Why you shouldn’t use continuous LED lights for some types of portrait photography
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2024
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In today’s video we’re going to cover why you shouldn’t use continuous lights for portraits
I love my daylight LED Aputure lights, because they allow me to light my videos like a photographer, with the same gear that I use to shoot stills. But don’t let that fool you. That doesn’t mean that I think you should use continuous lights for photography, in fact I think that is a really bad idea.
I get it, often times continuous lights are cheaper than flashes, you don’t have to wait for them to recycle, and what you see is what you get, but there are several reasons why constant lights fall short
And it all kind of revolves around one problem - they aren’t bright enough for professional use. Which leads you to sacrificing one or all three sides of the exposure triangle. To understand more about the exposure triangle I’m going to put a link on the screen up here and you can click on that for more information.
Overcoming available light
Now unless your continuous light is a gigantic power eating monster that you would see on a blockbuster movie set, you are not going to be able to overpower available light outdoors. And even if you did have one of these power hungry monsters at your disposal, your subject would end up squinting like Clint Eastwood because the light would need to be ridiculously bright. So using flash would be a way better choice when shooting in sunlight.
Also in indoor environments you’re going to end up probably mixing light sources and that’s going to create all sorts of color contamination issues, particularly in your shadows. Tungsten lights are going to warm the shadows and God for bid there are CFL‘s because those are going to make your subjects skin look green.
Depth-of-field
One of the things that makes a picture professional is clarity or an overall general sharpness.
While there are sliders for these things in any post processing application, it’s never going to be the same thing as when you capture it in the camera. Using constant light is going to cause you to have to open up your aperture almost all of the way which is going to lead to your images being less sharp and it’s going to lead to less of your images being in focus.
Imagine for a moment using a 100 mm F2.8 lens for a headshot at 2.8. Only the subjects eyes are going to be in focus and as you stop down to say F8, the area that’s in focus will be from their nose to almost to their ear.
Stopping down will allow you to get more images in focus and each individual one will be sharper overall. If you’re shooting an environmental portrait more of your background will be in focus than if you shot wide open and your background is a prime character in your composition when you’re working in that type of environment.
Now I know aesthetically 1.4 is going to give you a cool and interesting scene but if you need to show detail in hair or make up or their jewelry, shooting wide-open isn’t going to cut it.
I’ve had my clients say to me so many times as they were reviewing the images on my computer “wow that is so clear” and if you want that type of reaction you were going to need to use an F stop is in the middle of your f-stop range.
Freezing motion
When your flash fires the light emanates from the flash to in an extreme fraction of a second and that pulse of light freezes movement. So if you want to capture a person jumping or you want a to have a models hair wiping though the are from a Beyonce fan. you are going to need an extremely short flash duration in order to freeze that motion. To learn more about this topic please click on this link.
Now while this may require you to own a more expenses flash or to turn down the flash power, there is no way you’re going to be able to get your shutter speed high enough while using continuous lights in a studio to freeze motion.
High ISO
Another problem with continuous light is noise from from using high ISOs. Maybe the lights are just dim in the first place and then you have to crank up the ISO, or maybe you’re trying to increase your shutter speed to try to try and freeze motion or maybe you’re trying to stop down to get those the earrings in focus. Regardless of the reason, you’re going to have to increase the ISO and that is going to lead to noise and a decrease in image quality.
So if you’re using continuous light in some contexts you can get away with it, but it’s nowhere near as versatile as using flash.
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Wow! Thanks for posting this! I found out about your channel through my news feed and am glad I clicked on this video! I've tried using LED lights in the past for my portraits, but they rarely came out right. The high ISO settings made the photos look grainy. Not that that's a bad thing per se, but that's not the look I want for every image. Not to mention the strain on the model's eye (in one shoot, the model was tearing up😭.) It took a lot of trial and error to come to the realization that continuous lighting, at least for me, is not a good lighting source for portraits.
Thank you so much for leaving this comment Breona! I really appreciate it. Someone like you was exactly the type of photographer I had in mind when I made this video. There are some very specific instances where continuous lights work well, but for general purpose photography they just don't work and I would hate to see people invest their money in something that pigeon holes them into linkedin close-ups.
