Lighting...baby steps. What's the most important?

Thanks for all your suggestions. I'm leaning towards Scott's suggestion on just getting a second 550 or 420. There are several reasons why.

1) Portability
2) I like the idea of having a backup flash unit
3) Wireless
4) Good scalability later on if I want to add a third unit.
5) Retain ETTL
6) Later I plan to buy a second film based camera so I can keep the second flash on it.

I think the extra cost for the second flash seem to be really worth it. So now that I have a couple cool flash gun brackets to choose from, I just need to select an umbrella and stand and I should be good to go. Thanks allot guys.

What size unbrella would you suggest? My daughter is 36 inches tall.

the largest you can afford.

really? Even in manual?

what external connections does it have?

1. Really! The Peanut Slave will not work with a 550EX. If you do a Google Search, you'll find the posts.

2. The 550EX has no external ports except a high voltage port for an external battey pack. I had some 550EX hot shoe to Pocket Wizard mini plug cords made up at www.paramountcords.com. That's really the only way to go if you want to mix add ons to 550's.
Regards,
Scott

Can you give me a quick run down on umbrella usage. I've seen several materials and also reflective vs passthrough types. In a one umbrella setup, what would produce the best result...or is it just a matter of taste?

This looks like a big one plus the backing comes out to use both ways...I think.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …tails&Q=&sku=42​512&is=REG

I use large Photoflex, white, fabric umbrellas. You can shoot into or through them. I think that's a good start.
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …tails&Q=&sku=42​508&is=REG
Scott

scottbergerphoto wrote:
1. Really! The Peanut Slave will not work with a 550EX. If you do a Google Search, you'll find the posts.

2. The 550EX has no external ports except a high voltage port for an external battey pack. I had some 550EX hot shoe to Pocket Wizard mini plug cords made up at www.paramountcords.com. That's really the only way to go if you want to mix add ons to 550's.

wow, im shocked.
I personally never use an on-camera flash and for the price of a 550EX I could easily set up 3 ebay cheapos with umbrellas and stands

As scott says white for shoot-through or reflected. I also have a silver/gold reversible which I use a lot outdoors.

The 550EX is alone more then I wanted to spend...but, having one already and using it makes me think it's not such a bad buy. On the camera it as AF assist beam which has been very helpful with my indoor shots. So If I get that second camera down the road this would be a cool option. I will have to mole over it for a while. Thanks again for all your help guys. I've got a much better idea of how to proceed now.

There are some fundamental questions that you have to answer before the whole picture will take shape. In each question, there are multiple possible correct answers. In some cases, your answer to one will contradict the answer to another, and I have mixed them illogically to avoid leading you to one single answer.

(1) Are you going to try to shoot ETTL, or manual?

(2) Are you going to connect flash sync only, or complete ETTL, between the camera and the flash?

(3) Are you setting up more for portability, or more like a studio setting?

(4) Are you going to connect between the camera and flash with RF, with Canon wireless IR, with optical slaving, with a simple cable, or with a complete cable?

Each person responding in this thread kind of has his or her own magical formula, so they have a different set of answers. I mean, it is nice to equip yourself for anything, but at the end of the day, it boils down to some decisions.

---Bob Gross---

ETTL sounds nice and might be easier for someone of my experience. I like the fact that I can set the light ratio and shoot with these speedlites (right?). Portability is also sort of a plus for me because I will shoot inside my own apartment which doesn't have allot of space, so being able to compact this stuff down is going to be a mojor plus.

Right now my lighting isn't bad (bounced off a ceiling with a defuser)...but it doesn't have that puch to it. I can sort of fake it in PS in post processing...but after viewing some of the simple lighting portrait shots here I think I'd like to try it myself. This setup described also seems to be on of the more simplistic setups...just attach flash to camera, set to master, set ratio 3:1 and set slave on stand with umbrella.....I might actually be able to handle this.

I have ZERO knowledge of studio lighting

How about getting an industrial 30 dollar fan for ventilation?

Just put it into the window and you're good.

The reason I asked those questions is because what you buy to shoot with, and the way you learn to shoot flash photos will be swayed by your decision. You can jump up out of one technique and jump over into a different technique, but then the cables and gadgets and methods might have to change somewhat.

The bottom line is that portable flash photography tends to take you one direction, and studio flash photography tends to take you in another. The expensive stuff is mostly the same, but it's kind of a different animal.

Although I use a standard Canon solution for wedding photography, I experimented with continuous lighting for a small studio setup. Oddly enough, that only gets used in the wintertime. ( ! )

---Bob Gross---

Doc, the fans are already in the windows before I turn the lights on, LOL. This area doesn't believe in AC I guess, LOL. Anyway, even with AC they are to hot for small children who can get pretty cranky fast.

Bob, I hope I'm at least stepping in a better direction there were I'm at, which isn't real bad, but would like to see some more dynamics to my photo.

I almost want to wait on getting another 550EX to see if the 580EX will bring down the price. I see the 580EX in some online stores is as cheep as $425...which is $125 more then the 550EX at B&H. I could save another $120 if I go the 420EX route...I wonder if I could get the same effect behind the umbrella with it?

Keep in mind what Bob says about the direction you are going in when considering your purchase. He makes very good points.

It reads to me that you are somewhat counting on the ETTL for portraits. I could be wrong, but that is the way I am interpreting your message. All I can say is good luck. Not that it can't be done, but I find it difficult to control as much as setting ratios myself. All though a meter is a great benefit I can set ratios with or without a flash meter because of the manual controls on the flash. Not to mention for the money of another 550EX you can get yourself an Alien Bee strobe setup. You still have the other 550EX for other uses.

As I mentioned above Sigma has the 500 Super DG flash that does everything the Canon 550EX can do for less. It does not have the port for the external battery though. Some will argue that the build quality is not there and I don't disagree with them. However, I'm extra careful not to slam my equipment on the ground anyway.

Cordell

I think I need to go make sure I really know what ETTL is. At my amateur status, I don't think I would be able to differentiate these two directions I should be aware of....could and should I?? My direction as I see it is to achieve a more dynamic lighting situation where I can make the subject have more perceived depth by increasing a light source from a 45 degree angle (or something) and making sure that the light is soft enough and the fill is sufficient to have even lighting. Baby steps for me. I don't expect my photos to look like a professional of 20 years....yet.

I will look into Super DG. Normally I'm brand loyal, but I do have to start thinking about saving for college for my daughter so she doesn't have to be on a 30 year payment plan like me.

Let me give you some of my sample shots of late. I'm starting to use PS to fake a lighting setup....every single one of these shots are candid shots fixed up.

http://www.toddburke.n​et …4_Jen_Jas_bw_li​ghting.jpg

http://www.toddburke.n​et …id%20light%20pa​inting.jpg

http://www.toddburke.n​et/gallery/web/Reese_0​1_web.jpg

http://www.toddburke.n​et/gallery/web/CRW_046​5.jpg

http://www.toddburke.n​et …eb/Izabelle_hig​hlight.jpg

http://www.toddburke.n​et/post/CRW_1923_izzy_​eyes.jpg (PS shadows)

http://www.toddburke.n​et/images/cat_yawn.jpg

As you can see, I'm missing allot for a real portrait type shot. The better ones are when I have some available window light. The background is very distracting. The direction I want to take is to add some control to the environment. One will probably try to teach my two year old to stay still, lol. The next is to have a consistent background....but the purpose of my thread is to help me with a "baby step" lighting setup.

It think I understand the pros of using speedlites, but what are the cons?? Scott, can you post one sample of a speedlite photo that has different lighting ratios between the flashes? I feel like your are trying to tell me something...but I don't know what that is.