Studio Model Photography Two

Just came back from another practice studio photography session and it was a complete disaster.

Somehow my S6500fd simply refused to work with the studio lights - most of the photos were so underexposed that they are practically black.

At first, I used the recommended settings (ISO 100, 1/100 sec, f/11) in manual mode, using forced flash to trigger the studio rig.

To my utter befuddlement, this is how it turned out...



















Nice silhouette effect huh?

Actually, this photo is a crock of shit.

The camera did trigger the studio flash, but no matter what I tried, it could not take in the studio lighting at all.

I am guessing that the S6500fd, which is a prosumer, operates differently from a dSLR.

Instead of firing the flash once the shutter opens, I think that my camera actually fires its flash immediately before the shutter closes, thus rendering the studio lights irrelevant.

While other people were happily snapping away and getting accurately exposed photos, I continued to fight with my camera by desperately trying every mode I can think of.

Unfortunately I was still trading one black photo for yet another black photo...















This is the best low ISO photo I can eke out using manual settings.

Can you even barely see a human being in the picture?

Let me try improve it by doing a significant amount of post-processing on the photo...















Ah... slightly better.

So the model is definitely in the picture; it's only her clothing that's barely there.

Anyway, that's a terribly over-enhanced photo. I tried nearly everything on the camera... except slow synchro flash.

Maybe that'll work (yeah right).

Eventually I gave up and used its full-auto mode, which stupidly selects high ISO to capture some barely passable photos.

Suffice to say that the S6500fd is rubbish for studio shoots - go get a real SLR (even any old film one will do better) to make best use of studio lights.

What an exercise in frustration!



















Despite being preoccupied with all that camera wrangling - if I recall correctly there was in fact a HOT bikini babe somewhere in that studio.

Just thought that you'd be interested.

Enjoy!



















Hotness.



















HOTness.



















HOTNESS.

I've heard somewhere that all serious sciencey magazines have "swimsuit editions" - just like that Psychology Today magazine that Charlie Sheen was studying in the Hot Shots! movie.

Maybe I should turn this into a regular feature.

Nah.


Would you like to know more?

Previous model photo sessions:
- First studio shoot at PSS
- Outdoor shoot at Fort Canning
- Indoor shoot at Imaging Expo 2007