Using a single strobe - creative examples - mark II

[nes_matt]

Originally Posted by blorky

"i like everything but the background, its so busy and distracts the eye. " Yep - no options there, unfortunately - shooting down at 1.8, I think, but all other angles in the gym would have put my gear in the mirror. Pouring rain outside.

BTW, you shot this at F3.5, not 1.8 if you look at the EXIF data. I wondered why the DOF was so large when you shot at 1.8... turns out you didn't!

[Going Baroque]

22" beauty dish

[blorky]

Originally Posted by nes_matt

BTW, you shot this at F3.5, not 1.8 if you look at the EXIF data. I wondered why the DOF was so large when you shot at 1.8... turns out you didn't!

DOH!

Originally Posted by gonzogolf

Darkening the room by using a faster shutter speed can be done independently of the flash exposure.

Originally Posted by nes_matt

Speeding this up to 1/200th would drop the BG by about a stop. That combined with a stop or so in aperture would have helped.

Yep - I got this - I was working to make the ambient show more so the falloff from light to dark on her face wasn't so harsh. I clearly got the aperture wrong, but was working below the synch speed in order to pull in more ambient light.

Thanks to you both for commenting on this - I'm here to learn and appreciate the time you're taking to pass along your expertise.

[MakisM1]

Originally Posted by blorky

DOH!





Yep - I got this - I was working to make the ambient show more so the falloff from light to dark on her face wasn't so harsh. I clearly got the aperture wrong, but was working below the synch speed in order to pull in more ambient light.

Thanks to you both for commenting on this - I'm here to learn and appreciate the time you're taking to pass along your expertise.

Are you shooting with the flash on manual or ETTL?

[blorky]

Originally Posted by MakisM1

Are you shooting with the flash on manual or ETTL?

ETTL for that session b/c I was trying to cut down on the number of things to pay attention to, but have subsequently done everything on manual so as to get a better intuitive feel for how all of it works together.

[cbacarella]

Single strobe, bare. Me goofy around in my living room yesterday after dinner.



.Chris

[MakisM1]

Originally Posted by blorky

ETTL for that session b/c I was trying to cut down on the number of things to pay attention to, but have subsequently done everything on manual so as to get a better intuitive feel for how all of it works together.

ETTL does not allow you to control (easily) the power of the flash in the creative way you demand. Actually, you don't even know HOW MUCH power the flash is using.

It takes a little trial and error to control your flash on manual, but then you can have better control of your exposure.

If you had enough flash power left, you could up the aperture (say f8 or f11) which would reduce the influence of ambient light, so the background would show less and the photo would become more dramatic.

[abbadon31]

All shoot with a Elinchrom Quadra RX boomed with a maxilite/fireball

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[abbadon31]

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[ultimachi]

Used one Yongnuo 565EX with a 1/2 CTO gel.

[Damian75]

Originally Posted by abbadon31

All shoot with a Elinchrom Quadra RX boomed with a maxilite/fireball
7

These are all great but 7 is amazing love it.

[blorky]

Originally Posted by MakisM1

ETTL does not allow you to control (easily) the power of the flash in the creative way you demand. Actually, you don't even know HOW MUCH power the flash is using.

It takes a little trial and error to control your flash on manual, but then you can have better control of your exposure.

Agreed re: the value of manual, which is why I'm going that route for the foreseeable future.

Originally Posted by MakisM1

If you had enough flash power left, you could up the aperture (say f8 or f11) which would reduce the influence of ambient light, so the background would show less and the photo would become more dramatic.

This method also has the added advantage of justifying the case for buying more gear...

...in this case, a second flash setup for some fill from camera left.

[DanielMata]

i dont post much but here goes.



_MG_1021 by Daniel.M photography, on Flickr

[Jaynez]

@abbadon31
Great shoots of the hooter girls

[Shiku]

Originally Posted by gonzogolf

Although you were sucessful in moving the flash off the camera thats only half the battle. The single light from the side can be a dramatic look, but it does nothing hear for your subject. You probably need to get the light closer to the camera axis, and use a reflector or something to get some fill on the shadowed side. Were you using any modifers (umbrella, softbox etc) at all?

You got it exactly right. All I did was buy a cable to move the flash off camera. No modifiers at all. I just bought the flash and the cable and these are my first pictures. I have a lot to learn and I am excited.

Thanks for your time to comment.