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03/11/2009 04:25:34 PM · #1 |
I know this question has been asked before, and I tried searching in previous threads, but I really need to know:
I need to figure out how to use a off camera flash, what equipment I will need for that, and I would like to know what type of soft box to get???
I am so lost when it comes to lighting. My primary focus for using the lighting equipment will be for inside portraits. Please help....
I am probably not making any sense...
Thanks,
Jamie |
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03/11/2009 05:00:18 PM · #2 |
if you want to use hotshoe flashes off camera - look here : then click the lighting 101 link on the upper right side...
//www.strobist.blogspot.com/
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03/11/2009 05:07:06 PM · #3 |
there are two parts to this - the gear and the artistic (knowing how to use) the lights.
There are all sorts of modifiers one can put on lights - none (bare bulb), reflectors, gels, grids, barndoors, softboxes (off all kinds of shapes and sizes), beauty dishes, umbrellas (bounce or shoot thru), snoots and probably a thing or two I missed ( like a grid on a softbox).
Each does something different to the light, plus you can adjust the intensity of the light and the distance the light is from the subject, and of course, the number of lights.
So it depends on what you want to light, and how, what modifier you want. For example, for outside daylight stuff i'll use a flash straight on with no modifier. For groups at weddings i'll use a 2x2 foot softbox (25 feet away), but for a single senior in my studio i'll use a 3x4 foot softbox (1 foot away) and for on location portraiture i often use 60" umbrellas in a mix of shoot thru and bounce.
So what is right for you? I can't answer that, only you can.
As for off-camera lighting...what's your goal, what's your budget, etc?
there is no single answer either - just look at how much stuff is for sale out there.
You can go all canon and use their IR wireless stuff, but it needs to have line of sight to work.
you can go speedlights or studio strobes...then either trigger them from a wire to your camera or optically (they'll all fire when they see any strobe fire), or radio-wireless. Pocket wizards are the big name here, but there are other choices and PW has a new thing out this month that allows eTTL. Without eTTL you're gonna want a flash meter.
It will all make sense to you in 3 to 5 years. LOL
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04/13/2009 06:12:29 PM · #4 |
Why do you say 3-5 years? Thanks for the information.
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:
there are two parts to this - the gear and the artistic (knowing how to use) the lights.
There are all sorts of modifiers one can put on lights - none (bare bulb), reflectors, gels, grids, barndoors, softboxes (off all kinds of shapes and sizes), beauty dishes, umbrellas (bounce or shoot thru), snoots and probably a thing or two I missed ( like a grid on a softbox).
Each does something different to the light, plus you can adjust the intensity of the light and the distance the light is from the subject, and of course, the number of lights.
So it depends on what you want to light, and how, what modifier you want. For example, for outside daylight stuff i'll use a flash straight on with no modifier. For groups at weddings i'll use a 2x2 foot softbox (25 feet away), but for a single senior in my studio i'll use a 3x4 foot softbox (1 foot away) and for on location portraiture i often use 60" umbrellas in a mix of shoot thru and bounce.
So what is right for you? I can't answer that, only you can.
As for off-camera lighting...what's your goal, what's your budget, etc?
there is no single answer either - just look at how much stuff is for sale out there.
You can go all canon and use their IR wireless stuff, but it needs to have line of sight to work.
you can go speedlights or studio strobes...then either trigger them from a wire to your camera or optically (they'll all fire when they see any strobe fire), or radio-wireless. Pocket wizards are the big name here, but there are other choices and PW has a new thing out this month that allows eTTL. Without eTTL you're gonna want a flash meter.
It will all make sense to you in 3 to 5 years. LOL |
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04/13/2009 09:33:29 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by bennettjamie:
Why do you say 3-5 years? Thanks for the information. |
No offense intended but my guess is because you stated you are so lost. Your question is not one that can be answered in a few lines of text, especially in light of how little detail you provided. There are many books written on the subject of lighting and how to use various lights. Just like cameras different lights do things better than other, modifiers etc all vary depending on your lights. There are no short cuts here, you will get as many different answers as people who offer advice but that doesnt mean any of them are right for you, only you can figure that out and its based largely on what and how you shoot.. |
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04/13/2009 09:58:20 PM · #6 |
I would also say that lighting is one of the most difficult aspects to photography. There is a lot to absorb in terms of how the equipment works. Then, once you've sorted out the proper equipment, you need to start learning how to use it to achieve the effect you want. Each aspect, in and of itself, is difficult, but combining them exacerbates the matter.
One book that I just got that has a lot of good stuff in it is The Hot Shoe Diaries by Joe Mcnally. Worth checking it out IMO. |
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