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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> Alien Bees/Canon 20D - Need Help
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 04/09/2005 12:09:48 PM · #1
Just got 2 Alien Bee B800's with 2 Brolly Boxes (poor man's soft box). Tried to take some pictures of my son today and they came out weird. I have each B800 set to 1/8 power. My camera settings are: f/9, ISO 100, Shutter 1/160, WB: Flash. I'm shooting in Manual Mode. The picture seems like their is a filter over it. After some PS processing the picture looks fine, but I'm wondering why it is coming out like it has a film over it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a sample pic straight from the camera:
04/09/2005 12:25:38 PM · #2
Not sure what you are seeing. It looks good on my display.
 04/09/2005 12:33:37 PM · #3
I can't say why you're getting a "film" over the image, although it looks a little flat to me. How are your lights positioned? Try having your mainlight at 45 deg. to your subject and a little stronger than the fill, which should be near the camera position.

Also, lower the camera to about chest-height. As it is you're pointing the camera down on the boy.

04/09/2005 12:36:28 PM · #4
Originally posted by lenkphotos:
I can't say why you're getting a "film" over the image, although it looks a little flat to me. How are your lights positioned? Try having your mainlight at 45 deg. to your subject and a little stronger than the fill, which should be near the camera position.

Also, lower the camera to about chest-height. As it is you're pointing the camera down on the boy.


I have the main light at 45 degrees to my son and the 2nd light is filling in the shadows. I will lower the lights a bit more. I will try some other shots later to see if I can figure this out.
04/09/2005 01:28:33 PM · #5
Distance to the lights/subject and you/subject?
I think your flash is set too low.
I got to play ina friend's studio - he was using a AB800 and brolly box at abou 1/2 power, the fill was 1/4 power into an umbrella. camera was 1/160 if i recall and f11-f13 range.

How are you triggering the flashes? He uses a hot shoe to PC adapter, taht is tetherd to the main light and the fill is set to optical slave mode.

How does your histogram look?
Have you tried cutom WB or daylight or auto? I notived very little difference between auto and flash settings.

04/09/2005 01:44:17 PM · #6
I usually use the daylight WB setting with B800s and get good results. I'd try boosting the flash power and reducing your aperture too.
 04/09/2005 07:11:12 PM · #7
I was able to do some more test shots and SCALVERT, using the Daylight setting worked like a charm. I also had to increase the power output on the b800's

Here is a shot straight out of the camera


Prof_Fate thanks for the tips. I went back and checked all my settings again, which led me to increase the output on the lights.

I just used the PC sync cord on the main light and the 2nd light I just used the slave tripper that's built into the light. Eventually, I plan to go wireless.

Thank you all for your help!!
 04/09/2005 08:33:40 PM · #8
I'd say shooting portraits without a light meter is like hunting without a weapon, or driving without a steering wheel.. Pardon the metaphors.

The great thing about having studio lights and a light meter is that you get to choose your DOF. Pick your aperture based on how you want the DOF and adjust the lights accordingly. I always hear people talk about correct positioning of lights etc. but it really comes down to lighting for aperture IMHO.
 04/09/2005 08:48:18 PM · #9
Originally posted by magicshutter:
I'd say shooting portraits without a light meter is like hunting without a weapon, or driving without a steering wheel.. Pardon the metaphors.

The great thing about having studio lights and a light meter is that you get to choose your DOF. Pick your aperture based on how you want the DOF and adjust the lights accordingly. I always hear people talk about correct positioning of lights etc. but it really comes down to lighting for aperture IMHO.


Which Light meter do you use? I'm not familiar with Light Meters or how to really use them. I'm sure it would make the process alot faster and easier. Eventually I will have to invest in one.
 04/09/2005 10:18:21 PM · #10
Yes, that looks much better. Someday I'll order a light meter, but for now I just wing it with the histogram view. I can usually get the lights adjusted in two or three shots, so it's not really a big deal.
 04/09/2005 11:28:54 PM · #11
You might also want to read Light Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting Very good book, highly recommended.

Light meters: Sekonic is one of the big names, they have Light meters that range from US$179.00 to US$499.00
 04/10/2005 12:07:49 AM · #12
You might think about the "PORTAFLASH" meter, its basic but very accurate. Mine cost about $NZ 80.00
 04/10/2005 12:45:24 AM · #13
I see a lot of folks using Minolta meters.

Read up some on the meters...i want one, but the price of them is a bit much - even old 'manual' ones are not inexpensive.

Theory is yoy can measure either incident or reflected, flash or regular light. Terms are not coming to tired mind at this moment. If you read direct you put the meter where the subject is and point it at each flash and trigger them and it will give you an F stop. You can then set the lights at differing f-stops to get a 'lighting ratio'.

you can also hold the mter where the camera is, point it at the subject and trip the lights and measure it - you then get a total reflected light measurement - it tells you what to set yor Fstop for.
 04/10/2005 01:07:43 AM · #14
I use a minolta, but you can get a polaris that will do the trick, probably off ebay for around 100 dollars.

They are relatively easy to use.. set the ISO and the Shutter speed and pop the flash. Adjust accordingly

Message edited by author 2005-04-10 01:08:32.
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