Creative and business resources for photographers – ProPhotoNut

Flash ~ Pictures and techniques

August 15th, 2009

Here are a few more pictures and techniques from last Monday’s creative shoot.

This simple frame borrows heavily on my key and kick principle. Two Speedlites on FlexTT5 units stand mounted and triggered by a Mini TT1. Straight from Lightroom.

I could have shot this frame with the ST-E2 as a trigger but why when I’ve got Pocket Wizards? The PWs are easier to set up because they don’t need the Speedlights in ‘Slave’ mode. What a faff that was delving into unforgiving menus on a 580EX11. I shot this at ISO200, 1/200th second at f/16. If you have been on a recent lighting workshop of mine you will probably have guessed that exposure

Here is the set up rig.

10 meters down the road were these gates. Bristol is spoiled for choice when it comes to backgrounds. The only trouble is that the grunge is going faster than it is being replenished with other areas of decay.

I chose a low key treatment for this frame. A single Speedlight as a key. Natasha looks like she is pinned to the gates as if in chains. It’s a bit dramatic I know but I’m writing this listening to the end of Purple Rain by Prince For this frame I chose 1/1000th second at f/4. Now I diddn’t need a shallow depth of field as I was just trying out the hyper sync ability of the Pocket Wizard system. (remember to switch hypersync on on the Speedlight during the rig otherwise your camera will be limited to 1/200th).

The last pictures key light becomes this pictures kick light. I've added a second Speedlight from the right. Both flashes are on stands and zoomed to 105mm.

Out with the big stuff. I rigged a Bron mobil pack with a striplight softbox to the right and a snooted keylight to the left of camera. I used a Honl 5" Snoot directly on my Mobil head. It didn't catch fire so it passed the test. I split the power on the pack to 80% for the snooted key and 30% for the softbox fill light. ISO200, f/8 at 1/125th second using Pocket Wizard Plus2 to trigger the Bron pack and a Mini TT1 on the camera.

We had a great day on Monday. As it was one of my ‘Creative Days’ amongst friends there were no clients and mistakes are allowed. The pictures we shot were gritty and punchy but we also explored creating subtle versions by tweaking the aperture open a few stops when using TTL.

Here is the set up. The Mobil pack is on the right, just in front of the striplite soft box.

Please feel free to comment on these shots.