The sun was my key light and a Speedlight was my sun. The Spedlight was on a stand behind Katy kicking forward off the billboard. I set a white balance of 10,000K for good measure.
I usually post six or so shots from a workshop but yesterdays event took a different route leaving me eighteen shots to discuss and share with you.
We started the day with an understanding of natural light session. This shot of Katy taken in my secret Bristol location was lit with the ambient light available to us. I chose a dynamic pose and a low viewpoint to add punch to the picture.
We then looked at the flare factor. Again, this shot was lit with the ambient light available in my fab new location.
I then pulled out a couple of stands, an Ezybox and some gels to create a funky soft key and hard kick portrait.
This was a different shot with the same lighting in the same location as the shot above. A hint of controlled flare adds to the look.
I just love this simple ezybox lit portrait. One light used with a soft and delicate approach.
The look of love at another zone in my top location. I used two point lighting again here and then decided to add a third blue geled speedlight to lift the foreground. We set this to group B on the Pocket Wizard Flex and set it to a ratio of 4:1 using an ST-E2 as a ratio controller.
I held my 5D mk2 above my head to take this shot of Katy. A Lastolite Ezybox hotshoe was used for my keylight and I used a twin blue kick light set up motivated by the tunnel lighting.
This was a bit of fun. The sun was from the left and Katy sat in the shade apart from the top of her head. I decided to put the sun to the right and I used a rig of two Speedlights set at half power (as suggested by a ProPhotoNut reader) to speed up the recycle process. Pocket Wizards allow the use of remote Canon Speedlights in manual mode - Fantastic.
After a fine lunch it was time for an Orbis moment. Orbis is the universal ring flash attachment that will fit any flash and any camera. I love the kick back from the leather furniture here in my personal bar in Bristol :)
I offered to show the group a sequence of natural light shots and I'll share them with you too.
Here is the second shot using the same two natural window light sources.
And another. I rarely place hands near faces but I think I got away with this.
A quick spin round for Katy and I set up a naturally lit wide shot inspired by Edward Hopper.
A moment of delight at ISO 3200. I can't wait for my 100mm f/2.8 IS macro to come. I set my 70-200 to 100mm for all these shots to help learn to see the 100mm focal length.
Key and kick played it's part again with one bare faced Speedlight providing the illumination from the front and the sun doing its thing through a bit of dingle from the rear. I set this shot out in monochrome in camera by using the picture style feature but Luke decided to revert to colour in Lightroom - wise decision.
One on camera flash was all I used for this dynamic shot.
Another take on the sulphuric acid tanker. A 3400k white balance saw the sun become a blue backlight.
Katy was certainly our celebrity on this workshop.
I’d love you to join me on a Speedlight Mastery workshop in Bristol or Manchester. There are several dates available over the coming months. Details are here.
Please feel free to comment on the pictures. Have you sussed out my secret location? If so, do you have pictures to share?
Hello Damien, I see your work has kept its high end finish since I looked last.
I was meant to attend your Urban Portraits course earlier this year, but the chance to travel around Asia for a month with my camera fell into my lap. I would have foolish not to take that opportunity up.
Anyway, I am back once again ready to learn.
My question is are you doing any London based courses anytime soon? If not, are there any spaces left for Bristol?
Thanks
Sheradon
Hi Damien,
I hope your well in sunny Bristol.
Just a quick question have you ever experienced this scenario. When I attach my 580exII to the flex the flash constantly triggers and the menu system seems very slow. This also happens on my old 580 units.
Dave
Hi David,
I’ve not had that before but I do know of someone else who had the same issue. A flex firmware upgrade to version 5.008 sorted it. It’s a beta version so you will need to enroll for the Beta program, it’s easy and free. Cheers, Damien.
Cheers Damien, I did try out a Quadra recently in a store bare bulb and did think to myself that it didn’t look much brighter than a Speedlite so your explanation makes sense.
Would using a snoot or grid offer any additional boost similar to zooming a Speedlight
Also I’ve been wondering In what circumstances would you use a silver umbrella in your style of work. ?
Hi George,
Snoots and grids attenuate the light. Lenses concentrate the light. So a scene lit with a snooted light is the same brightness than the same scene with a non snooted one but only in a small spot. I hope that makes sense.
I use silver umbrellas to give a soft light with a sheen to the skin. I use them on my Bron Mobil and with Speedlights.
Damien.
Hi George,
A Speedlight is about 55Ws compared to 400Ws. When a Speedlight is zoomed in it concentrates the light, just like zooming in a Maglight. There is a 4 stop range of light intensity with a Speedlight zoom and yes a fully zoomed in Speedlight at 3m gives a similar light intensity as a 400Ws bare faced flash unit at the same distance but of course the Speedlight output is concentrated into a tight pool. A Quadra comes into it’s own when it is used in a soft box or with other diffusing modifiers. I hope this helps,
Damien.
Hey Damien,
Thanks for your thoughts on the Ranger Quadra.
I’m surprised to hear that you didn’t find it to offer enough power at 400w compared to 60w on a Speedlite – are you really saying that a zoomed in a Speedlite kicks the same amount of light?