No doubt your at the top of your field in Commercial Portraits, and your analysis and comparisons of Strobes / CL are all spot on, but CL has its merits. It can be far more dramatic, romantic, mysterious and manipulated. I know your channel is focused on the Commercial aspect but I felt necessary to add my points for those watching that aren’t Commercial Artists. Why would those people be watching? Because your very good and have a teaching style that is very approachable. In my experience the approach to CL just has to be different from the start, I look to achieve all my effects and final tones ‘in Camera’, I want to do as little post work as possible. I spend the time on the front side of the project, not the back. I look to manipulate natural light not overpower it. But again this isn’t commercially viable in your world most likely. I’ve been lighting Film and TV for many years and we can all learn from one another, the day that stops is the day I retire. Hopefully you take these comments the way I intended as constructive observation. Again I’m here to learn from you and really hold your channel and talent in the highest regard. You clearly stand way out in this field in my opinion. Last thought: Clint Eastwood’s squint has done him pretty good, dare I say made him an icon. Hope you’re well and safe.
I just stumbled across this channel. Not only was this video informative, but you seem like a genuine and awesome human. Also an amazing photographer!
Wow, thank you so much!!
Great video and explanation! It's fantastic to be able to overpower daylight or maybe more used to balance daylight with flash. The colors in the shadows becomes much clearer also with flash/enough light. The difference is actually huge.
Glad it was helpful!! Thanks!
Hi John. Yes it’s me again from across the pond. Love your videos. There was one thing that I feel is a good point to mention on this video. You touched on the subject when talking about mixing other lights in your shot. These continuous lights fall short on colour with their colour rendering index (CRI) and they do not cover 100%. The good ones get to about 95% CRI. Flash is 100%. This will cause all kinds of headaches in post if you want accurate colour. Hope this helped. Looking forward to the next video.
Great point! Thanks again and talk to you soon!
Thanks John, I was trying to figure out if I should use my strobe light or my new 120D in a single light situation. I couldn't tell the differences from my first set of test shots but a few minutes in to the video your point on needing more power without blinding the subject made sense.
Glad it helped. Thank you! Continous lights can work some of the time, I just don't think they will be very practical most of the time.
I just started using a Rotolight NEO 2, kinda expensive products but good enough for my current needs and keeps things small and light. I still use a speed light when I need more power.
I don't claim to be a professional but I've enjoyed doing hobbyist portraiture with various continuous lighting setups. Understanding both the limitations and creative aspects of it is important...plus these days with camera sensors being more advanced, ISO 1000 (for instance) on a Canon R5 does not show the same noise as a camera from a few years ago. So the "wiggle room" is there. That said, I am looking forward to trying out speedlights and other lighting in the future to have more tools at my disposal for fun photography.
I use both depending on the results I want to get. I recently shot a model at a restaurant using two LED lights plus the available lights hanging from the ceiling. While I had to shoot wide open (getting the bokeh I wanted) the shutter speed was 250 and iso 100. Sometimes, depending on the scene, using flash takes much longer for me to get right but If I were to shoot enviromental portraits or groups of people I’d definately use flash.
Yeah I hear ya. My overall point was I don't think people just starting out should spend their money on continuous lights first, because often times they aren't versatile enough.
Thank you very much for the explanations! I'm just hobbyist who just shoots portrait of my daughter indoor, I'm using an old mirrorless camera (NX30). This video explains why my daughter's photo often had a green tint on skin or face, it was my cfl bulb in my room I thought it was the camera.
Thank you! Glad it was helpful.
This is a good video that covers the downside to LEDs well. However, I think it is worth noting that you absolutely can shoot amazing portraits with continuous LEDs. Off the top of my head, Martin Schoeller and Peter Hurley both use them to great effect. The issue is that they have to be reasonably powerful and you have to place them pretty close to your subject. You also can’t stop down as much or shoot at a super high shutter speed. So they aren’t as versatile. But if all you want them for is to shoot close up portraits in a studio, they work great, and there are some obviously benefits.
Thanks. Sure thing. That's why I said at the end they can work well for some applications.
So on 600d pro you put them full power up close and put shutter speed down to what? 125 or 250 ? What should my fstops be around ?
@@creativegreats6924 personally I shoot hand held so I like to have my shutter speed at 800-1000. I set my f stop depending on what depth of field I want, and then I control exposure by just cranking up ISO, which on a good camera can go to around 1,000 or more without any noticeable noise. That gives me the crispest focus.
@@williamwilder1459 you put your shutter that high with continuous led lighting ?
@@creativegreats6924 yeah. You just need reasonably bright lights. It that’s because I shoot hand held. If I used a tripod, I wouldn’t need such a high shutter speed
As per usual John, a damned good video. I’ve looked seriously at continuous lighting for my dog photography as some dogs really react badly to flash. As you say even with a very powerful LED light you cannot get the necessary illumination to make a professional image, and I’m using 300w cob leds that output the equivalent of a 1000w incandescent light and they just don’t cut it.
