In a message dated 8/10/05 3:04:41 PM, CaptBike@sheldonbrown.com writes:
>
> The "ugly bike stand" allows him to do much quicker setup going from
> bike to bike, that's how he keeps the cost so low.
>
> Snip<<
The main lights were a pair of floods aimed through home-made diffusers. The diffusers were wooden frameworks, perhaps 2 feet wide, 5 feet tall, with diffusion material. I seem to recall that he had two layers of diffusion material toward the middle of each screen to reduce hot spots.
He uses a Nikon D70 digital SLR, and a Gitzo tripod.
Hi all CR member,
Mr, Brown got very god observations. There are several nice bike stand which are very stable and less noticeable. I do not remember make or name but one folds down nicely but when you strech it out, it hold B/B shell and front wheel (at bottom)to stablize a hole bike. It had very little obstruction to subject ( vintage bicycle).
Can some member tell me what it was? We photographed two bike with the stand.
If I may, I would like to share some high lights for better bike photography .
Yes, we used Canon 10D which is about the same camera as Nikon D70. Even any piont to shoot cameras, remember to use "long" ot tight angle setting on its
zoom which give you better "perspective" rendition. Never use "wide" angle setting.
As you know, if you set your focal length (zoom setting) for longer, the depth of field get less, to correct this we had to slow down shutter speed to maintai n very high "F" stop as F=16 or 22. This why we used a long exposure time and a
good TRIPOD.
Lighting source, never use small light source as direct "flash". You should have reflector/ diffusor to make lihgt source bigger and softer. We used tungsten (3200/K)
source to control reflections of smooth/shiney surface. It took us 4X of 650W quartz lamps, total 2,600 watts.
Or if you can find "open shade" only sky light no direct sunlight, it will b e good. I suggest that you can make 4' by 7' (or so) frame by PVC pipe or 2"X 2" woodstrip, and attach cheap-thin while flat bed sheet from Walmart (or thin curtain material from Piece goods store) you can make reflector/diffusor to control reflections and lighting.
Get your memory card ready and shoot, replay, then "delete" till shot you like to turn out.
No wondered, we photographer do not get photoshoot job very much any more, because of those new competition in our busines, trial-error, by accidnetal result photographers..
Best Regard to all,
KEN TODA, still digital innovations killing our business, in High Point, NC