Speedlight Mastery 3 ~ The Nikon factor ~ pictures and technique

March 24th, 2010

The Nikon CLS is able to create the wow factor in the right hands.

The Nikon creative lighting system is able to create the wow factor in the right hands. Three Speedlights, a few ideas, a bit of a rig and fine tuning make this shot work. The difference between success and failure involves light setting, testing and adjusting. The Stothert and Pitt steam crane on the Bristol docks makes a fabulous background.

The Nikon creative lighting system is a mighty powerful tool. These shots were taken easily using the SU-800 infra red trigger or the pop up flash of my Nikon D700.

Orbis and the Nikon 14mm - 24mm lens is a striking comination. You need to put the lens through the Orbis before attaching to the camera.

Orbis and the Nikon 14mm - 24mm lens is a striking combination. You need to put the lens through the Orbis before attaching it to the camera. I love pictures with symmetry like this on of Hannah in the cab of a brake car.

This one light picture was lit with an SB-900 in a Lastolite Ezybox Hotshoe.

This one light picture of Hannah in my nearly secret location was lit with a single SB-900 in a Lastolite Ezybox Hotshoe.

This two light shot was lit with a pair of SB-900s. One in an Ezybox and the other with a full CTB filter and a Honl Speed Grid. I love shooting tight in on the 200mm end of the zoom for that compressed perspective look. I used my pop up flash on the Nikon D700 to trigger the Speedlights without them missing a beat.

Prop a prop. This shot was lit with a single SB-900.

I used a Pocket Wizard Plus 2 to trigger the single SB-900 with a full CTB gel in the vault.

I used a Pocket Wizard Plus 2 to trigger the single SB-900 with a full CTB gel in the next vault.

The same spot with a different lighting set up creates a different mood. We explored a variety of lighting styles and techniques, using soft and hard light, colour temperature and gels.

One well placed soft light keeps this shot simple.

With Hannah putting her life on the tracks we kicked this shot with a pair of full blue geled Sb-900s and used a half CTO gel on an SB-800 as a key.

With Hannah putting her life on the tracks (not really) we kicked this shot with a pair of full blue geled Sb-900s and used a half CTO gel on an SB-800 as a key.

If you want to get to grips with Nikon’s creative lighting system, have some fun, and shoot a series of striking portraits in a small group environment, then join me on the next Nikon Speedlight Mastery workshop in Bristol. Don’t wait for the Pocket Wizards, get your lighting skills up to scratch now with the kit you’ve got. Switching triggering systems at some point in the future will be the easy bit, realising the potential of your Speedlight investment is the opportunity you have right now.

And here's my bit of random from the days shoot. A non Speedlight shot taken at 200mm anf f/2.8 as a bus passed

And here's my bit of random from the days shoot. A non Speedlight shot taken at 200mm and f/2.8 as a bus passed.

Please feel free to comment on on these pictures or the techniques I’ve used.

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6 Comments Add your own

1. Derek | March 25th, 2010 at 5:51 pm

Did you work the SB900′s hard enough to encounter the flashes shutting down to prevent over-heating? I have only had this happen once so far.
2. damien | March 25th, 2010 at 6:44 pm

Hi Derek, No because I switched the thermo cut out function off Cheers Damien.
3. Paul Beggy | March 26th, 2010 at 9:08 am

Thanks again for a great day Damien – had an absolute blast! Like the random one at the end, need to check the ones I got with the 200 F2 – my arms are still aching from using that!!! (Let me know if you fancy exchanging it for a couple of 1 – 1 days )
Some great processing too – which has given me some ideas for a couple of shots I got!
The first one is also great – who’d have thought it was a wet afternoon in Bristol!!!
Cheers
4. Kim Layzell | March 26th, 2010 at 4:21 pm

What a great day we had, and can’t wait to get out and practice, although I have blogged a couple of my pictures from the day as well, but these have given me a few more ideas for processing.

Oh, and can you remind me of the filter pack to buy?

Thanks again for a great day and really looking forward to being with you and Julie on 28th April.

Kim
5. damien | March 26th, 2010 at 11:33 pm

Hi Paul,

I had fun too. Your 200mm f/2 is too much for me to handle. Nice though it is I prefer life at f/4. It’s easier on the arms too.

Cheers, Damien.
6. damien | March 26th, 2010 at 11:35 pm

Hi Kim,

Great wasn’t it. The filters you need are the Honl colour correction set and if you want the Steel Green then you could get the Hollywood set too.

See you on the wedding workshop in April

Damien.