Thank you so much Andrew. I am sorry to hear you had to go through this. I can only imagine how frustrating that would be too with dogs that don't want to sit still.
I agree with all of this! Tried it and found out the hard way. I didn’t get rid of my LED’s, though. I actually use both for studio work now.
Thanks and sorry to hear that. I made this video to prevent people from investing limited funds in something that wasn't very versatile.
Thank you for the video a lot! That what I needed! ♥️
You're so welcome! Thank you!
Brilliant explanation and insight! As an aside on stopping motion with flash, if anyone ever tries their hand at splash photography, you can get a "real life" preview of your capture if you look at the liquid surface at the exact moment that the flash fires. It's kind of surreal!
Thanks David! That must be fun to see in the dark!
@@JohnGress it is but the effect is also visible with normal ambient light too, I think because even a very low powered flash is strong enough to overcome the ambient light
cool!
I actually use continuous light in studio a flash outdoors. My studio is blacked out so I don't need to worry about overco.ing ambient light, and as a headshot photographer I love capturing spontaneous moments which you can miss with flash recycle time.
Thanks John, I was about to pull the trigger on some continuous lights for in-home photography.
Thank you Chris. They could work in limited circumstances but they won't be that versatile.
Perfect explanation. I think this video should be mandatory education for anyone that’s into any type of photography!
Thank you so much!🙏🏼🙏🏼😊😊
much appreciate the effort and the sharing. thank you for a thoughtful and informative YT vid. stay safe. thumbs up.
Thanks, you too!
Thanks so much for this info and saving me money. I was thinking of trying to get better light on myself for video...maybe use led as a fill and then thought I might be able to combine my strobe with the led I bought. I shoot a lot of dance as a photographer and love strobe lights for peak action shots. Hmmm...I noticed your foldable v-flat and now that I am reduced to a smaller space I think this would be a better use from my stipend fund. I had to get rid of an oversized boom also and now am in the market for a smaller -stand boom....thanks again! Stay safe and creative. Yes, I did subscribe...
Thanks Jan! I really appreciate it and happy shooting!
Thank you. It makes sense now because you described it in a way I could understand.
Glad it helped!
This was a good video yet again. Lots of points i lever tought About . Not that i was going to sell my strobes anyway im way to addicted with the impact strobes gives you . To set it up and take the photo and see how you totally charges the look and moor of the place
Thank you so much! its a lot of fun previsualizing the outcome and then having the images match!
John, once again, thank you for the insight, and being very clear in the explanation. I have a question regarding this subject. What if you're using a LED flash unit, like the Rotolight Neo 2? I use this, mainly when doing outdoor night shots, and as you have said, there are light leaks that I pick up from street lights, or other random sources. What is your opinion on LED Strobe, flash units? 🐻
Thank you so much! I am not really familiar with the product, but I looked at the specs and, it doesn't look terrible but it also doesn't look very bright. The benefit of flash is the versatility that comes from the high volume of light that they can emit and your ability to use it in any modifier of your choice. Pointing a raw light at someone and getting f5.6 isn't the same as filling a large softbox and shooting at f5.6 ISO 100.
Very interesting. I was thinking about getting a continuous light to use with some of my film cameras. Kind of a catch all setup that can be used with any camera. You've given me some stuff to think about. 🙂
Continuous light can be great for some applications but they do lack versatility.
This is my new favorite channel. I bought the Canon R5 and I’m so thankful for the tutorial videos. Can you please recommend a flash receiver and any other accessories you have for your R5? Thank you.
Thank you so much Tim! I am not sure what you mean by flash receiver.
@@JohnGress Wireless Flash Trigger Receiver Speedlite. Thanks!
I use Elinchrom lights and transmitters and these are the lights I use most of the time in my studio. czcams.com/video/wmzqRmHJoNU/video.html Outdoors I use the Elinchrom ELB 500s.
super clear, thank you man =)
Thank you!
I shoot headshots (also) with led lights, but the only way of using it is in "Peter's Hurley style", so lights super close on subject, then I can shoot 1/200s f4 100iso, and up to 400iso if I really need DoF, which is fine with my R6. Any other way, just use strobes :)
Right on. That’s exactly what I was thinking when I said some instances at the end.
I'm learning so much from you. Thank you
That's great to hear! Thank you.
Great video man, but you can also freeze action with a much slower shutter speed when using a flash with rear curtain shutter without using HSS.
