First of all thanks for the feedback on the Speedlight Mastery DVD. I don’t use backdrops as such other than paper rolls. These can be bought from Calumet or Morco. Do a Google search if you want a mottled painted background. I suggest you will need a Lastolite Ezybox Hotshoe 60cm for your Speedlight in the first instance. I’m not expecting to do a studio lighting workshop with Speedlights as there are cheaper, more powerful and more versatile studio lights available. Speedlights are not a great tool for studio shooting, you can certainly get by with them but most studio shooters opt for bigger mains operated studio flash heads. Irrespective of what flash lighting kit you use the principles of how to light in a studio stay the same. I suggest you join me on a studio lighting workshop. I will include Speedlights integrated with large flash at some point in the day. All the details you need are here.

Regards, Damien.

We met at Focus and you managed to get my friend Tina and I to purchase a speedlight mastery dvd each within about 2 minutes. It was well worth the money, thanks. I wonder if you could give me some advice re a way forward in developing some indoor portrait set ups with a plain backdrop.
I currently have 1 speedlight and would like to purchase a portable backdrop to be able to take portraits indoors without distractions. Which would be the best/most cost effective backdrop to buy. Also what are the pros and cons of getting more speedlights or some studio lights for these set ups? I read somewhere on your site that you were considering running a speedlight studio portraits workshop – are there any dates for this yet and what would it involve? Thanks

Portia

cheers

Barry

Tuesday 13th April is going to be the next studio lighting workshop day. Luke will make it live and available for booking in the New Year after the break. The distant date is because all my available workshop dates are taken before then and my diary is full. If the Nikon Pocket Wizards don’t arrive in January as expected then I’ll be releasing other diary dates for Studio Lighting Workshops. I’ll offer transfer places to those that booked on the April date in the first instance if they want to bring their booking forward and then I’ll put the remaining places online.

Kindest regards, Damien.

Have you any more Studio days planned in the future as all your Feb dates are now filled???

Neil.

A snoot often displays a spot of light with a pattern of concentric rings, as the light can be reflected off the internal walls of the snoot. A grid can display a spot of light with a feint pattern of the grid itself. This depends upon the shape and size of the flash tube. The smaller the flash tube the harder the shadow of the grid. There are many times where a snoot is the best tool and the same can be said for grids. Generally speaking grids produce softer light than snoots. If you want to learn more why not join me in my studio on the next workshop? Details are here Both the dates shown are full but Tuesday 13th April will become available very soon. Regards, Damien

Cheers Damien.

Great pics – having an attractive model who can pose makes a huge difference obviously.

Anyway…..
I’ve never found a good explanation of the difference between a snoot and a grid on a Speedlite – both do the same thing right? Is there something I’m missing?

In my tests, a grid seems to take the harsh edge of zoomed light, less of a hot spot.

All the best.

Switching the picture style to mono is quite exciting when you start to compose with shape, texture and tone alone.

Thanks for the compliments,

Damien.

I think these are ….. magic. If your studio makes this much difference I hope you continue remeber where it is.

Thanks for your kind words. The shade of grey is quite important and so is the light level through the gel. White studios are the hardest to work in that’s why most of my walls are dark grey.

Cheers, Damien.