Power Settings Series (Part 1): Stop Asking This One Question!

[@jasonbodden8816]

Very awesome.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! Pat 2 drops in 90 minutes!

[@haqvor]

Great summary! The question "what settings did you use" is common and impossible to answer. It all depends on the situation. It can be helpful to keep detailed notes if you have a shoot that you have to do again and match previous images and need a good starting point. Nice that you also included skin tone as a variable. I also find that a darker skin tone reflects light very differently from lighter skin and that it is very easy to get overexposed highlights on dark skin.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! You might be seeing blown highlights because the subject’s skin could be more reflective due to natural oils. Using a finishing powder can help reduce shine and create a matte surface, allowing the skin to handle more light without blowing out the highlights. Hope that helps!

[@brandonm.williams6095]

Dude, you are awesome

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much! I hope it helps!

[@voorheesjoell3437]

Great video! Long overdue. Whenever someone asks me what flash settings I use, I always ask them why? And you explained the reasoning so clearly. Thank you?

[@JohnGress]

Thank you! It really is perplexing once you know that make, model, scale, distance, modifier, room size, room color, hair color and skin tone all play a factor.

[@photoquent]

Fantastic explanation. When I ever see someone ask the power settings question I will send them a link to this tutorial. On with Part 2.

[@JohnGress]

Please do! Thank you so much for doing that! Part two will drop in 39 minutes!

[@keaphotoscom]

As per usual, great explanations.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! Part 2 drops in 90 minutes!

[@Eazidosit]

I'm trial by fire. I adjust each light until it gives me the look I'm looking for. Love your content. Always inspiring for me.

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much! That is great to hear. No matter how you get there, what matters is the look and your intent.

[@GRHoustonJack]

Expertly explained. Just using the same settings as another photographer without considering all the other variables is not a guarantee for creating the same image.

[@JohnGress]

Exactly! Part two drops in 11 hours!

[@juliobarkan9529]

Well done on your explanation. And no distractions. Much better presentation. Thanks.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! Distractions?

[@420sigmapower]

The right exposure is what looks pleasing to the photographer. some people like the highlights pretty far to the right edge of the histogram other like it 0.5 stops lower and the lightmeter is not going to tell you that info for you. so i just look at the histogram and the tethered photo and i go from there. And you are correct. it is stupid to ask power settings of the strobe. It kinda makes sense to know camera settings for depth of field information or ambient light mixing in the shot. thank you for your videos. I am looking forward to the next episode. (Trial by fire actually reminded me of the song "trial by fire" from Judas Priest, not relevant to this video just a nice bonus gimmick).

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! It will drop tomorrow morning at 9am Central time in the US.

[@Garbid]

Instead of buying expensive lightmeter I bought a collapsable grey and white card. Gives starting point especially when you need to set 2 or more different lights with different exposure. Also helps outdoor. The rest is in histogram!)

[@JohnGress]

It sounds like you watched part 2 ;)

[@JohnGress]

Part 2 drops in 24 hours!

[@JMA-1804]

@@JohnGressCannot wait for part 2! I’ll have to make a vacation a join one of your seminars

[@Garbid]

@@JohnGress found that solutions after few days of searching KZbin. I started to notice different exsposures when was shooting relaying on histogramm and exsposure meter (all) of my camera, it became worst when I bought second strobe! And found that solution only in 13 years old video... One videomaker explained that on shooting video)) also I was always wondering why peoples sets white balance on grey card!) I think part 2 will be very usefull for all new photographers. Natural light or artificial.

[@JohnGress]

@JMA-1804 Thank would be amazing! If you signup for my mailing list you will be the first one to know about new dates! johngress.com/workshops/

[@chrisgoart]

This is a great series idea and part 1 is full of important information. One size does not fit all for a huge number of reasons, incorporating an even huger (I know, not a word) number of factors. Another photographer's settings and equipment choices provide a potential starting reference but guarantees nothing when it comes to the result.

[@JohnGress]

Thank you and so true! I should have added that people could be asking this question because they want to know about how much power they need then buying a light or they're asking because they have the same lights and modifiers and know that distance matters, but as you suggested I think most people asking this question what to plug in the numbers and think that will make it work, when the only number they should be concerned with aside from exposure settings is a light meter reading. Part 2 drops in 24 hours!

