📸Using a Light Meter for Ambient and Flash Studio Setup with Motion Trails | the FORMULA EP#06

[@leogo9116]

I understand this technique to be an advanced one but, Why you choose the 10% ratio indicated in the lightmeter? Is that the target? Is there any substantial difference or complication between 10% and 5%, or 20%?

[@AbSesayPhoto]

Great Question Lenny. 10% just let me know the ratio of ambient light to flash. The target is more based upon what you are visually going for. Wether you want 0 ambient light mixing with the flash exposure on the face or just a little. The difference between 5%, 10% and 20% is the amount of ambient light introduced.

[@thomastuorto9929]

@@AbSesayPhoto Great explanation.

[@SekonicGlobal]

Thank you Ted -ab

[@darwin3800]

Settings and show the technique..

[@charlescapehart2221]

Has this Live explanation followup happened yet?

[@SekonicGlobal]

Hey Charles Not yet, we will send out an email before we do it.

[@kfotoca4421]

Thanks Ab for the video! So just to summarize: For a shutter speed of about 2 seconds and ISO 100, I take a flash meter reading of the model in her first position (and make sure the light level is at my working aperture like f/8), and then I take a second ambient meter reading of the model in her second position at 1s and ensure that it’s about a stop or two below my flash reading.

[@SekonicGlobal]

Yes, I think I’m going to do a live to explain it better.

[@kfotoca4421]

@@SekonicGlobal I'm looking forward to it!

[@SekonicGlobal]

Thank you KFoto.

[@Mark13376]

Neat! Not sure how where everyone’s getting confused, it seemed pretty straight forward of a concept to me. The photogs settings are pretty irrelevant, the hot light is going to dictate the exposure time more or less. 1: Figure out a baseline shutter speed to give the model time to move, and expose for that, whatever it may be. That will get you dialed in for the blur and pause at the end. There’s the 2nd pose. 2: Set the strobe to front curtain sync, get it dialed in to match exposure. Boom there’s your first pose. 3: Tape some gels to the strobe or hot light so colors match, and that’s it, you’re off to the races. Done similar work before long ago, if you don’t have lots of space to let the light values fall off, it might be best to do this in a blacked out room covered in duvee to control spill. He’s in a great looking space with lots of room, so bounce isn’t a huge problem, but it was when I was doing it and had to set up a makeshift black box for the talent to work in

[@SekonicGlobal]

Thank you at A.J. Meeker

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

Interesting idea but very confusing how you explained it

[@AbSesayPhoto]

The feedback helps. I'll definitely go back to the drawing board, hopefully it had some helpful nuggets for you.

[@jlwilliams]

Yes, the ambient-light-two-stops-over sentence is presented three times, which is distracting - I think it's an editing error. After thinking it over I understood what he was doing, but it took a while. Essentially it's the old principle of basing your f/stop on the desired flash exposure and your shutter speed on the desired continuous-light exposure, right? Would have appreciated a more detailed look at how this info is displayed on the meter. I liked the idea of giving the model two specific marks on the floor - good tip!

[@SekonicGlobal]

We will defintily keep this in mind when creating future content. Thank you J.L. all great feedback. -Ab

[@philwebbphotography3630]

Unfortunately, this does not make sense, it needs to be broken down segment by segment over a longer period of time.

[@AbSesayPhoto]

Thanks for the input Phil. I think I may do a live broadcast to explain this one a bit more clearly.

[@philwebbphotography3630]

@@AbSesayPhoto that would be great to see

[@SekonicGlobal]

What time zone are you in Phil -ab

[@philwebbphotography3630]

@@SekonicGlobal Uk London time zone

[@SekonicGlobal]

Noted. Thank you Phil.

[@mgshn]

You repeated a couple sentences, which added to the confusion.

[@AbSesayPhoto]

Thanks for the input. I'll look to be more clear in the future.

[@richschmitt100]

Very confusing. Poor presentation. Why would Sekonic release such a poorly explained video?

[@SekonicGlobal]

Hey Rich, Ab here. We appreciate your input and will look to improve our content. We still hope you found some take aways. -Ab