How to use eight flash units at once

I feel so unworthy of my title now, since I only carry three flash units in my bag.

Check out today's Strobist post, and be sure to look at the original size image and zoom in on their lighting rig. This is what happens when David Hobby and Joe McNally get together in the presence of a beautiful blonde Czech model (too much testosterone).

I can't wait to read the rest of this story!

Look forward to his video of it!
EDIT: Wonder if it was simply to achieve a larger light source?

I saw that. I also look forward to the video.

I did a shoot at the weekend and used my 3 flashes initially then borrowed a couple and went to 5 with 4 having gels on. May have to trawl ebay for some more.

David Hobby must realise how responsible he is for the huge price hike in the 2nd hand market!

NSWESP wrote in post #5469668
Wonder if it was simply to achieve a larger light source?

My guess is that they were trying to increase the power output. You can get a large light source with one strobe if you position it front of the reflector, so there isn't any need to add more. If they were using them direct, there would be multiple shadows from each light. So I'm guessing they had the diffuser between the model and the strobes, and where adding power with multiple 800's.

For power to get 1 extra stop of light, you need two flashes. To get the next 1 stop increase, you need to add 4 more. And for the next increase, 8 flashes. If you were insane enough to want a 4 stop increase, better whip out 16 strobes! So they can add up quickly if you need 2 stops or more.

Based on the distance from the strobes to the model, bright sunlight, and with a diffuser in-between (if they didn't use it overhead), I bet they were on the low end of the power scale with a single strobe.

Screw the video, I just want to see the photos they made with that rig...

Update: Strobist tells the story, in words, pictures and video, on his blog:
http://strobist.blogsp​ot.com …mcnally-desert-shoot.html

Joe McNally also blogged his version:
http://www.joemcnally.​com …5/19/david-of-the-desert/

My favorite line from McNally: