Jeffro250 wrote in post #11119990
You should have no problems doing simple portraits in the evening with a single light source...ive gone as far as lighting a group of 4-5 people in the evening with a single speedlight and a shoot through umbrella for 1/3-1/2 length portraits. You can do it if you get creative. Pulling the light farther away and cranking up the power will help with a more even fall off...remember the inverse square law.
Let me run you down a really quick and basic setup without using a light meter.
Set up your light slightly above and at a 45 degree angle(either side) to your subject with your flash set at 1/4 power with a shoot through umbrella. Try to position it close(5 feet or less from your subject).
Always remember, shutter speed controls ambient exposure, aperture controls flash exposure.
In manual mode, start with an F8-ish aperture, ISO 100 and a shutter speed of about 1/125th. With the flash off, take a picture and see what your ambient light looks like. If you want more ambient, dial in a slower shutter speed...if you want less ambient, dial in a faster shutter speed. Once you get your ambient dialed in, turn your light back on, take a picture and see what your subject looks like. If your subject is over exposed, either dial in a tighter aperture, or turn your flash power down. If your under exposed, use a more open aperture or a higher flash power.
If you know your going to be working with someone or something that is less than cooperative and in this case, I would say an infant would be...get your lights and everything setup before you start shooting them. A small stuffed animal, a prop or even another person will let you get your ambient and subject exposure dialed in, then substitute your real subject in, fire away and your done quickly and easily.
You should have no problems doing simple portraits in the evening with a single light source...ive gone as far as lighting a group of 4-5 people in the evening with a single speedlight and a shoot through umbrella for 1/3-1/2 length portraits. You can do it if you get creative. Pulling the light farther away and cranking up the power will help with a more even fall off...remember the inverse square law.
Let me run you down a really quick and basic setup without using a light meter.
Set up your light slightly above and at a 45 degree angle(either side) to your subject with your flash set at 1/4 power with a shoot through umbrella. Try to position it close(5 feet or less from your subject).
Always remember, shutter speed controls ambient exposure, aperture controls flash exposure.
In manual mode, start with an F8-ish aperture, ISO 100 and a shutter speed of about 1/125th. With the flash off, take a picture and see what your ambient light looks like. If you want more ambient, dial in a slower shutter speed...if you want less ambient, dial in a faster shutter speed. Once you get your ambient dialed in, turn your light back on, take a picture and see what your subject looks like. If your subject is over exposed, either dial in a tighter aperture, or turn your flash power down. If your under exposed, use a more open aperture or a higher flash power.
If you know your going to be working with someone or something that is less than cooperative and in this case, I would say an infant would be...get your lights and everything setup before you start shooting them. A small stuffed animal, a prop or even another person will let you get your ambient and subject exposure dialed in, then substitute your real subject in, fire away and your done quickly and easily.
you must have seen the One Light Workshop Video
