about that we don't have to shoot it I don't think you pull that one up um how did how did we shoot that big starbucks really close to it and I didn't let it I let it kind of fall off toward your feet but it's a pretty big box so and that's why it's it's close it's really illuminating erin they might even been a beauty dish I'm thinking I can't remember but like a the beauty dish let's go to that let's see if this works let's get the trunk where the trunk you didn't you didn't tilt the camera at all when you shot that either, right? Which one? This one? That necklace is straight on straight on fashion straight on just like I did before and you see that she looks in like she was like the story that's that's yeah we're just gonna put it on a sidewalk back over there by the break with here is the other crazy looking thing it's too perfect way just like that what is the silver stuff? Is that something you? This is my lar three mile are thank you begin marco where it is my are come from where does my lark amazon dot com this came from being a judge and I think it's just it's sticking to see stan but this is really loose found we had a little like insulation you know you putting you have that right there is that spray adhesive? Is it still out there way wanted kind of tripoli even though I don't know if we have a son right now you actually check it out let's see if we get it right here that's it where is that it can we pull it that image up the one that looks like she's underwater pulling off piece thanks you are awesome dude just cannot also be like totally he's got all the stuff in his basement yes so that image we've got a small window and let's meet maybe open like close this one and open one of these we're good here I'll take this and like closed that one and maybe open one of those what's yeah and I was wrong about oh gosh ok yeah let's don't do this we're getting more it's just so it's not so bright put her here we'll see even get it right here we might be able to put in the corner put in the corner we'll see what happens I just don't know if it's brian enough today I don't think it is when I get the really hard lines we might have to move it over here you know we're going a lot brighter we have a lot brighter light like sorry shut down one two three is wondering if we can use tim foods that mylar is what tin foil instead of mylar why not trying I don't think it's a shiny though on this stuff well that not this but this that will be brighter than the sun we've been outside and it's sunny out will shine us back and models like oh my gosh and then they're like because it's warm two because it's like it puts off heat but you can see it's like a weird kind of still on the wall let's get a really close to the wall and maybe moved you gonna move this again? Is this on there? Yeah that'll work wait close this one poll now let's see if there's just not that much life so let's let's try to use a flash we got one way stupid window I think you're the first one I've ever heard hate on the windows of what you think we're going to do this with it kind of yeah let's let's we'll see what happened I don't know I don't even worry about that that's like okay, we're starting get the I saw something hitter school a little bit more look at what I think we're even put right here pull it right here this's going to be difficult to dio because we're just guessing because usually we can see what's going on and I can't see anything yeah, I think we're getting we're starting in a little bit of the wrinkle that's well like move that I bet we're getting all the light from that I think the lights coming from there yeah know from the flash we're starting to see some of the wrinkles over anyway that's how I did that way had direct sunlight really bright sun coming through a small window and you're able to kind of get this and it looks like waves or water we took that outside and started get some really cool patterns you're starting to see the sea on the edge that picture it's just it's impossible to see what we're getting but yeah you're starting to see a little bit of that striping and weirdness to it okay but let's move on to this all right here's what we're gonna start freaking getting weird let's put this up let's just move it right over here that's good switch sides yes, I think this last twenty minutes will be funny as though the rest of the hasn't been funny. Hey, now this is gonna be really funny. All right? Can we go to the picture of the of ryan kinder took him out on facebook he is awesome also way now let's raise this up a little bit, you know? Yeah work ryan okay let's go get a guitar, you're going to be a guitar god and twenty minutes and then we've got to bring in daniel we're going to see my phone ah graffiti last but let's do this real quick one ever and the studies won't you hold a guitar have a strap for nothing? Ok fifty nights thinking just hold it. We'll get the point. Okay. Let's, set this up. Oh, my god. It might be way too bright in here. Certainly provide sitting of the lads it's like checking the mic check in the mind. Okay. Bring flash, are you? Well, you have a power record for this thing off the world. Yeah, I'm using all three step forward a little bit, you know, I had to power cars on enough. Yeah, this is just going on the floor. Let me sit this one out were photographed and ryan in new orleans, and this is a tatum channing's bar. Yeah, yeah. It's called saints and centers really cool, like it's set up like a bird. Ella friend owns that. Really that's what was his name? Right. Well, his girlfriend's friends, my friend's girlfriend way got run to kind of shoot all over that. And they just got this red bell that everywhere, and it was really dark, and I was trying to create this picture so we had to take we took a flash and kind of put it underneath him like this to light up the you know, that I came here. If I gridded it or not, I might have, but we're going to find out, um you can see this got two lights we had a light popping right over there on the side of him and then we have this set up so we've got three lights going on and then we created that effect but use of the model light and can we dim the lights again because I don't think we're gonna be able to do this without yeah yeah you close that up all right like me teo did go see I am just the worst person in this place and stuff I better try here above my shirt I'm not sweat is bad this segment live bands manly they get to me don't look at this okay we're gonna go backto I saw one hundred five six one five six eight so you know a little bit right stop okay is this thing on its just that red power button cool let's see if that works oh yeah hel lo and that should be only be channel hop it okay a quick shout out to tony core bell from yesterday who is in the chat rooms right now don't tony what's up tony all right let's get weird please, sir. Well, he's doing that I'm going to test the shot. Yeah, cool and tony wrote I believe chuck is on a work release program at a great height a great dinner with him last night all right unfortunately we're getting a little bit of the like ground under the blue. But we'll get the point. Uh, way could have turned it the long way is but