Thanks! I hope I didn't give that impression. Flash duration for the most part is what freezes motion not the shutter speed, provided you are over powering the existing light.
@@JohnGress yeah, that’s correct. I don’t think you implied that I was just saying
Thanks! Sometimes I’ll listen to a video and then cringe hoping people not take something the wrong way.
@@JohnGress no, you’re good man. Great info that people definitely need to know!
One of my favorite photography channels! Keep delivering great, professional content John. Much love.
Wow, thank you so much!
Such great points!!!
Thanks!!
Nice video, same reason for me why I don't use the . Tried the Bron HMI1600 once. Had enough power but was hell for the model!
Right! Those are 1.2k HMIs in the BTS shots and I bet that was hell, outdoors through diffusion.THe DR I was getting back then from DSLRs made outdoor scenes hell. Thanks!
@@JohnGress Continuos light only make sense when you work in promos hootsAlthoughProfoto B10 with me as a key light and do quick shot between takes.
I meant to say I was using the 1.2ks for video not stills.
What would recommend for vintage acoustic instrument portraiture? Thanks for the lesson, John.
Sure thing. This may help czcams.com/video/94fF_B2Z-tM/video.html
amazing I always wondered about this
I hope it helped!
Great video, thank you! Love your dry sense of humour ;) I just bought a strobe (Westcott FJ400). Do you think I can use my continuous light (same model as the light you used to create your video) as a back hair light, or will a strobe overpower a continuous light altogether? Basically, can I mix strobe and continuous, if I'm using the strobe as the key and continuous for backlighting?
Thanks! You can mix and the flash can completely overpower the continuous. But if you were using the constant light for a background light or a hair light, you will be fine most of the time, unless its a 120 and not a 300. However, when you mix continuous and flash, you can get motion blur from the constant light if it's striking a person.
@@JohnGress Thank you, John! I have a 300 continuous, so I'll give it a shot!
Absolutely perfect vidoe
Great presentation! The one thing that I do with my camera (I'm not a pro) and that you didn't mention is taking pictures of my 2 dimensional paintings for prints. If I understood what you were saying it seems that my lighting could be continuous with an ISO of say 100 and still get sharp photos. Is that so or should I also be using a flash?
Thanks Steve. For stationary objects you can use any lighting you like so long as you are over powering any tungsten balanced light sources that are affecting your exposure.
Great video as always :)
Thank you so much!
Well, I have been using Rotolight AEOS LED lights for 4 years and they have served me well. When I shoot headshots I use them in Flash mode but I use them in continuous mode for product shots. I turn the modelling lights down since I am placing the lights very close to the subject. I have always been able to shoot at ISO 100 at 2.8 - 5.6 shooting through a scrim to make the light softer. When I am shooting products I am using long exposure time. This in a controlled studio environment with no other lights turned on. I have of course also used these lights for video. So you can use LED lights for photography in my opinion but are the as good as strobes? Absolutely not! I gave it a good try for 4 years but this summer I turned back to strobes. Endless power and much more choice of modifiers.
This is real fact full information from real Pro photographer, Very informative !
Thank you so much! You can use them in some instances, I just don't think they are versatile enough for photographers who have limited gear.
What light would you recommend a beginner shooting mostly fashion?
czcams.com/video/94fF_B2Z-tM/video.html
I like the professionalism that you project and how clear your able to explain stuff. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us! I put a few a few of your videos to watch later. 🙂
My pleasure! Thank you so much!
John. Great video again. A very valuable presentation. There is another aspect i would like to bring in: Eyes and pubil's of person's are very different in (very) bright continuous light, compared to 'normal' modeling light. Even the size of the eyes are different.. i think it is a good rule of thumb to have the modeling light bright enough to be able to focus correct (maybe AF). Not have a to dark of an environment so the pupils do not have the size of a coin, when the flash comes on. ;-)
Thanks and thanks for sharing! Some photographers I know use constant lights to affect the persons pupils but that light does not contribute to the overall exposure.
I enjoyed your video, but the title is a bit misleading. If you understand how and when to use LED you can certainly use them in photography. Not to mention that there is an LED system that will flash.
Thanks! My overall point is they aren’t very versatile and I would hate to see a beginner spend their money on something so limited, including the rotolights.
ok Have a question in regards to lighting. I have the Amazon lighting setup and I have notice that the continues light doesn't really give me the look that I want. So in that case...what lighting do you recommend to get?
