Alien Bee's lighting help

[fotojoem]

I just bought the beginner package and am new to photography. I hooked my new Bee's
up but I really don't know how to take correctly exposed images. I also have a 430 EX
mounted on camera. The pictures are coming out over exposed and I am shooting the 85mm lens on manual.

[scot079]

Post a shot and you'll get some help

[JCH77Yanks]

I just bought the beginner package and am new to photography. I hooked my new Bee's
up but I really don't know how to take correctly exposed images. I also have a 430 EX
mounted on camera. The pictures are coming out over exposed and I am shooting the 85mm lens on manual.

Try a faster shutter speed or stopping down the lens a bit. I just got my first set of studio strobes also. From what I understand, using a light meter is essential for studio work. Here's a couple of recommendations I've received from the knowledgeable members of this forum...

Sekonic L-358 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/221078-REG/Sekonic_401358_L_358_Flash_Master_Meter.html)

Sekonic L-308s (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/368226-REG/Sekonic_401309_L_308S_Flashmate_Light_Meter.html)

[Curtis N]

To keep things simple, I would suggest removing the 430EX and using the sync cord that comes with the Bee.

Without a flash meter, it's pure trial and error at this point. Overexposure means you need either less flash power, a smaller aperture, a lower ISO or some combination of those.

Start at ISO 100 f/8 and the flash at 1/4 power, take a shot, check the histogram and go from there.

[Curtis N]

Try a faster shutter speed... No, no, no.

Changing the shutter speed won't affect the flash exposure.

Set it at X-sync speed or something close to that and leave it alone.

[Harleypugs]

Another GA boy with Bee's....welcome.

All good suggestions above. As mentioned...get that 430 EX off your camera. Set the camera up on manul. Shutter speed at 250. Start with an aperture of 4.0 or 5.6. Depending on where you are taking the pics...and what you got with the bees...lets assume a white umbrella....set your Bee to 1/4 to 1/2 power. Attach the umbrella. Adjust the stand so the umbrella is higher than your subject at about a 45 degree angle to your subject. Raise your light stand so the tip of the umbrella (away from the open part) so the tip is pointing at your subjects eye. Turn on the modeling light. Adjust the stands positioning away from your subject until you see the light coverage that you desire. Add a fill light or reflector to the otherside of your subject to fill in the dark side, unless of course you are going for some dramtic lighting. Shoot a shot and look at the histogram. Adjust till you get it the way you want.

That should get you started.

Welcome to the bees...

Jon

[form]

Alienbees and other studio lights don't generally self-regulate in order to give you the proper exposure.

As Curtis said, to modify the exposure level of your photos, you have several options: Adjust ISO, adjust aperture, adjust the power output of the light, or adjust light-to-subject distance. Shutter speed doesn't influence flash output because the entire burst of light lasts a very brief time - probably 1/800th of a second or faster, which is faster than your max sync speed. Shutter speed only influences how much available light is picked up - which is why you want to set it near the max sync speed if the only lights you want influencing your picture are your flashes/strobes.

I don't have a light meter to gauge light, so I always go by feel, and within one or two shots I am usually around the correct exposure. It's not hard to do.

Here's my reference: Using a B1600, I can set it around 1/8 power and expose well for ISO100 and f/8 with the light bounced off a white umbrella with distance from umbrella to subject being around 4 feet. For B400, that's 1/2 power, B800 is 1/4 power.

Oh and the 430EX yes, off camera or bouncing off a wall, ceiling or other object. If off camera, to get a pc sync connection to it, the Sonia ebay slaves come with a handy adapter you can mount to 3 pc sync outlets (one male, two female); to me that adapter alone is worth the price. Flashzebra handles pc sync cords and the price is better than local stores here. I bought several 5 meter cords from him.

http://webpages.charter.net/naive-buyer/triggers.jpg

[Harleypugs]

The Bee's comes with a cord that will work just fine with the 430 EX. Just need to get a hot shoe with a mini plug. Then get a female mini mono to female mini mono adapter and you are good to go.

Jon

[fotojoem]

O.K. lots of options, I am going to take off the 430 and trial an error it with the above information. I will post the images tomorrow. I have a basketball game to shoot tonight.
I appreciate all the input and I hope your around to C/C the result.

Thanks

[kuanyu]

I got my Alien Bees and tried to save a few bucks by not getting a light meter, after a week of frustration I broke down and ordered a 308S. By the time I got it (mail order) I was just getting the hang of 'chimping it'. It's a bit tough but after you get started you'll have a good idea of about what settings you need next time. The light meter just saves the guess work

[Longwatcher]

I am suspecting the problem is the 430EX doesn't know that there is an Alien Bees hooked up (and there is no way for it to know ) and is flashing too bright for one thing.

If you use your 430Ex, just use it to fill in the light, by bouncing it off the ceiling. And as mentioned the odds are you may need to turn down the AB as well.

Lastly, 1/250 for shutter may be too high, I tend to use 1/125 or 1/160th at most.

And if the 85mm lens is wide open, you need to bring it down to f5.6 or f8 because below f4 you are going to have trouble setting the AB's low enough to get a decent consistant shot.

I normally shoot at f5.6 with an AB400 in a softbox set at 1/2 power and when I want to use my 85/f1.2 (at f2.0 ) I put a 3-stop ND filter in front of the lens. My light is typically 6-8feet from the subject (4-6 from the front of the softbox ). That should give you an idea of the settings to start with.

And yes a light meter will be real helpful eventually, but you can start out without it.

[SkipD]

I just bought the beginner package and am new to photography. I hooked my new Bee's
up but I really don't know how to take correctly exposed images. I also have a 430 EX
mounted on camera. The pictures are coming out over exposed and I am shooting the 85mm lens on manual.If you're going to use a Speedlite in conjunction with studio flash units, the Speedlite and the camera MUST be in fully manual mode.

Set the shutter speed to (or a little slower than) the camera's "max sync speed" and leave it there - shutter speed has no effect on flash exposures. Set the aperture to get a decent exposure.

You may have to adjust the output level of the flash unit(s) if you either cannot get a good exposure with aperture adjustment alone or if you desire to use a different aperture for depth of field control, for example.

An extremely useful tool is a handheld meter capable of reading light from flash sources. I wouldn't want to work in the studio without one. I use and like my Sekonic L-358 for the purpose.

[JCH77Yanks]

Shutter speed doesn't influence flash output because the entire burst of light lasts a very brief time - probably 1/800th of a second or faster, which is faster than your max sync speed. Shutter speed only influences how much available light is picked up - which is why you want to set it near the max sync speed if the only lights you want influencing your picture are your flashes/strobes.


Ahh, I see... I'm learning that available light and studio photography have different fundamentals in certain areas.

[jayak]

No, no, no.

Changing the shutter speed won't affect the flash exposure.

Set it at X-sync speed or something close to that and leave it alone.



WORD!

8-)

[Curtis N]

I'm learning that available light and studio photography have different fundamentals in certain areas.I like to think of it as the difference between capturing an image and creating an image.

I'm not saying either one is superior. Both kinds of photography have their own place, and their own challenges. While the use of studio lighting intimidates some people, I know a few studio shooters who rarely venture outdoors with their cameras because they're afraid to deal with light they can't control.

[jayak]

lol "curtis N" right on.....I hate the lack of control....when I shoot outside it is at night....

[arshort]

Ditto on the 480 being in manual mode. It will fire a pre-burst flash so that it can see how much light to put out. Then it fires the true high power burst. The ABs are probably firing with the pre-burst.