JPG: Stories: How To: Who needs fancy flashes when you got a pocket flashlight!

Who needs fancy flashes when you got a pocket flashlight!

By Chad Coombs

6 Dec 2008

I started out with flash lights before I could afford flashes or strobes. I now still use my flashes as if they were flash lights.

The flashlights I use (All but one) are small pocket sized ones. They allow you to be more specific with your lighting and are easy to tape to anything.

The black and white image I created by taping two pocket flashlights, one to a tripod and one to a light stand.

I always have one flashlight specifically for the face and another for the body at a more angled perspective.

These brighten up the face and body to stand out from the shadows created by the other flashlight on the opposite side of the blinds hanging from my background stand.

If you play with the angle and distance you can alter the shadows created by the blinds quiet a bit.

These photos I do not move the flashlights or allow the model to move either.

I try and keep the shutter speed around 30 or higher, The 5D allows me that with its great ISO capability.

I am usually around ISO 800 with the blind shots like these.

I shoot almost exclusively, 90% of my photography with the Canon 5D and the Canon 17-40 L f4 Lens.

Usually at f4 for these types of shots and one 30th of a second or faster is possible at ISO 800.

Shooting RAW is a must for everything I shoot so things like white balance when Black and White is the desired result arent important.

The other thing I enjoy doing alot with my flashlights is light painting a model.

I lay down a copper backdrop and drape transparent fabric around the model laying on her back.

I have the studio in complete blackness and have my camera on bulb set to f11.

When the shutter is pressed I use one of the pocket flashlights to paint the model making sure to move the flashlight smoothly.

Distance will depend on the desired area wished to be lit up. I also have a fan blowing to give the fabric a milky look due to its movement. I always play with the angles jumping from side to side of the model while painting.

After I have finished lighting the model and area, I then turn the flashlight around facing the camera but covering the light source with my thumb. Giving it a glowing red look.

I wave it around much like an interpretive dancer does with a ribbon. Visualizing as if it was a long ribbon staying every were I light up. To witch after wards I release the Camera from bulb via the remote cable and await the final image to appear on the screen.

These light painted images such as these are never post processed, I leave them exactly as is from camera.

The flash lights in the photo are the ones I have used for every light painting portraiture.

The lowepro one is my favorite one to use as its the warmest and smoothest tone.

Different flashlight bulbs give different colored white balance, can be hell if you mix within the same photo, but can also work out awesome if you know it and use it to your advantage.

Photography is an amazing thing that you are only limited to by your creativity, not your gear.

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thought you might like this submission to JPG Magazine. If you do, vote it up!

http://jpgmag.com/stories/9391

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10 responses

Chad Coombs said (7 Dec 2008):
thanks, i LOVE using flashlights.
check these out, all using only flashlights!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unscene/sets/72157605981891406/
Michael Adams gave props (8 Dec 2008):
Wow! Sweet story that got the creativity going!
Amelia (amy) Quicke gave props (8 Dec 2008):
I love the use of flashlights...great story
Spectre Photo gave props (9 Dec 2008):
Wow, this is a wonderful how to..thank you so much!
Chad Coombs said (9 Dec 2008):
thanks all, glad you enjoy!
Byron McFall gave props (14 Dec 2008):
props!! they need more cheap solution stuff featured
Jane Zielenbach gave props (22 Jan 2009):
I have officially been inspired. thank you. The one of the woman, and the others on Flickr are absolutely beautiful!
Kola gave props (12 Jun 2009):
Wow... this is great. Thanks for sharing the idea.
Marco Martinez gave props (16 Jul 2009):
Great photographs. I, too, have done something like that, and I have loved the results.
Steven Lain gave props (24 Oct 2009):
wow, fantastic and very inspirational - very cool! thank you for sharing.