Anyone using More Powerful Flash than 580?

These were shot 2 weddings ago with the lighting set up i showed you. I have done nothing to these except cropping and a curves adjustment in lightroom. Taking strobes on location has cut my post processing time By 1/3. You cant get this lighting with speedlights.

great balance, i don't see any shadows. how did you light the 4th shot?

btmlinedan wrote in post #13338521
great balance, i don't see any shadows. how did you light the 4th shot?

2 Softboxes with AB 1600's

1st was pointed right at them about 20 degrees to Right of bride

2nd was about 40 degree to grooms left arm. Light filled in the shadow from the main light on bride. If you look close, you can see it.

I actually screwed up on the 2nd shot and forgot to transfer the circular when i switched lens. Thats why the shy washed a little. It could have been better so i will have to fix it in post.

I recently tried 2 Einsteins with Vagabond Minis on lightstands, pocketwizards, and softboxes for outdoor portraits between the ceremony and reception...

It may be something I get better with in time, but I found the setup and tear down of the setup was very time consuming. It also prevented me from being as mobile as I normally would be. And, that's taking in to account that I had 1 lighting assistant.

There was also a bit more of test exposures as I set up. Again, this would improve in practice. But, I felt that I wasted a bit of everyone's time.

^That is my concern. I feel that way just with 1 Einstein and VML. Never mind 2 of them!
Don't know how you guys do it.

wdwpsu wrote in post #13343487
It may be something I get better with in time, but I found the setup and tear down of the setup was very time consuming. It also prevented me from being as mobile as I normally would be. And, that's taking in to account that I had 1 lighting assistant.

i haven't done this a lot, but it is really only one set up and one take down per shoot.

i set it all up before they even arrive, and take it down after they even leave if it is an e-shoot or something.

all that happens while the client is even around was to carry it and move it.
and i'm pretty sure you'd have to do that with any other type of artificial lighting or a reflector or anything

even in a wedding scenario, it usually takes a limo full of drunk a-holes more time to get out of the limo than it does set up a light stand with a vml, strobe and trigger.

another thing i've learned is that if i'm ever really nervous about getting to a park ahead of a bridal party, i talk to the limo driver
they can take the long way or drive slow or anything to give you a few extra minutes.

Having an assistant makes it much easier. You can often also set things up in advance, i'll sometimes arrive before the wedding to do the reception setup. That's rare though, as I can have my assistant do the setup during the downtime.

Sometimes we don't get to the reception until the same time as the B&G. In that case I tell them I need 5-10 minutes to set up, they can either wait for me to do it, or the photos won't be as good until it's done.

Planning and having an assistant really are the keys.

wdwpsu wrote in post #13343487
I recently tried 2 Einsteins with Vagabond Minis on lightstands, pocketwizards, and softboxes for outdoor portraits between the ceremony and reception...

It may be something I get better with in time, but I found the setup and tear down of the setup was very time consuming. It also prevented me from being as mobile as I normally would be. And, that's taking in to account that I had 1 lighting assistant.

There was also a bit more of test exposures as I set up. Again, this would improve in practice. But, I felt that I wasted a bit of everyone's time.

You will get faster as you put this into your routine. Honestly, its 4-5 mins and im ready to go. I have my wife with me so thats a huge help. We both grab a stand and a softbox. I leave the lights on the stands and they lay down inside my car. Its very quick. A Lightmeter really helps and i have one with me most of the time. But like all of you, after you have done this enough, you get pretty good at guessing a starting point and you chimp and dial it in if you dont have a meter with you.

Full sun,,,you know your gonna be at F/16- full power on light

partial sun/shade--Im gonna start at F9-10- 1/2 power to start

Light line-subject in full shade and full sun behind-- F/11-13,, 3/4 power
( this is where the Nd's bail you out and really make the light pop )

full shade-- Im gonna start at F/4.0- 1/4 power or less

These are my starting points and I can chimp and get myself ready to go pretty quick

Viewfinder is your friend and I ALWAYS shoot with my histogram showing....its not that hard once you get a routine down. Biggest thing i find helps is zoom the viewfinder in so you can tell if the light is too bright on the Skin and Look for hot spots on the skin. can Be deceiving and hard to to see in bright light. Got home more than once and had it a tad too bright but that has just about stopped.

I worry about the same issue, but I do work with an assistant and they'll end up being a little more busy than in the past.

What I can't imagine doing is going on long marches with them. My favorite location for engagement shoots is the local botanical garden; lots of great spots all over a large park. But man, marching round with one of these things is going to be tough. And I only use assistants on weddings, not e-shoots.

Also, FWIW, I've nearly decided on what I'm going with: AB1600, Vagabond Mini, and and one of the large PML's with a white cover. I can see using it without the cover often as I'm not so sure a 640w/s light is really going to be bright enough to compete with the sun so that light is going to need all the help it can get.

My alternative was the 1320w/s White Lightning, but that light is quite a bit heavier and seems less portable to me. That and a 7 sec recharge on the Vagabond makes it not an ideal choice. I'm just not willing/ready to spend the bigger money on something like rangers or speedotrons.

Peacefield wrote in post #13344633
Also, FWIW, I've nearly decided on what I'm going with: AB1600, Vagabond Mini, and and one of the large PML's with a white cover. I can see using it without the cover often as I'm not so sure a 640w/s light is really going to be bright enough to compete with the sun so that light is going to need all the help it can get.

My alternative was the 1320w/s White Lightning, but that light is quite a bit heavier and seems less portable to me. That and a 7 sec recharge on the Vagabond makes it not an ideal choice. I'm just not willing/ready to spend the bigger money on something like rangers or speedotrons.

i have a 64" PLM but i can't imagine using it out on location like pham does because it's a huge ass sail imho
maybe i'll get more comfortable using it with an assistant over time, but as of yet i've been pretty hesitant.

I have AB800s, i'm going to get the vagabond mini - thanks Bob for offering to ship one over!

I think a small soft box or even an umbrella would be a better idea for portable use. I expect i'll mostly be using it bare, because the whole reason for getting it is I want more power than one or even two 580s can provide. I don't see any problem with my assistant putting the vagabond over her shoulder, holding the light perhaps on a monopod, and pulling along my rolling case... though I may have to help her out or sometimes even have my second assistant come along for part of the day. Even better i'll just co-opt someone from the wedding who looks friendly and willing to help!

Shot this with a 64" PLM.....they are Awesome for location work but you better have no wind and you still need someone holding it in case someone farts If i could take one out evertime I had the chance I would

bigarchi wrote in post #13344712
i have a 64" PLM but i can't imagine using it out on location like pham does because it's a huge ass sail imho
maybe i'll get more comfortable using it with an assistant over time, but as of yet i've been pretty hesitant.

I'm amply apprehensive about the wind/sail issue. I'd only use it with the help of an assitant and still then only with little or no wind. I plan to get something else, maybe a Westcott Orb, or maybe a socked BD as an alternative. And, of course, the stock reflector when that's my only reasonable choice owing to wind or the absence of an assistant.

Peacefield wrote in post #13346959
I'm amply apprehensive about the wind/sail issue. I'd only use it with the help of an assitant and still then only with little or no wind. I plan to get something else, maybe a Westcott Orb, or maybe a socked BD as an alternative. And, of course, the stock reflector when that's my only reasonable choice owing to wind or the absence of an assistant.

yeah, i think that's a great plan.
i love my BD for on site work fwiw. wish i had gotten it and the vml earlier