The next step up would be Godox or Alien Bees, but they may not offer longjevity. This is a solid reliable choice one step up from that amzn.to/35XZhbm
Im not a rofessional photograher, but i love taking pictures of nature and myself, lately i've been experimenting with photoshop as well, learning slowly, but i have som ideas i want to try. just moved to my own apartment with lots of space, so im setting up a mini studio in my living room, near large windows with lots of light. i have bought a nikon d5300 that arrives in the mail tomorow. I mostly want to take beautiful, proffesional looking photos of myself and my friends, i have invested in a softbox with a regular light, and an umbrella with silver and gold. I want to experiment with color portraits body shots and black and white portraits, can you reccomend me what more i need for this mini studio, to get proffesional looking photos, how to create shadows, and what light can i use, when i wont be going outside or taking movement pictures? on a budget ofc, i find that its very confusing and i dont know what to buy
Lighting is the most important item in any studio. This is the best starter kit that I know of amzn.to/35XZhbm There are cheaper options but other kits are not made to last. Here is a video I made about the topic: czcams.com/video/94fF_B2Z-tM/video.html The other stuff like colored or white paper backdrops are pretty straight forward. Savage is the brand that comes to mind.
Would the new aputure 600d be bright enough? - based on their specs "Equipped with its native Hyper-Reflector, the 600d Pro can output 8,500 lux at 3 meters (10 feet). With the F10 Fresnel modifier, the combination can reach an illuminance of 29,300 lux at 3 meters in 15° spot. With a maximum power draw of 720W, the 600d Pro is on par with industry-standard HMI lights" Thank you.
It essentially would be as bright as the movie light I was using in the BTS pictures. While I’m sure it could work, I also think you’re going to run into problems with people squinting and motion blur when photographing movement and trying to have depth of field.
Thank you
Thank you! You're welcome.
You might appreciate this video too czcams.com/video/WifxpL6iqFw/video.html
Hi John. What do you think about continuous/led for still life and food photography?
I am sure they could be good for that if youre using a tripod and the food isn't moving. I'm not referring to Sushi that is still moving, but more so liquids.
100% disagree ... Ever heard of natural lighting? We use it all the time for food, just need the right light. it WILL be good for still life and for damn sure Food. Diffuse your LED like you would with flash. be sure the LED you use has some good power. Don't have to be Hollywood power, just powerful than your average cheapy weepy from amazon for $20. You can get some Neewer 300 LED lights for like $100 or so and it will produce some fantastic results. This guy contaminates the abilities and general elements to use these lights and sways people who don't really know how to see and work with lighting.
Thanks a lot! You tell all the “secrets” so we can all understand. THANKS!
So nice of you to say. thank you!
Besides the great content, i loved your sign off on this one!
Awesome! Thank you!
Excellent points!!
Thanks!
Hi John, always enjoyed your videos. Agreed with all that you have said. However, I was thinking of making use of continuous light as a useful tool for lighting the backdrop in a studio shoot environment. The backdrop does not move at all and I do not think the mix of using continuous light for backdrop and using flash on subject will have an averse affect on the overall picture, right?. Your thoughts on this please. Thank you very much.
Thank you! It would be fine to use them on a background. I think LEDs are great in some scenarios I just think flash is more versatile.
@@JohnGress Dear John, thank you very much for your reply, always nice to hear from you. Take care and stay safe :)
Does this rule apply if you’re using constant LED lights, ring lights as a model light? Or to set the ambiance a little on your subject? I own one speed light with a soft box and use constant lights for ambiance 🤔
Hi Dasean, modeling lights are fine, but if the LED lights are contributing to the exposure on your subject. then you may experience motion blur in your photos when shooting indoors.
@@JohnGress thank you ! Really appreciate the advice and great content
Sure thing! I could have done better but My overall intent for this video was to point out that LED lights were less versatile than flash and that photographers who are just starting out will be happier in the long run if they invest in flash over continuous.
Only a few months ago I wondered why my strobes thoroughly overpowered my new Neewer flat panel lights. Are continuous lights only good for previewing, and do any high wattage fresnels or hot lights come close to strobes?
Some LEDs may come close to some low power, low cost strobes, but for the most part continuous lights are going to be good, depending on there power, for tasks where you don't need to freeze motion and or you can have your lights close up to you subject. But there are rarely going to work for full length portraits and they aren't going to do anything outside during the day. The main point of my video was that continuous lights lack the versatility of flash and people just starting out would be better off not buying them.
@@JohnGress Thank you. Your series only just appeared due to the algorithm, and I have found it very instructive.
I don't feel a need for other lights on in the studio, shooting continuous (contamination). I know a lot changes in two years (just watched a great video about continuous lights outdoors).
