Golden, Part Two (Kodak Millennium 2000)

I wanted a quick snap of my Kodak "Millennium 2000" camera -- there's a long story I'll tell about that camera another time -- and decided the best way to bring out its gold color would be to put a dash of electric blue right behind it. But ... how?

I grabbed my Metz 58 hotshoe flash, two Opteka straps, my Opteka 1/8th inch grid and a Honl "Just Blue" gel. First, I attached the two Opteka clinch bands to my Metz. (Why two? With just one band, the grid doesn't really secure all that well. It stays on, but doesn't instill confidence at all.)

Then, I attached the Just Blue gel to the upper band (it has velcro hooks) and put the Opteka Grid on over that.

I set the Metz to manual mode, the zoom setting to 105mm and the power level to 1/256th. (My camera exposure was ISO 400, 1/125th of a second, f/2.8.)

Well, okay. But ... why?

Here's the idea: a "grid" attachment modifies light usually to form a nice circle with soft edges. That is, if you send light through the grid and point it at a wall, the light is full strength in the middle, then falls off in a circular pattern -- usually falling off gently. So, it's a great way to make a circle or oval of light or color behind someone or something. Want more of an oval? Put the light low and angle it up onto the background or wall (or do the same thing from the side or above.)

Here's the set up: