Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The long exposures have been a problem. Can I now solve that with 3900Ws of flash power??
Join me on Patreon for more content and FREE STUFF: patreon.com/c/The120ist
This black and white paper reversal journey has been going on for a while. Check out the BWPREV Playlist on the channel - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwtfY-8uUHs-Ncs_sq1cgVUMhOcrVYn5S
The last time you saw BWPREV on the channel it was with the massive portrait box camera, and that's coming back again very soon now. But I'm slowly trying to work through the problems that I have with that camera and that process.
The main issue has been the length of exposures needed. I was averaging out at about 7-8 seconds exposure time back in December.
Lots of people suggested using flash or strobes, so I started looking into that. I had a 400ws strobe and a bunch of speedlights, so I rigged up a load of those and gave it a go... nowhere near enough power! I could just about get an image by sitting very still and popping all the flash units two or three times.
So, more flash power required. I'm on it.
I now own 3 x Bowens Esprit 1000DX units, one Bowens Gemini 500 and the original Hyundai 400 that I had before. So, if all used together we're looking at 3900Ws of flash power. Surely, SURELY that's enough right??
I didn't go the whole hog this time, I didn't open with the full 3900. Mainly because in order to use the whole lot I would have to have three separate strobe heads, and that would mean I'm not able to control those heads as I would usually. I would have to have each one in a separate modifier, meaning we've got three points of light. I could do that of course, but it's hardly the traditional way!
So I started with one 1000DX key light to see what I could do with that. I also had a rim light for most of the shoot too.
Short answer is, it works. But only just. That 1000Ws light, at full power and using the neewer soft box that I have, needs to be about 3ft from the subject. Not ideal.
Now, the Neewer soft box is double diffused to give a very flat light, so I could remove a layer of diffusion to recover maybe a stop, and get me another foot and a half away from the subject. But we're still running on fumes.
Next plan with flash is to start using a bank of lights... maybe 2 x 1000DX through the same modifier. not sure.
And at the same time we have discovered, by accident, that the sunlight right now is super strong. So there will probably be be some tinkering along those lines as well.
Lots coming up, watch this space!
The long exposures have been a problem. Can I now solve that with 3900Ws of flash power??
Join me on Patreon for more content and FREE STUFF: patreon.com/c/The120ist
This black and white paper reversal journey has been going on for a while. Check out the BWPREV Playlist on the channel - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwtfY-8uUHs-Ncs_sq1cgVUMhOcrVYn5S
The last time you saw BWPREV on the channel it was with the massive portrait box camera, and that's coming back again very soon now. But I'm slowly trying to work through the problems that I have with that camera and that process.
The main issue has been the length of exposures needed. I was averaging out at about 7-8 seconds exposure time back in December.
Lots of people suggested using flash or strobes, so I started looking into that. I had a 400ws strobe and a bunch of speedlights, so I rigged up a load of those and gave it a go... nowhere near enough power! I could just about get an image by sitting very still and popping all the flash units two or three times.
So, more flash power required. I'm on it.
I now own 3 x Bowens Esprit 1000DX units, one Bowens Gemini 500 and the original Hyundai 400 that I had before. So, if all used together we're looking at 3900Ws of flash power. Surely, SURELY that's enough right??
I didn't go the whole hog this time, I didn't open with the full 3900. Mainly because in order to use the whole lot I would have to have three separate strobe heads, and that would mean I'm not able to control those heads as I would usually. I would have to have each one in a separate modifier, meaning we've got three points of light. I could do that of course, but it's hardly the traditional way!
So I started with one 1000DX key light to see what I could do with that. I also had a rim light for most of the shoot too.
Short answer is, it works. But only just. That 1000Ws light, at full power and using the neewer soft box that I have, needs to be about 3ft from the subject. Not ideal.
Now, the Neewer soft box is double diffused to give a very flat light, so I could remove a layer of diffusion to recover maybe a stop, and get me another foot and a half away from the subject. But we're still running on fumes.
Next plan with flash is to start using a bank of lights... maybe 2 x 1000DX through the same modifier. not sure.
And at the same time we have discovered, by accident, that the sunlight right now is super strong. So there will probably be be some tinkering along those lines as well.
Lots coming up, watch this space!