John. You briefly touched a topic, i would like to ask you to maybe elaborate and share? I often have to use my portable flash system (ELB500) outside in daylight OCF (wedding, portraits, etc.) Almost as if someone were holding a reflector, brightening the scene/subject('s). Unfortunately, the R5 (in AV mode) has its own ideas, when detecting a Transmitter on its hot shoe. I have to laboriously switch off the transmitter and check the exposure and then on again. Actually only M mode works well. M in available light not super ideal: light can and does change quickly. How do you 'tame' the R5 in this aspect?
I always shoot in manual unless I am using available light and moving between rooms and outdoors.
@@JohnGress many tahnxs for coming back on this. It is the exact description of situations, where I prefer AV over M. I would lover of the R5 is 'ignoring' that a transmitter ist sitting on top. BUT still triggers..as i had it with my 5d II' and II's. (no help from R5) when the Item on the hot shoe is not a Canon Flash.
Realizing I've been using the wrong light all along for photography. Thank you!
No problem. Were you running into the problems I mentioned?
What about using a powerful LED light like Rotolight AEOS?
Most bare bulb lights are going to have usable specs for photography but if you add dissuasion they aren’t going to cut it.
I respectfully disagree on one ground, and this is probably more specific to headshots.
I get more eye color real estate with continuous lighting than I do with a speed light, the pupil doesn't have enough time to retract when flashed thus the iris isn't as prominent as it could be. Of course it's all very subjective to what you want to achieve.
We actually agree. I said at the end, they will work well for some people and what I meant by that were people like you. However, my overall point was that they lack versatility and I would hate to see people buy them, who are just starting out, thinking that flash and LED are equals.
What if I'm using something like that aputure 120D
In a softbox, you will have difficulty overpowering tungsten light sources and you'll also be unable to stop motion.
I agree that a key light needs to be a strobe. However, a hair light which is normally two stops under a key light can easily be a continuous light.
It could be, depending on the light, unless you're shooting something with movement .
Different situations calls for different equipment to be used. Indoor portraits where subject is pretty static. 60watts LED in a octabox f56 iso120 1/100 produces great images. Check Andre Carreta's works.
Correct, that's why I said they can be used for some circumstances, but mostly, they are impractical.
Yes, you got some points in the video, however, it depends how the photographer works; if it’s someone that make poses, and have a really « classical » way of shooting, flash are great. However, if you put your model in a situation and he/she has to play, improvise, I prefer constant lighting. And I have my camera on a tripod, so no need to go crazy on the ISO.
Meu fotógrafo inspiração
Obrigado! Eu realmente gostei disso!
Yo, the Clint Eastwood joke was hilarious, however, the forced smiled at each take had me laughing more. Great informative video.
Thanks Moe! Fighting the resting bitch face struggle is real!
@@JohnGress No doubt!
@@JohnGress , 😊we thought the smile was part of your "signature", something that's uniquely yours😀
One of the biggest problems I have with Continuous Lights: Blinding the subject. Often the best placement of the light results in extremely bright light right in the eyes. With strobe, because the flash is so fast, few complaints. Hard to work around sometimes.
Alas - the Clint Eastwood problem
@@JohnGress ? Even with Google, I'm not getting the reference. But I'm a fan!
He has a permanent squint
disagree。Not all photographers wants to shoot portraits on a studio, and some are very specific to their themes like I am with night portraits street photography. Is way better for me to carry around a hand held Godox LED308 in my left hand just to fill some shadows or harsh light coming from street lamps than carrying a a truck of tripods and equipments and flashes and blah blah blah trying to set a place that I will shoot and leave in 2-3 minutes. As I walk around with my models and finding places around the streets corners, flashes and umbrellas are just useless and time consuming
What if your just using it as a second light or as a backlight
It could work. My overall point was that LED lights aren’t as versatile and I wanted to guide new photographers making purchasing decisions to purchase flash because I think they will be happier in the long run.
@@JohnGress yea I was thinking I have a godox ad300 and maybe I can use my soft box to get more versatile shots
I decided to research LED lighting options this morning. I don't follow photography trends because I find it to be somewhat counter productive to my creativity. I totally expected this video to be click bait. To my surprise and delight, it was NOT click bait. It turns out my old Elinchrom strobes are still the best choice...and I'm not a dinosaur. At least that's what I'm gonna tell myself. 🦖 Thanks!
Ha! Thanks Wendy. I get the appeal but the potential usage for LED is so niche.
i think it’s about lumens/lux/candela. flash have thousands of lumens while led have fewer, only 500-1000 lumens in average
I'm one of few lucky people with a pitch black studio...
