I used to use strobes for that kind of stuff. Safer, and does not help
fade the artworks. One 45 degrees to either side of the camera. Slave or
radio triggers help. Oh yes, and the Sunpacks I had a long time ago the
slaved light would shut off every time it fired (why I have a couple of
Norman 200B's instead) something to do with the auto-shutoff-circuit, so
that is something to look out for.
graywolf
http://www.graywolfphoto.com
"Idiot Proof" <==> "Expert Proof"
-----------------------------------
David wrote:
Here's a little background
My Mother has been selling quilts in local craft and art shows for
quite some time now but recently she's been submitting her quilts to
higher end shows that require you to send in slides of your quilts to
get in. She has used a local photographer who specializes in quilt
photography for a while but she wants to take the slides herself to
save money. She took a class on quilt photography so she knows most of
the basics but she's having trouble figuring out her lighting.
Here's her questions:
Here is what I am trying to figure out:
1. I have a pair of Smith Victor A100's bought on Ebay. The listing
said that they would take up to a 500W bulb but the lights themselves
list only bulb types for 250W. I emailed Smith Victor and they
responded that the 500W light extends past my 10" reflectors which is
why they don't recommend using them. Other than the need to be very
careful that nothing touches the bulb, is there any reason why I can't
use the bigger light bulb?
2. I want to use a dimmer switch to conserve the color of my tungsten
lights between shots. Smith Victor recommends a DC-1 control but
doesn't say how much wattage I can run through it. Can I use a heavy
weight multiple outlet extension cord and put all 1000 Watts (both
lights) through the same dimmer?
3. I am shopping for a cheap solution to buying a soft box for each
light. My objective is to photograph flat art up to four feet square
on an occasional basis (when I can't count on Seattle sun) and I would
like my equipment to be very storable. I found on-line patterns for
non-collapsible soft boxes but they are cumbersome - also couldn't
find a source for diffusion fabric in small quantities (except for 18"
X 24" sheets which I think would be too small). One source said to
make frames out of lathe, attach the cloth, them clip them to posts
anchored in cans full of plaster of paris. Cheap, could work, but need
source of fabric and recommendation for size!
Thanks in advance for any advise,
David
