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Sunset…strobist style
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So this is my first forray into using flash off camera. I’ve been browsing strobist.com frequently, and figured it was time to get a flash. A new Vivitar 285HV arrived with some Gadget Infinity radio triggers. ?75 all in – bargain!
Dying to give them a go, I threw them in my backpack and went for a cycle. The sky was getting nice, so we stopped in a field and I got set up. I exposed manually to balance the sky with the flash and came up with this.
I’m pretty happy with my first attempt, and stunned at what one basic flash can do with a bit of creativity. I’m a bit disappointed with the shadow from Tim’s nose, because the flash was on the ground. But this could be easily sorted next time with an assistant to hold hold the flash a bit above eye level or hold a fill reflector (or A3 sheet of white paper in strobist style) on the LH side of his face.
Comments or pointers would be most welcome.
Hi,
Looks great to me as you say except for the nose shadow. Would love to see what it would have turned out like with the sheet of white paper held in position just out of shot to the subjects right, I would say it would look class. The sky looks great also. I have been having a look at the strobist website also and would love to give this a go. Where did you buy the flash and radio triggers.Best regards,
JohnThanks for the comments. I’ll maybe try something similar with a reflector another time. My fiance has just come over from the states, so she will be my new subject…a lot!
I got the flash and triggers from Gadget Infinity’s store on ebay. The shipped from Hong Kong and arrived in just over a week. http://cgi.ebay.com/4-Channel-Wireless-Flash-Trigger-V2-f-Canon-580EX-430EX_W0QQitemZ170117451829QQihZ007QQcategoryZ64354QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem These are the triggers, and they also sell the Vivitar flashes.
Nose shadow is an issue due to position more than anything. The flash needs to be much higher. As to the hardness of the light from direct flash, well that’s a personal thing. Using modifiers such as umbrellas, softboxes for reflectors will change the transition from the shadow to the light. Direct flash has an almost immediate transition from dark to light, wheres a large softbox close to the subject will have almost no shadow at all.
The Strobist buzz is good and looks much better than on camera flash. Next on your list should be the umbrella, stand and stand adaptor. Good first try.
PeteMcD wrote:
I exposed manually to balance the sky with the flash and came up with this.
How did you guage what aperture/shutter speed to use? I would like to see the EXIF info if it is available?
I managed to obtain some of the bungee ball thingys, which could be used to attach the flash to the branch of a tree for instance. That would solve the problem about having the flash on the ground, and also avoid the need to carry a stand around with you.
Rossseanmcfoto wrote:
Nose shadow is an issue due to position more than anything. The flash needs to be much higher. As to the hardness of the light from direct flash, well that’s a personal thing. Using modifiers such as umbrellas, softboxes for reflectors will change the transition from the shadow to the light. Direct flash has an almost immediate transition from dark to light, wheres a large softbox close to the subject will have almost no shadow at all.
The Strobist buzz is good and looks much better than on camera flash. Next on your list should be the umbrella, stand and stand adaptor. Good first try.
Thanks for your advice. I don’t have anything against hard light, but it wasn’t a creative choice…I didn’t have an alternative!
The umbrella and stand are already in the back of my mind. I’m going to get used to what I have first, and then look around for the umbrella.
brandyman wrote:
How did you guage what aperture/shutter speed to use? I would like to see the EXIF info if it is available?
EXIF is ISO 100, f5.0, 1/160th at 50mm with the 285HV set on half power, and the wide zoom setting.
I exposed for the sky using manual exposure using the fastest sync speed possible which gave 1/200th at f 5.6. I then set up the flash and used half power as a starting point and fired a test shot. It was just a little hot, so I closed the aperture by 1/3 stop to f5.0. I needed to adjust the shutter speed to 1/160th to keep the sky’s exposure the same.
I love the control you can have between the ambient and flash. I’ll be playing some more soon.
wjklewis wrote:
Ross where did you get the bungee things?
John.
Have visions of some poor Bungee jumper splattered all over the ground and a certain PI member running in the opposite direction with a pair of scissors in one hand and a length of Bungee rope in the other…. :lol:
wjklewis wrote:
Ross where did you get the bungee things?
John.
I got them on ebay John. Had to buy a pack of 10, and I only need 2/3 so you can have a couple no problem.
Ross
yip i like this :D .. i have actually just ordered radio triggers, because i am fed up tripping over my pc cords ;-)
purely personally i would have pobably gone for a slightly softer diffused light from the flash .. but that is just being picky :D
great stuff and look forward to seeing more
d
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