There's no chance I'd use them outside though. I didn't even buy the batteries in case I was tempted to try.
Ha. Glad you protected yourself. 😁 Thanks for sharing.
@@JohnGress I made a 6x3m white infinity wall (absolute pain in the ass) and most everywhere else is the blackest matt black I could find.
Great content, thanks 🙏
How about a soft boudoir photoshoot indoor? Most portrait photographers stay wide open
You could use them for a boudoir shoot since there won't likely be a lot of movement, but what if she wants to toss her hair? The overall theme I was hoping to convey was that LED lights are not very versatile and so its better for people with limited budgets to invest in flash.
So yes... I agree with this and..... but.. continuous light can be used if it’s the right type of set up and gear. You can easily pull f8 with continuous lights but it to so requires different mindset.
Cinema cameras are iso native around 800- 850, so iso 100 is several stops lower to start with compared to stills. So in using a stills camera or hybrids as most consumers / CZcamsr’s do; continuous light has to be brighter. I have yet to see a CZcams’r photographer actually choose correctly the right type of light to use for a larger set.,it’s always some 1k or less of led inside of modifier. It’s just not the right method.
If you want a better look you need a powerful source such as and HMI . There are other types of powerful lights too but the point is for continuous lighting the iso is higher and like you said it’s going to be far more expensive to achieve. It’s just not practical on a small photography set.
I don’t agree regarding the squinting, we light sets all the time with very powerful lighting and talent does not go blind or squint.
You will often achieve a better looking still outside with a large single powerful light source where a flash unit just can’t throw the light far or wide enough Or it becomes just an impractical set up of multiple strobes to what is easily accomplished by an HMI ( obviously with modifiers). One has to choose the lighting tools for the circumstances to achieve the intended outcome
Hi Paul, Like I said at 8:15 continuous lights can work for some people in some situations, but my overall point was that they are impractical for most photography. I made this video to prevent beginners from spending their money on something that probably wasn't going to work for them a lot of the time.
Totally agree , thanks for making this. It will save many people a lot of money and headaches !!
I wish I had learned this BEFORE I bought a lighting kit. I just thought it would be much easier than using strobes and I saw a few videos about how to light with one light, etc. But yes, now that I've shot a few, I understand why now the set was still so dark! Subscribing for more. Thanks!
Sorry you had that experience, but thank you for subscribing. I had someone like you in mind when I made this video. Since you mentioned it, here is a video featuring one light setups and I will have another one up soon. czcams.com/video/uOM5gKTgOtk/video.html
@@JohnGress Thanks, John. I saw that one too! :)
In your opinion, can someone get into portraiture only using natural light inside or out?
Sure they can, but at some point they will probably want to start using black.
Very useful. Thank you! I am setting up a booth outdoors at my Farmers' Market. I love the idea of capturing people mid-jump against a painted-white burlap backdrop. Do you have a recommendation or video on what is the best Flash + Softbox to use in a scenario like this (i.e. daylight)? I'll probably be using the RF 70-200mm f/2.8 as my primary lens.
Thanks Dana. I don't have one specifically for that. You may need a way to block the sun to put them in the shade. I do have a video about flash duration that may help - czcams.com/video/3xYZ1bbZv1c/video.html
@@JohnGress Interesting point. I will likely have the backdrop frame set up underneath a canopy/farmers market tent (white, no walls). So that would diffuse much of the sunlight during the day. I really just want one battery powered light on a tripod or c-stand with a diffuser (maybe the 100cm Rotalux Deep Octabox that you recommended in another video). I guess I'm looking at something like Godox AD400 or Profoto B10. Appreciate the response, I'll have fun playing with flash duration settings I'm sure :)
No problem. I’m think you’ll probably need something more powerful like the Elinchrom ELB1200.
Can anyone explain to this amateur hobbyist how it is flash duration and not shutter duration that freezes motion? I don't quite understand but I really want to.
Essentially if the flash you're using is the only light substantially contributing to the exposure, then the only thing that matters is the flash duration, the period of time it takes for the flash to discharge, which will in almost all cases be shorter than your shutter speed. So if you're taking photos in a lightless room at night, then you're freezing motion with flash duration. If you are adding light to a seen that has light, such that if you took a photo without the flash at the same settings, that photo would be almost blank, then you're flash duration is stopping motion and not your shutter speed. People get confused sometimes and think that you need HHS to stop motion, and the only time that is really true is outside on a sunny day. This tutorial I created goes into it in depth. If you're interested in checking it out, there is a three day free trial - johngress.com/member-exclusive-transitioning-from-window-light-to-flash-a-beginners-guide-to-portrait-lighting/
@@JohnGress I get it now, makes perfect sense. Thanks so much for taking the time to explain - appreciated.