Thank you
Thanks Damien and Chris for a great day round Manchester, busilly looking through the photos in Lightroom and looking forward to seeing any that you both post up soon!
Bob, I didn’t realise you were coventry bob!! As in the “Coventry Bob” If I could hand out knighthoods for glowing testimonials I would. Great comment my friend I’m sure D and Lass frem Barnnnslay will b’ reet chuffed
Possibly a genius definitely the Speedlight Master
A gentle stroll through the centre of Manchester with a Nikon in hand, a couple of speedlights and light stands in his trolley bag is all the maestro needs to take you on a memorable but creative trip to produce high quality magazine standard images. His workshops are creative, at times very simplistic, artistically challenging but always focused on the participants. Damien’s enthusiasm for the photographic art is infectious and anyone spending time with him will soon be similarly enthused. Whether it’s a boarded up factory entrance, a painted door covered in bird droppings or old rusting pipes Damien can with a few camera and speedlight adjustments produce works of art.
Damien has found in Chris Hanley a perfect foil for his acerbic wit and they a make great team for the on location Speedlight workshops. Their dual but complimentary talents really push up the added value for anyone attending the workshops.
Our diminutive model from Barnsley Lisa Maria was a joy to work with – respecting our stress levels and understanding the limitations of our social skills when faced with a beautiful woman – she shone through on an at times very cold day.
Damien (and Chris) have hit on a unique formula that works at many levels but for me as a participant a joy because the skills imparted are learned, replicable and will be used on my next job and for many more afterwards.
Thanks and great success in all you do.
Wow Bob,
Thanks for your feedback, I’ll be posting the pictures from our day out in Manchester by Monday lunchtime. My 3 days in Manchester with Chris were memorable to say the least.
Kindest regards, Damien.
Another question Damien,
Any plans to sell the Elinchrom Ranger Quadra? I think it’s a great bit of middle ground kit for those of us who can’t justify the big Broncolor kit. Seems to be equiv power of around 7 speedlites from one tiny head – which is probably enough for most situations.
Have you tested one in the past?
Thank you
Hi George,
Hi George,
The Elinchrom Ranger is supplied by the Flash Centre. They are a popular kit at the moment and work well inside soft boxes for interior portraits etc. I can’t see the need for the Quadra in my work because of it’s power. I’ve used Quantum 400 and 800Ws kits and never found them powerful enough. You can zoom a Speedlight in and get a punchy hard light at the same level as a Quadra barefaced. Plus you can shoot with Speedlights up to 1/8000th second. Where Speedlights fall short I turn to the 1200Ws of the Bron kit. The Elinchrom Ranger is a great bit of kit too.
Cheers Damien.
Hi Damien,
I guess you are using 2900 AAs currently in your speedlites. Can I ask how many full power shots you get out of a set typically?
Thank you
Hi George,
I think I get well over 200 full power shots from a set of 2900 AAs. They usually last until mid afternoon with 5 shooters (me & 4 delegates) on my workshops :)
Cheers, Damien.
any plans to run any courses in London?
Hi Chris,
I’ve run London workshops before in Hoxton and I do 3 talks a year at the SWPP convention in Hammersmith. Costs of hotels are high and street hassle for photographers makes the process far from ideal ideal. Bristol is 105 minutes from Paddington by train and my Speedlight Mastery workshop starts and ends near Bristol Temple Meads station.
Cheers, Damien.
Hi Damian,
I’m new to your site and am greatly impressed and inspired! Great shots and techniques.
Can I ask which size lastolite ezybox you find most useful and whether you retain the inner baffle in general or whether it eats up too much f/stops?
Regards,
AndyH
Hi Andy, I use the 60cm Ezybox without the extra baffle. Cheers, Damien. PS: It folds into a smaller ball too :)
Brilliant! The Speedlite master at work again.
Thanks Crash.
Thanks so much Damien for both workshops ( camera skills and Speedlite.) The sun shone, Katy was brilliant and I learned so much. I must get my hands on the Orbis!
Hi Peter,
We had fun and I enjoyed your company. We will be supplying Orbi withing a week or so. A Lovegrove Orbis will come with a kit of pre cut Velcro pads and strips.
Thanks for your kind words, Damien.
Great shots Damien – I’ve got to get onto one of these workshops!
On the Sulphuric Acid Tanker shot – am I right in thinking you’ve lit the model with a CTO gel to preserve her skin colour?
Yes Neil, You are spot on. Cheers, Damien.
Great set of shots Damien, I love that location !
Thanks Tara, It can be a bit cold as the wind comes through but in the summer it’s going to be just perfect.
Damien – thanks for a brilliant day. Your shots are tremendous, and it was great to see how you set up the results. Fantastic also to spend time with the talented and enthusisatic other delegates.
Rich
Damien. I was with you on the day. Fantastic selection of shots and what’s great about shooting with you on the day is that I know exactly how it all unfolded. Thank you again for a great fun day.
Thanks, Steven and Rich. I hope we meet again soon. Damien.