Aline Bee + Mini Vagabond for Weddings?

Thomas Campbell wrote in post #16666947
I just don't see the need for so much power at a wedding reception unless you want to nuke all the ambient.

This

primarily why i decided to go with the youngnuo 622c's. I like some of the ambient in the shots

This is a MUST to overpower the sun and shoot with lots of ambient light. I use this setup outdoors with a small soft box or a huge 54” Octa for weddings..

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/iluxa/114417643​76/

tim wrote in post #16667131
If you want to show a bright blue sky with the sun behind people and them lit well, then I find a studio strobe necessary.

This is why I have one. Since it's already in the truck, I use it as one of the ambient lights in the reception. But I don't blow away the reception lighting. My AB1600 is almost always on the absolute lowest power setting. At the other end of the room, I have a 580 typically set on just 1/8. Enough to keep the ambient while lifting the darkness of the room.

If I didn't have to compete with the sun, I'd just use a couple of speedlights at the venue as they do have all the power you need.

Yup. Although these days I roll with the CL-360 bare bulb strobes, I always have the Einstein around just in case I need the power. I sold my AB-800s because the CL-360 are about the same power. Not having to carry studio strobes unless I absolutely needed has been awesome.

Thanks Nick

Needed to hear that. So still not enough for bright light ?? I shoot a lot at 2:00PM bright sun for weddings. Most catholic mass ceremonies are at 2-3:ooPM so we are outside at noon shooting a lot. Even then, I have had to resort to a 3rd 1600 for big groups.

By 4-5:00PM no big deal. AB800's will cut it.

umphotography wrote in post #16670712
Thanks Nick

Needed to hear that. So still not enough for bright light ?? I shoot a lot at 2:00PM bright sun for weddings. Most catholic mass ceremonies are at 2-3:ooPM so we are outside at noon shooting a lot. Even then, I have had to resort to a 3rd 1600 for big groups.

By 4-5:00PM no big deal. AB800's will cut it.

Depends. Obviously, if you can get the CL-360 close enough to the subject and you can get it out of the frame, it might be enough. However, for bigger groups IMHO, the CL-360 would even be close outdoors in bright light, if you want to manage the sun.

So you would probably fire direct and no diffuser is what i would assume. I sure like the look of going through something like a sock or Softbox to soften the light a bit. These 22" BD's and socks work great. Its not that bad to carry. But the 360's would be a heck of a lot easier. Something to ponder. Im leaning to do what you are doing and maybe getting 2 360's.

umphotography wrote in post #16671096
So you would probably fire direct and no diffuser is what i would assume. I sure like the look of going through something like a sock or Softbox to soften the light a bit. These 22" BD's and socks work great. Its not that bad to carry. But the 360's would be a heck of a lot easier. Something to ponder. Im leaning to do what you are doing and maybe getting 2 360's.

In bright light for wedding photos, I don't find modifiers add anything super significant, so yeah, I shoot them bare and direct at that. It really all depends on the situation though. I always have several umbrellas, an Octa, and a BD with me.

We get by with bounce flash from the 580EX's at 95% of our receptions. We bring a AlienBee 800 and Vagabond Mini to every wedding for the shooting formals... as long as the wind is howling. As much as I would like to shoot formals with off-camera speedlights, I find setting up an AB800 with a large Octobox is a lot less time and hassle. Only time we use the AB800s for receptions is if the ceiling/walls are too far apart for our 580EX's to keep up.

This topic is what I have been contemplating for a while. Alien Bee vs Bare Bulb. There's definitely benefits of both. At the moment I am just waiting for further developments in the flash space as things are changing quite rapidly.

I use my ABs as bare bulb, with a reflector.

I think he's talking about the bare bulb flashes with smaller form factor like the Quantum, Cheetah Lights (and the other re-branded ones).