[@jfrio]

Sorry about this, great video, I love your content and can't wait for part 2, but nerds are gonna nerd... I think in your 3' vs 4' distance case, because inverse square law, it would be 9 /16 of the light, which is closer to 1/2 (-1.0 stops) than to 3/4 (-0.5 stops), the exact value being -0.8 stops, (log2( 9/16)).

[@JohnGress]

Thanks. That is why I added the Tilda on the slide. Perhaps this is part of the greater point... I got this wrong when recording the audio for the video which just goes to show how hard it is, even for someone of my experience, to take the power setting and do anything with it.

[@davidscottbowlesphoto]

So obsessed with your work...Even if im anti light meter haha

[@JohnGress]

Ha! Thank you so much! Good thing for you I’ll show you a gray card method for nailing exposure in about 11 hours 😉🤣

[@davidscottbowlesphoto]

@@JohnGress YES!!! you going to Imaging? and never heard of using a grey card for exposure! amazing! Looking forward to it John!

[@JohnGress]

I’ll be there! I’m teaching a class too.

[@davidscottbowlesphoto]

@ nice see ya there bud.

[@osmandocardoso2014]

Hello! Thank you for the video. São Paulo, Brazil

[@JohnGress]

Ola! Obrigado!

[@JohnGress]

Part 2 drops in 24 hours!

[@KobusGevelspar]

I am so glad I never asked that question!

[@JohnGress]

Ha! Well now you know! Part 2 drops tomorrow morning at 9am Central Time US.

[@Stedmen]

What light meter would you recommend? I’m in the market right now. Trying to be more efficient with my process.

[@JohnGress]

Sure thing! What brand of lights do you use?

[@Stedmen]

@ west Scott! 400, 200, and the 80.

[@JohnGress]

The L-308 is a basic all purpose meter but it just measures the light. The L-858 has a raider transmitter that will tell each group of your lights to fire and then can adjust them from the meter. Here are links. Sekonic Flashmate Light Meter L-308X-U Adorama howl.me/cjzWPoM5dzS Amazon amzn.to/3QFUGQm B&H bhpho.to/3NG6vaR Sekonic L-858D-U (401-858) Meter Plus RT-GX for Godox Adorama howl.me/cmQWhrMoP3A Amazon amzn.to/4corJ5H B&H bhpho.to/4crCu77

[@JohnGress]

Oh and I will be showing the L-858 in part 2 which drops tomorrow.

[@Stedmen]

@@JohnGress thank you!

[@jhenry248]

I always thought that the F stop your shooting at was enough information on where I might want set the power on my strobes if I'm trying to duplicate a look.

[@JohnGress]

It’s pretty easy. Pick the fstop then adjust the light power until it looks right.

[@heidimartin3662]

Not the right time to ask, but LA/ Santa Barbara could use a John Gress workshop. Do you ever come this way?

[@JohnGress]

Thanks for asking anyway. I will probably come to Southern California later this year. Please signup for my workshop mailing list and you will be the first to know! johngress.com/workshops/

[@JohnGress]

Part 2 BTW drops in 24 hours!

[@heidimartin3662]

@@JohnGress You've turned on the light bulb for so many concepts for me. Thank you.

[@JohnGress]

That is great to hear! Thank you so much and TTYS!

[@rafibenatar2519]

They should ask what the light ratio between the lights 👌🏻

[@JohnGress]

Life is all about relationships! ;)

[@rickjbradbury]

Any settings asked for are somewhat pointless. Is that other photographer in the same type of space, same light, using the same camera, lens, flash, modifiers at the same distance. Unlikely. I include meta data sometimes in posts but more because i get tired of being asked than anything else.

[@JohnGress]

LOL! I do too.... mostly because it's easy to do with an app and people like it. You also forgot about skin tone. And while it's subtle a white shirt can change the fill in a headshot! Part 2 which drops tomorrow will be all about how to nail your exposure and part 3 will cover why you should use certain camera settings to execute a vision not just parrot someone else!

[@rickjbradbury]

@@JohnGress Indeed many more little things than can change the image. At the end of the day people just need to RTFM and put in the home work to learnt the fundamentals, with out a good fundamental base you are just winging it.

[@JohnGress]

Ha, that acronym took me a second. I need my assistant to RTF Hight manual and quit asking me how to change groups! LOL Beyond the fundamentals, it really is about practicing and developing taste.