it's not a big deal. All right, let's, um, there's something that might work out to our advantage. We'll meet two right here, right? Half second. Last work. Well, ok, power up power, power of where's. My meter again on our shooting. Really? There. I felt at that time can't bring that light a little closer. It's. Just not getting the power that I want to see what we got here. Okay, cool. Hey, and ready for this, let's, see if this works, we get it. No, not quiet. Think we're gonna have to take it down just a little bit through the power down. All these. All right, I think that's going to get it, okay? We're here. Okay? We're starting with this haze, all right? Really? Their hand on the like, in the friends like, down here? Yeah. Like that. Yeah, unfortunately, it is. Yeah. So what we did with this was I took it and we're doing like to get a haze effect and thinking we might, you know, get it like that. Just a light. Little flashlight or something or use one of your lives right there let's see if that order was put like right down here shooting with a really lagging shutters right really likes you like a second one second yeah, one whole second look this way just a little bit right there you can see we got this light up that let's bring it down right about there let's see what happens look this way it kind of yeah we'll see if that scene right oh yeah that's right that's ok came back that off a little bit just keep going keep going with it yeah three two one you do start to get there you can see kind of what we're doing sometimes I'll do really weird stuff frankly suckers look right out and let's d'oh let's see if I can do this when I hit it I want you to get pop and I want you to do this okay assumes that flashes look over, ok? Otherwise you know that sorry like turn and look that way and actually just move your body just like this skill hopefully good. I'm not syria. Yeah, now we're doing some stuff I'm just triggered by hand that was it's gonna ask you training you check it out so really girl clique and really push yourself over running well that was too far like about right here yeah just like it and a little bit we're so you see what you see on the trails are certainly come out of her hand your finger let's do this right into the hold still there we'll check this one out you know um kind of cool looked right at me people are noticing that your s o is still at four hundred it is a instead of one hundred that intentional or just why I so should be a one hundred thank you. I thought I changed it down thank you internet thank you. Internet yeah that's going to help a lot with you don't like the alleged two seconds find what's they turn oh, cool this is playing I love it so we took that out so now we're starting to get it okay hold still okay? Yeah there's that look I'm trying to kind of get see look at the trails right? So this time look this way just scoot over a little bit right there and kind of turned toward and look towards john look at john that's kind of funky so that's how I did that just to do something really bizarre I never did see the tripod figures right ready here we go look for that mean right at me a little bit more than flying short lighting her click pan right? Hit that target right here your war oh yeah there we go that way and studio boeing and flash it that's going to cool that's a damn you know looks like smooth area wait okay when I hit it bring the light and kind of come up like and more towards her ok so wait for the flash what what looked art sorry I screwed up and bring it right here so it's not in the frame so now we'll have like a ghost he face somewhere see the eye inner like on her chest that's weird one more I'm gonna pop you twice here you go don't you worry about that john you know what that's going to d'oh it's kind of weird okay you get the idea all right so for everyone who's might be slightly confused can you explain what you've got your camera set too why this is working out the way okay let's get can I hand hold that a second and get a tax arc image no no ok dial these down papa home on you just be there thanks to turn it off all right turning a little bit more of a three to one when you zoom into that let's see what's going on he goes I'll show you that was a second I was hand holding a few checks are I mean like super sharp like skins crazy sharp kate why? Because flash jeter has something flash here's my ambient light exposure on that I mean it's there's hardly anything there as you'll see in a second there's nothing there and if I turn the modeling let off and we're really gonna nail it three two one huh that's fine little flashed I want the backflip adjust to the modern life like wait where is it? I don't even drop the camera and were coming I know these people are supposed to fly so that's what I mean we're speed lights coming across your nose but one second I'm I dropped the camera a little bit it's a tax or image shutter has nothing to do with flash and that's the lesson in that okay one more thing so just like if you don't mind just to clarify so what are you doing? Are you clicking the shutter and then flashing manually that's people are not sure exactly what were you doing when I was doing that weird stuff I was doing this I was kind of just going like a flash and then important there and they will have like here I'll do it quicker wait I totally screwed that up where's the light what? Doing it all right click that's that light way so there will have a little streak of the cross and yeah I just mainly flashman when you started this check where you basing your initial exposure off your background? No, I'm just a faith five f ate the background all studio my shutter is just on these in the ambient light like there's a big white over there or the monitor but let's use that little light source right there I'm going tonto ghost it a little bit so I'm going to do this like a little ghosting around her head so if I do this I flash it class and I'm going to go and you'll see what the light did it showed up that bright light right back there so if I take this sick of this yeah I don't know what's going on with um I didn't drop it down to two seconds again and I'm gonna go start lester in the morning went on again I love modeling lights because it provides you know kind of make a little haze if we shot this in black and white clear fog we're just kind of cool a real fog effect that I'm going to do this fire and yeah you'll see this kind of weird fog like thing and you'll even see part of her face a little bit because she's just a little bit of a weird foggy type stuff probably redundant and all but so you'll shoot sometimes your shoot for a whole second and you manually flash twice yeah that's what I want a double exposure as they say is that called a double exposure yes yes if I wanted to do was kind of weird little like if we could this is going to be weird when I do it, I mean, uh, I'll see if I do this. No, she didn't mean that time. But I screwed up it's, like, so it'll be just like this. And then I'll have. Actually, somebody pushed that button over there like you and didn't do weird stuff. You're crazy with it. You can go really raises experimental, completely experimental.

