night time football photos question

Penquin

I ask this question in anticipation of football season next year. I have been doing some reading and have found several sites talking about mounting a flash on your monopod under your camera. Some sites show two flashes and some show one flash. You can actually buy a bracket that is set up with one flash or two flashes with pocket wizards or even with a battery pack.
I did a search on this site and found Rwells posted some information regarding this information in the past. I am pretty new to this site and am hoping Rwells (Randy??) or someone else will share their experience. :bow
I want to build myself a setup. I was hoping for some advice.
Do I need two flashes or is one enough?
Should I use a pocket wizards or a cord?
I have a TT5, is this the way to go, it looks like it is best to use TTL flash mode top acchieve faster recycle time.
What is the best way to go about using a battery pack? Is the canon battery pack the best or some other battery pack? (I have canon 580exll)
Thank you

kiz5

One is enough. I personally use a cord.

I'm a Nikon shooter though, so not sure about the flashes. I don't really worry about recycle times, as I prefer to shoot it like strobes, with single shots.

Penquin

Thanks
Thanks for sharing. Did you build your own system and do you like the way it works.

tjk60

Penquin wrote:

Thanks for sharing. Did you build your own system and do you like the way it works.

Hey Adrian, welcome to dgrin!

Penguin: Here is a shot of my rig. I use two flash, triggered by PW. I never did flash with cords but will be trying this year...



pic taken with it:

Sledhed

Personally I don't like the flash under the camera because it can creat some unnatural shadows. I attach a Bogen flexible arm with a super clamp to the monopod and mount a flash to an off shoe cord. With this setup you can have the flash above or below the camera. Plus it's not real expensive to set up.

Penquin

Wow, thanks a bunch
Thanks for the photo . That helped a lot. It looks like you have two super clamps, two flashes, two battery packs, and two pocket wizards. I was looking at some brackets on line made by Michael Bass that has two flashes with one pocket wizard that has a splitter on it going to each flash. He advertises he has room on the bracket for a battery pack as well. I hope you dont mind my questions. I am curious what kind of battery pack you are using and does it give you alot quicker recharge. Also why are you interested in going to a cord? One more question. Do you think it is important to have two flashes or is one ok. I currently have two flashes so I could do either. I have a TT5 and a TT1. I was thinking of setting it up with one flash on the TT5 but I have been told I should use a cord, just more reliable. Thanks so much for the photo again .

tjk60 wrote:

Hey Adrian, welcome to dgrin!

Penguin: Here is a shot of my rig. I use two flash, triggered by PW. I never did flash with cords but will be trying this year...



pic taken with it:

Penquin

got one working!!!
Tim, Thanks again for the photo. After seeing your photo and posting back to you I suddenly realized I already had almost everything I needed. I attached my TT5 to the super clamp and then my flash on top of that and my TT1 to the camera. I do not have a battery pack though :cry . I was able to make it work. I still have to figure out how to adjust the power of the flash though. I had been reading somewhere to use ttl on the flash for a quicker recyle. My pocket wizards are new to me and I am not sure how to use them effeciently yet and could not seem to get them to flash when the flash is on ttl. It works fine when it is on manual. I am still curious about my above listed questions??? Are you getting a lot faster recycle time with your battery pack? I shoot canon and have 580 ex and 580 ex ll.

tjk60

My philosophy on shooting is that if I use 2 flash I use less power and get faster recycle times.

I use the ISO on my camera (at that time a Nikon D200) to vary the exposure, keeping SS @ 1/250 (sync speed) and aperture at 2.8. It's guessing, but you get pretty decent after a game or two....

I know a lot of 'togs that only use one flash, and use iTTL (corded) to shot and get pretty good pics.

This year I have a D700 so I'll be interested to see what the Hi ISO capabilities will do for me for nighttime high school football...

Penquin

Thanks for the info
Tim,
Thanks for sharing. I have been out in my backyard the last couple of nights practicing, and testing recycle times. I even dug my flash manual out and started reading. Thanks again for sharing.

ClaireJ

It's amazing you are actually allowed to use flash at all. I would have some very large gentlemen visiting me pitchside if I tried that in a professional rugby union game!! We have to shoot without flash at stadia that don't have the brightest floodlights.

It's a challenge but you can get some great results...

Neil Best on the charge for Northampton Saints... no flash just ISO 6400 on a D3 with a 70-200mm lens at f2.8...


Euan Murray, tighthead prop preparing to munch the opposition...


Yep there may be grain but I think it adds to the mood. The second photo was taken on a misty evening so flash wouldn't have really worked anyway.

Give it a go - you might be pleasantly surprised by the results:D

kiz5

Shooting without flash is a requirement at pro level events. We're also talking about a real stadium there.

Night time football being flashed, is aimed at those shooting the high school levels, and younger. It doesn't affect the players, though you'd assume it does. I asked each running back, and quarterback after the game, and each and every one said they didn't even see a flash fire once during the game.

I've been at fields where I'm getting readings of 1/160th @ ISO 6400 @ 2.8.