Flashbulbs at DVinfo.net

Dana Salsbury · August 27th, 2008, 12:02 AM

I'm editing a wedding where the photographer boasted of shooting over 5,000 shots. I'm sure he did, because my footage is like staring into a strobe light. Is there a filter that can offset flashes by detecting their variance with normal brightness? I know their could never be a filter to remove the pre-shot laser grid on the bride's face.

Has anyone been successful working with wedding photographers on using more steady lighting and less grid-to-flash?

Peter Szilveszter · August 27th, 2008, 12:21 AM

I can suggest a Deflicker option which is normaly used for timelapse type footage where the exposure can vary frame to frame but it may work on constant flashes going off, I haven't tried this before but figured something like a deflicker option might actually work.

I think FCP has a included plugin under filters and there is one for Premiere and VirtualDub.

Stelios Christofides · August 27th, 2008, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dana Salsbury

I'm editing a wedding where the photographer boasted of shooting over 5,000 shots.

He might as well take a video instead...:-) It's like betting all the numbers on a roulette table.

Stelios

Tom Hardwick · August 27th, 2008, 01:30 AM

Just be thankful you're using an FX1 Dana, and not a V1 or EX1 or Z7 with CMOS chips. Have you seen what the rolling shutter effect has on electronic flash? You get really nasty ½ or ¼ of the frame grossly over-exposed and it looks so unnatural.

It's one of the reasons I hang onto my Z1 for wedding shoots. The paparazzi fire away in the ceremony, cake cutting, dancing, speeches and so on, and a typical wedding film can contain 100 flashes, easy.

I rather like the effect if only because CCDs handle flash so nicely and the couple are 'in the spotlight'. I even ask the tog to fire more flashes at times to up the 'celebrity' status of the couple.

tom.

Dana Salsbury · August 27th, 2008, 01:50 AM

I guess that's true that sometimes it creates a nice effect. At this wedding my wife and I were both shooting and so one of us would get nailed by his flash. He had a double flash system where his camera would flash and his assistant would hold a flash that fired at the same time about 10ft away from him. He also had a video light umbrella on on the corner of the dance floor that blew several of my shots when I forgot about it.

Dave Blackhurst · August 27th, 2008, 06:17 PM

Dang, sounds like another job for the blowgun/monpod!!

Dana Salsbury · August 28th, 2008, 08:35 AM

Ooh, I never thought of a blowgun. I had always wanted a tazer, but thought it would be too much of a distraction. I squirt gun is nice, but a pain to stow. Hmm, I'll have to think on the blowgun.

Here's the video btw: Phoenix AZ Videography - HD Videographer in Scottsdale Arizona.

Tom Sessions · August 28th, 2008, 01:47 PM

I'm actually shooting a wedding in October with a photog that tries to compete with the videographer on how many frames per second he can shoot. I originally turned down this wedding and then the wedding planner said she would put the Vulcan mind meld on the guy if he tried that crap and the bride said she was prepared to kick him in the jewels as well. This is one of those rare instances where the video is costing more than the photo....woo hoo!!

August 27th, 2008, 12:02 AM	#1
Dana Salsbury Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 859	Flashbulbs I'm editing a wedding where the photographer boasted of shooting over 5,000 shots. I'm sure he did, because my footage is like staring into a strobe light. Is there a filter that can offset flashes by detecting their variance with normal brightness? I know their could never be a filter to remove the pre-shot laser grid on the bride's face. Has anyone been successful working with wedding photographers on using more steady lighting and less grid-to-flash? __________________ www.LegacyHDV.com Weddings \| Corporate \| HMC150s \| FCPX \| Encore \| Lion

August 27th, 2008, 12:21 AM	#2
Peter Szilveszter Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Yeppoon, Queensland Posts: 332	I can suggest a Deflicker option which is normaly used for timelapse type footage where the exposure can vary frame to frame but it may work on constant flashes going off, I haven't tried this before but figured something like a deflicker option might actually work. I think FCP has a included plugin under filters and there is one for Premiere and VirtualDub. __________________ www.livinglens.com.au \| www.livinglens.com.au/blog

August 27th, 2008, 01:50 AM	#5
Dana Salsbury Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 859	I guess that's true that sometimes it creates a nice effect. At this wedding my wife and I were both shooting and so one of us would get nailed by his flash. He had a double flash system where his camera would flash and his assistant would hold a flash that fired at the same time about 10ft away from him. He also had a video light umbrella on on the corner of the dance floor that blew several of my shots when I forgot about it. __________________ www.LegacyHDV.com Weddings \| Corporate \| HMC150s \| FCPX \| Encore \| Lion

August 28th, 2008, 08:35 AM	#7
Dana Salsbury Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 859	Ooh, I never thought of a blowgun. I had always wanted a tazer, but thought it would be too much of a distraction. I squirt gun is nice, but a pain to stow. Hmm, I'll have to think on the blowgun. Here's the video btw: Phoenix AZ Videography - HD Videographer in Scottsdale Arizona. __________________ www.LegacyHDV.com Weddings \| Corporate \| HMC150s \| FCPX \| Encore \| Lion

August 27th, 2008, 01:30 AM	#4
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Just be thankful you're using an FX1 Dana, and not a V1 or EX1 or Z7 with CMOS chips. Have you seen what the rolling shutter effect has on electronic flash? You get really nasty ½ or ¼ of the frame grossly over-exposed and it looks so unnatural. It's one of the reasons I hang onto my Z1 for wedding shoots. The paparazzi fire away in the ceremony, cake cutting, dancing, speeches and so on, and a typical wedding film can contain 100 flashes, easy. I rather like the effect if only because CCDs handle flash so nicely and the couple are 'in the spotlight'. I even ask the tog to fire more flashes at times to up the 'celebrity' status of the couple. tom.

August 27th, 2008, 06:17 PM	#6
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Dang, sounds like another job for the blowgun/monpod!!

August 28th, 2008, 01:47 PM	#8
Tom Sessions Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 154	I'm actually shooting a wedding in October with a photog that tries to compete with the videographer on how many frames per second he can shoot. I originally turned down this wedding and then the wedding planner said she would put the Vulcan mind meld on the guy if he tried that crap and the bride said she was prepared to kick him in the jewels as well. This is one of those rare instances where the video is costing more than the photo....woo hoo!!