Oh that is so great to hear. I find it is one of the hardest things to explain.
Also, with led lights you cannot cut out the ambient light a 100% right? unlike with strobes
Well you might have ambient light effect both, but its far more likely to happen with continuous lights.
@@JohnGress I see, what about using soft boxes with led lights?
Great video . I’m a first time viewer and new subscriber.
Welcome aboard! Thanks for subbing!
If your doing photo and video at the same time LED works.
Use the appropriate tool for the task at hand. Lights are just tools and you have to let the tools work for you. It is a pita when you have to overcome the shortcomings of your tool to solve a problem.
I had a pita with my dinner last night.
@@JohnGress yo quiero taco bell
What pushed me to continuous lights for headshots? A mix of pupil dilation / underpowered modeling lamps lol
I use both. Also lots of photographers use LED’s.
i really love my mom
John is half right and half wrong about this. In his studio environment, he is correct and this theory works for him and many others. I have to shoot in non-studio conditions, turning someone's home into a impromptu studio and setting up LED lights helps immensely. Of course, I always bring a speed light and may incorporate both or lean more towards the LED's or the Speedlight, just depends on the situation. With IS capabilities, a slower shutter and slightly higher ISO is really not a problem, plus factor in LED's temperature capabilities and so much less noise in ISO's. Shooting RAW + Post + whatever works in your situation = anything can be accomplished. It really just depends on what you need to get done. In my case and I think what is happening more and more many photographers is LED being used for a constant light
I use both................each to his or her on!!!
Sorry but it's a pretty click bait title. There's nothing wrong with using constant light if it's the look you're going for.
I don't think constant light is a look - light is light. But what I do think is that constant light lacks versatility when compared to flash.
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1:32 - best part
LOL Thanks!
Make my day!
This girl just shot with 200w lights iso 100!! Your hood up to 400 iso!!
And here come the triangle people...lol. Good perspective, interested in seeing what other perspectives weigh in :)
LOL. I can't wait!
😬 they’ll find you... 😂
I understand your points and respect them, but I disagree with you about depth of field in the studio. DOF doesn't always have to include a sharp background - whether seamless paper or more meaningful objects.
Although my studio work is 90% shot with flash, for some shots, like low light bodyscapes, LEDs are my goto lights. They've never failed me and I've never shot over 600-800 ISO. With my Nikons the "noise" looks like old school grain, but MUCH cleaner and magnitudes more attractive. My devalued $US 00.02.
Thanks. At least those two cents are worth more against other currencies 😉. All lights can be used and have value. I’m not sure what I said in detail back then, but my general motivation was to convey that flash was more versatile and likely a better investment For people buying their first lights. I should have done better at communicating that.
Having worked a lot in the beauty industry I’m often thinking about keeping the hair and makeup sharp too, so for me having the ability to capture a lot of details in focus if needed is always a consideration. Others may need the option to shoot stopped down for jewelry or clothing on a model or the dreaded family portrait. Happy Thanksgiving !
I respect you but I have only one thing to say "Paolo Roversi". Sharpness and high shutter speed is not always the answer. I have mastered flash so I am not afraid of it. Continuous light provides a different feeling. It's a matter of choice.
No, but sometimes it is required.
@@feralmode You are correct. However, Commercial Photography is to art as newspaper columns or proposal lighting are to literature.
"your subject would be squinting worse than Clint Eastwood" lol
Poor Dirty Harry 😜
I used continuous lights for photographing portraits of school age special needs kids. Strobe lights can be a seizure trigger for some kids.
Yes, this would be one of those cases I mentioned at the end.
So pretty much is not bright enough
Or if it is bright enough, your subjects will to blinded.
also on a budget.
This video may also be helpful czcams.com/video/94fF_B2Z-tM/video.html
I don't believe in using lights just find somewhere with good natural lighting.
Then you should avoid my channel because every video will probably upset you.
Lool. Continuous led light for me is just enough. How many times you shoot to must overpower the sun? I do.. maybe 3x a year
nice and clear video,but i suggest speaking a bit faster
Thanks.
@John Gress Sorry for interrupting, but this speed of speech suits me perfectly 😉
Phillemon, no shade to you, I just increase the playback speed to "1.5"😆