Pinspot & Gobo Lighting Questions

[SiCSpyder]

Hi,

I've been djing various middle school dances, walk a thon's and grad parties for about 2 years now.
I have what I consider a pretty good lighting setup for those type of events.

My question is 2 parts, I'm looking to add a few more things lighting wise.

1) Pinspot to highlight a wedding cake at a wedding. I am wondering the best way to accomplish this (from across the room or close to it, and what light would best perform this function)

2) Gobo projection of a logo. Such as the Wedding names, etc. What lighting fixture would be best for this and provide a clear image on the dance floor or on the wall / drapes behind the head table.

Thank You for any input :D

[LiteTrix]

Source four would be good for highlighting a wedding cake. Although you might want to consider a moving head that will allow you highlight pretty much anything in a room not just a wedding cake for example because I doubt your going to be highlighting a cake for the whole reception at a wedding.

A good gobo projector would be a Martin PR-1 or again you could use a Source four if you wanted to.

[andythemusician]

As above.

[SiCSpyder]

Anything in an LED variety?

[Sween]

If you are going to light up a wedding cake from across the room then you will want a fixture with aperture control... OR you could use a narrow circle gobo to control the beam width. Ideally you'd use a pinspot directly above the cake though...

I do not use pinspots. They need to be up on their own stand nearby. PITA.

Here is what happens if you don't narrow the aperture somehow... DON'T DO THIS!

http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n493/futurescapes/IMG_1683.jpg

^^I decided not to spotlight this cake because I was gonna blind people from across the room! (see shadows of chairs)

[andythemusician]

You can get a source 4 or similar, with an iris. That way you can get the exact size you need (within reason of course!).

In terms of an LED variety, you could go for LED moving heads or mirrors, or LED pinspots. You can get LED ERS fixtures (like a Source4) but they do require you to part with many $$ as they haven't yet made it into the market like the LED can has (which I think is partly because the technology isn't there yet - LEDs being able to throw the same distance as its halogen equivalent with similar lux over said distance).

[Mike D]

For cakes, honestly, a simple LED can light would do the trick, with a simple stand to put it in the air and/or C Clamp. Sometimes you'll have piping around you can latch onto with your light as is, so no need for the stand. I wouldn't suggest a far throw light because of the above cited example, odds are you'll have shadows. Also, keep in mind, if you have a powerful light it can screw up pictures if you're shining down on the cake.

What I typically do is light the wall/area around the cake and "frame" the cake itself. It draws attention to the cake and provides for great pic's if the photographer knows what they are doing. 2 Par cans typically do the job great for this.

[STLRiverCity]

Anything in an LED variety?

Yep. Chauvet has one for about $300.

http://www.chauvetlighting.com/lfs-5.html

[DJStevieRay]

I do both my monograms, and cake spotting with a moving head (with iris beam control). Check my video's for examples. youtube.com/stevierayentertainme

[ibringthenoise]

Sometimes I use one or two led pin spots, sometimes one or two par 38s. Just depends on how far I have to throw, the ambient lighting, etc.

custom gobo rental (http://www.djcraig.net/gobos)

[pumpitdj]

I use the Martin Pr-1 only thing I don't like about this light , is that it does not have zoom , it only has focus , so you need to be close to the dance floor . But you can rotate the gobo which is nice . The source 4 has zoom but cannot rotate , the big complaint on the source 4 is that it gets really hot , so you cannot have it near any kids . Also from what I heard the bulb blows a lot of times. I have been using my Martin for two years now without any problems , but I did buy another bulb just in case it does blow which only cost me $15.00 for the bulb . Here is a video I took of the Martin in action



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsBR-xo8s5g&list=UUy6Jh-PInI6paNTp0iLmgqQ&index=2&feature=plcp