Ratings and Reviews

SunSoBright
 

I just watched the rebroadcast of Hack Your Light with Chuck Arlund and at first wondered if I would get anything out of the class as he seemed ADD (he warns you he's scattered and a "blond"...LOL) but I stuck with class and by the end was sad it was over. I have a few years experience in photography so I could perhaps understand what he was teaching better than a true beginner. He gave some fabulous points and even demonstrated how you could overpower the sun with one speedlight something I've only seen others do with a strobe or multiple speedlights. He took some awesome pictures without thousands of dollars in camera and lighting equipment. He explained the difference between the portrait and the fashion look. He showed you could potentially go above your camera sync and still get a decently exposed pictured without high speed sync. Best of all he reminded me of the principles that it's the photographer not the camera/equipment that makes the difference, it's all about the light and most of all photography should be FUN! This was one of the most awesome demonstrations of lighting. I would love take a workshop from Mr. Arlund as he is obviously very talented and passionate about photography and knows his subject even is his explanations aren't practiced. Some found him frustrating; I found him refreshing. If you like experimental you will probably appreciate Chuck Arlund.

DeniseWinters
 

I have been a pro photographer for 30 years, and I loved watching Chuck and even learned quite a few things. He is creative and enthusiastic, and reminds you to think outside the box and get back to the enthusiasm you had when you first picked up your camera. He certainly knows what he is doing, and he has fun doing it...

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