Help requested with AD200

I recently picked up an AD200 along with a 24 inch softbox and he barndoor kit. I have used it a couple of times for individual shoots but never for a group shot. I have been asked to take a group photograph this week - about 25 people in the group - and indoors. Just wondering if the AD200 will be adequate and whether I should use the softbox or the barndoor. Any other advice will also be greatly appreciated. I will be using a 6D with a 24-70.

Thanks in advance

One thing I will say with the 24-70 anyways is to make sure you have the group fitting within the center 80% of the frame, don't have people on the edges of the frame. In other words shoot more loosely, farther back and then crop later. You get some strange distorted effects with that lens and people on the edges.

If this is indoors, with a single strobe, I might suggest bouncing that off a rear wall, to make the light source as large as possible. It is going to be pretty difficult to use a single AD200 for something this large and your challenge will be from wherever you have this light source, you may get shadows cast on others in the back. Thus why bouncing this off the ceiling or rear wall might be better. Is that the only strobe/flash you have available?

Others much more experienced than I will have more to add.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #18901586
One thing I will say with the 24-70 anyways is to make sure you have the group fitting within the center 80% of the frame, don't have people on the edges of the frame. In other words shoot more loosely, farther back and then crop later. You get some strange distorted effects with that lens and people on the edges.

If this is indoors, with a single strobe, I might suggest bouncing that off a rear wall, to make the light source as large as possible. It is going to be pretty difficult to use a single AD200 for something this large and your challenge will be from wherever you have this light source, you may get shadows cast on others in the back. Thus why bouncing this off the ceiling or rear wall might be better. Is that the only strobe/flash you have available?

Others much more experienced than I will have more to add.

Unfortunately, yes, I just have the one strobe. I don't think I will have a ceiling low enough to bounce off of. I might have a rear wall, I'll check the location today. Also, I do have a stand that is about 9 to 10 feet tall, if that helps.

Thanks a lot for the tip about the 24-70. I shall certainly keep that in mind.

I would expose for ambient -1/3 or -2/3 and use a standard metal reflector to boost the exposure and fill in shadows. Alternatively putting the strobe in the 24 modifier with no diffusion works. Keep the flash directly overhead.

The spread of the light from the small box won't be wide enough unless it's very far back and then it has little effect. You might try it with no modifier. If you can't bounce as mentioned above then bare bulb might be your only option.

I doubt the AD200 is powerful enough to get an exposure needed for such a large group. The light with reflector alone wouldn't be flattering, a soft box won't give coverage for the group and bouncing it would not get it either. What color is the room? If it's not white, it only really allows you to shoot with large soft boxes, umbrellas or reflectors as a last resort. I would guess that it'd take about 1200ws to get the job done reasonably well and a rental may be necessary.

Rent something adequate.

FarmerTed1971 wrote in post #18901635
Rent something adequate.

tcphoto1 wrote in post #18901631
I doubt the AD200 is powerful enough to get an exposure needed for such a large group. The light with reflector alone wouldn't be flattering, a soft box won't give coverage for the group and bouncing it would not get it either. What color is the room? If it's not white, it only really allows you to shoot with large soft boxes, umbrellas or reflectors as a last resort. I would guess that it'd take about 1200ws to get the job done reasonably well and a rental may be necessary.

Shoot is tomorrow evening. I shall try renting but that might not be possible. I guess I shall have to go bare bulb. I might be able to borrow an AD360. If I can then maybe I can have one camera left and one camera right. That should be better than one strobe.

Thanks a lot everyone for all the responses. I really appreciate it.

RhodyPhotos wrote in post #18901678
Shoot is tomorrow evening. I shall try renting but that might not be possible. I guess I shall have to go bare bulb. I might be able to borrow an AD360. If I can then maybe I can have one camera left and one camera right. That should be better than one strobe.

Thanks a lot everyone for all the responses. I really appreciate it.

Which version of the AD360? If you are using an Xpro or X1Tc to fire your AD200 now, it won't fire the AD360 unless it is the version II, I think, or you have the XTR16.

Of course you may be using 3rd party (non Godox) triggers too, so my concerns would be voided at that point.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #18901685
Which version of the AD360? If you are using an Xpro or X1Tc to fire your AD200 now, it won't fire the AD360 unless it is the version II, I think, or you have the XTR16.

Of course you may be using 3rd party (non Godox) triggers too, so my concerns would be voided at that point.

No Xpro. I have a simple R2 trigger.

RhodyPhotos wrote in post #18901691
No Xpro. I have a simple R2 trigger.

Just remember that some AD360 units are at the 433Hz and not 2.4Ghz frequencies, so it may be possible that you may not be able to trigger the 360. Definitely get your hands on one if you can borrow it, and try it all out a day before.

360s also have a miniplug in so some dumb triggers might be able to be rigged up to fire it.

Nothing like waiting till the last minute to prepare for a shoot. Is it a paid project or are you giving it away?

tcphoto1 wrote in post #18901785
Nothing like waiting till the last minute to prepare for a shoot. Is it a paid project or are you giving it away?

because it's never the client who waits until the last minute, right?

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #18901787
because it's never the client who waits until the last minute, right?

tcphoto1 wrote in post #18901785
Nothing like waiting till the last minute to prepare for a shoot. Is it a paid project or are you giving it away?

lol. Was just asked to do it. Bunch of kids from school (including my own). It is unpaid, of course - what we call Dad's gig. I don't think the expectation is too high, but I don't want to totally screw it up either.