how many lighting watts for a small studio (1-door garage)?

[PanaDP]

The color of tungsten lamps makes them more contrasty than electronic flash. It is like using an orange filter on your lens. The difference is not major, but was stated in response to someone who claimed that electronic flash was more contrasty. See my previous post to see that we agree.

Also, I think you got something in your last sentence switched around.

You are incredibly mistaken.

Color of a light has absolutely nothing to do with its contrast characteristics. If it did, we wouldn't be able to create soft blue light as well as soft red light, hard blue light as well as hard red light.

An orange filter on the lens does absolutely nothing to increase or decrease contrast. It will filter out the complimentary colors of light, nothing more. This will darken those colors on black and white film. On color film, it will remove blue light form the image, tinting the scene orange.

I will add that other colors of filters can have the effect of increasing contrast as well. Imagine a scene full of middle values of both blue and red. On panchromatic film, it will photograph very, very flat because the film can't distinguish between colors, only tones of light or dark. Now add a blue filter to the camera. All of the blues in the scene will photograph much darker than the reds, producing contrast in the image. Now consider that you can do that with any color of filter. There is nothing special about your orange filter or orange light that inherently has or bestows higher contrast.

 

[2F/2F]

You are incredibly mistaken.

Color of a light has absolutely nothing to do with its contrast characteristics. If it did, we wouldn't be able to create soft blue light as well as soft red light, hard blue light as well as hard red light.

An orange filter on the lens does absolutely nothing to increase or decrease contrast. It will filter out the complimentary colors of light, nothing more. This will darken those colors on black and white film. On color film, it will remove blue light form the image, tinting the scene orange.

No, nothing in my last sentence is switched around. If you have trouble lighting with contrast, it is no fault of the fixtures.

Go test your theory, then come back and report. I have, and that is why I am saying what I am saying.

On black and white film, a hot light and a flash will have different contrasts, although slightly, as I said. Of course a filter does what you say it does. We are talking about studio portraits on black and white film here. Find me a real studio portrait application on black and white film (without painted faces) in which an orange filter does not increase contrast on the model's face, however. I never said you can't create different qualities of light using different colors. I said that warmer light will make the pix in question more contrasty due to the film's color response. I am not talking about a major change here. Read my previous post to see this (the first I made in the thread).

I also used the word "inherently", meaning without modification. If you read my earlier post, you see that I make the same point you do about flashes and tungsten lamps being indiscernible for the most part.

I didn't say anywhere that I have trouble with flash or tungsten lamps creating too much contrast. It was Jim Noel who said that flashes are higher in contrast. I said in response that hot lights actually are. You are right in saying that this was stated incorrectly. It is not the LIGHTS that are more contrasty, but the NEGATIVES shot in that light.

And yes, you did have something switched in your post. I told you simply to inform you to edit the change, which you did. You are not wrong. You just got a word mixed up. Then you changed it, denied it, and gave me attitude for suggesting that it had been switched. You stated that "If you have trouble with strobes producing too-high contrast, you need to flag off the spill better; it's bouncing around your studio and lowering contrast."

We don't really disagree if you read my earlier post. Just forget the attitude and relax. We are in agreement for the most part. It would also be a good idea to follow standard Internet etiquette and read the entire post before responding, especially if you are as of yet a newish user.

 

[PanaDP]

On black and white film, a hot light and a flash will have different contrasts, although slightly, as I said. Of course a filter does what you say it does. Find me a real studio portrait application in which an orange filter does not increase contrast.

This is true. They will have different contrasts. Whichever one produces greater contrast depends on the subject, you can't just claim one always produces greater contrast. perhaps I missed where you originally stated that your statements only applied to portraits on B&W film.

As for a studio portrait situation where an orange filter does not produce higher contrast, I can look to nearly every portrait of a caucasian on panchromatic B&W film. Usually one uses an orange filter for portraits to diminish blemishes on the skin, because it reduces contrast between the base tone and the blemish tone. It may also darken some clothing, depending on the colors.

 

[2F/2F]

This is true. They will have different contrasts. Whichever one produces greater contrast depends on the subject, you can't just claim one always produces greater contrast. perhaps I missed where you originally stated that your statements only applied to portraits on B&W film.

As for a studio portrait situation where an orange filter does not produce higher contrast, I can look to nearly every portrait of a caucasian on panchromatic B&W film. Usually one uses an orange filter for portraits to diminish blemishes on the skin, because it reduces contrast between the base tone and the blemish tone. It may also darken some clothing, depending on the colors.

With regards to getting rid of the things you mentioned, this is an issue of local contrast concerns. The overall lightening of Caucasian (and even darker) skin by a warm filter does raise the overall contrast. Although, I feel this is whipping a dead horse. The first post I made really sez what I think about the OP's situation. Everything else was in response to another poster.

 

[argus]

dede95064,

you don't say what film you plan to use: 100ASA, 400ASA?

I have 2 continuous light softboxes for 8x10 portraits in studio or on location. All work with 5500K balanced powersaving bulbs, so the energy consumption is 5 times lower than the output power. Heating of the equipment is minimal with this kind of bulbs.
The first gives me 1000W output (8 bulbs - controlled in pairs), the smaller (5 bulbs) gives me an additional 625W output.

Continous light is mostly interesting for focussing with your 8x10 camera, don't forget! I can go up to f16 on full power, with 100ASA film pushed to 250ASA. All depending on the distance of the lights off course...

G

 

[Skorzen]

just for a point of reference, using a Norman P2000D with one LH-2000 with 2000 w/s I was able to get to f32 on 100 iso film with the head bounced in a silver umbrella about 4 feet from my subject. Shooting higher ISO should help things a lot a well.