Another in the continuing saga of Strobist Lighting 102. The assignment was to use a single flash combined with some other light modifier to make it appear as if there is more than one light source. You had your choice of three concepts: financial planning, going green or physical fitness. I chose the going green concept.

My first thought was to shoot our recycling bin and its associated contents. I first turned over the bin on the coffee table and tried putting the flash behind it for some backlighting and a huge mirror on the opposite side to reflect some light on the front of the trash. I got some nice glow through the back of the bin and the reflected light from the front worked pretty well, but the edges were ugly. Walls and couches and clocks showed around the edges of the bin. Light from the flash spilled around the edges, too. Snooting the flash didn’t allow enough reflected light from the front.

I abandoned my first plan and just shot a pile of stuff piled on the table with the flash fired into a silver umbrella and a reflector on the opposite side to reflect. I used the mirror in some shots and a piece of white cardboard in others as the reflector. That kept the light from spilling on other living room objects so the background went pretty well black, though there was a little spill on a white pillow on camera right. I was too lazy to get up and move the pillow. I think the shot you see here is one with the white cardboard. I figure the shot could be used to illustrate the concept of what’s acceptable to recycle.

Here’s Abe again modeling for me on the Strobist Lighting 102 assignment concerning umbrella specular reflections. The idea is shoot a portrait using an umbrella to create a specular reflection behind the subject so as to outline the shadow side. It worked pretty well, I think, even though the wall I used for a backdrop is not highly reflective. I’m still not happy with Abe’s modeling. I think it might be because he makes his own specular reflection.

I love this jar o corks that sits on our kitchen counter. I shot it back when I got my TTL cord for my little SB400 flash and I was pretty pleased with how it turned out. When I read the Strobist Lighting 102 exercise about specular highlights I said “Snap, I can try that out on the jar o corks.” (I didn’t really say “snap.” That would be stupid.)

I know there is a great shot to be had involving this jar and the corks. I just don’t think this is it. I did learn a great deal about moving the highlight around and making it bigger or smaller, however. I tried to use a desk lamp diffused with some tracing paper to provide some backside fill. To balance the light from the lamp, I tried a CTO gel on the flash, but I couldn’t get it right. The lamp made a specular reflection of its own, compounding the problems. I seem to remember reading on the Strobist something about bouncing the light around with mirrors to fake like there’s more than one flash. Maybe I’ll try that.

Strobist info: Vivitar 285HV camera left at 1/16 through a sheet of typing paper.