DIY Striplights and Foodshots

I shot a food-assignment for a really nice restaurant here on the Costa del Sol, Tiki Tano. Their German Top-Chef prepared some dishes for us to photograph (not to eat unfortunately, bugger).
I started by setting up my 'big' multiblitz monohead (600 w/s) but I found it actually too big/much light and since we had to move around to different locations in the restaurant. I decided on the minimalist strobist approach, which I came to love over the last year. Meaning: I set up a sb-800 in the back, camera-right, 1/2 cto (to warm up a bit), shot through 1/4 spun (sort of a loosely knitted type diffusing material), set at 1/16th power. They other sb-800 was covered with a DIY striplight. I made the striplight (softbox that brings out a thin strip of light) myself out of a half umbrellabox (so I got 2 striplights), made a hole in the back for my sb-800 to fit in and made a large opening opposite. Covered the inside with alu foil and filled it loosely with some spun to spread the light more and closed the opening with 3 layers of tracingpaper, voila striplight as invented by Bert Stephani of Confessions of a Photographer (It really works Bert). The striplight was also on 1/16th power. Both flashes were triggered by Elinchrome Skyports. I attached the set up sketch as well...

Dutch spoken blog

I put a new article in Dutch on this blog: http://fotografie.blogo.nl/?comments/20081117-flits-techniek-deel-1.html

I will translate it into english soon

Vincent

Miss Bellydance Marbella 2008

I did a job in a nigthclub in marbella last week. "Miss Bellydance Marbella 2008", commisioned by the talented Anandi. It started a 1 a.m. till 4 a.m. I shot in the worst possible light conditions; dark-wood environment, black stage and vari-lights as keylights. The first time I shot bellydance I shot it in a theater with 2 strobes on either side of the stage. NO GO with flashes this time, apparently they got off wrong on their choreography due to the flashes. This time was a lot better they shot 5 beams from the vari-lights aimed at the feet of the dancers (otherwise they get off wrong in their choreography) so basically you could not see shit. Tremendous differences in contrast.....oooofff ugly stuff. I was happy to use my D700. Put it on automatic iso-exposure (lens on 2.8 and the cam looks for the best iso on 1/100th sec). All in all not the best and fun job, but I think I managed to squeeze out a few good ones....
btw, no shots of bellies in the blog (I find bellydance bellies not very attractive)