Strobist Weenie

SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
edited August 2, 2011 in Other Cool Shots
Neighbor wanted to have a nice photo of her daughter's weenie dog printed up for a birthday present.

I had an idea and grabbed up my gear. Thought was to shoot with one light with 1/4 CTO. I hadn't charged up my Skyport transmitter and it was misfiring badly. Also noted one light source wasn't cutting it and I would need some fill light.

New to me was using the built in wireless flash capibilities of my 580 EX speedlites.

No issues in getting the slave to fire but since this is / new to me I didn't know how to set the flashes to different power levels. (still need to read and practice setting multiple flashes at different power levels).

Dogs don't have the longest attention span so I was trying work quickly. Set the power level at 1/4 power and found a distance where the on camera light was what I wanted. Then had my voice activated light stand move the off camera light at my direction until i got what I wanted.

Basically I used distance to determine the amount of light hitting the subject as a quick fix.

After all that ,15 min total, this is the result of two flashes one off camera and one on camera.

Thought and comments are always welcome.

Sam

Lilly-8X10-3801-2-M.jpg
www.samlinvillephotography.com

Comments

  • Y_KnotY_Knot Registered Users Posts: 55 Big grins
    edited July 27, 2011
    Looks great. I like the way you put your logo on the dog tag.
  • EiaEia Registered Users Posts: 3,627 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2011
    Looks like he is posing perfectly fine for you! What a cutie..and I think a fine photo of the little regal weenie dog! clap.gif
    ~AnnaMaria~ My little life in God's big universe
  • DogdotsDogdots Registered Users Posts: 8,795 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2011
    Wow .. I like this. Amazing how lighting can really show a dog off. Darn it .. I need to get a flash now.
    Mary
    www.Dogdotsphotography.com
  • SnowgirlSnowgirl Registered Users Posts: 2,155 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2011
    And I need to learn how to do that so you don't get the "glare" eye or bad reflection in both dogs and horses. Thanks for the inspiration.
    Creating visual and verbal images that resonate with you.
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  • moose135moose135 Registered Users Posts: 1,420 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2011
    That turned out really well, Sam! Good job!
    The Moose is Loose!
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  • DaddyODaddyO Registered Users Posts: 4,466 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2011
    An very nice result Sam thumb.gif Pretty fine really.
    Michael
  • jpcjpc Registered Users Posts: 840 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2011
    Exposure on the dog is perfect and I also like that you've added your name to the tag. Very clever.

    It would help the dog stand out form the background if your ambient exposure had been dropped by a stop or so. Also, the plant on the left is catching some of the strobe, so it's a little distracting. You might actually have been able to pull this off with just on-camera flash, diffused.
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  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2011
    jpc wrote: »
    Exposure on the dog is perfect and I also like that you've added your name to the tag. Very clever.

    It would help the dog stand out form the background if your ambient exposure had been dropped by a stop or so. Also, the plant on the left is catching some of the strobe, so it's a little distracting. You might actually have been able to pull this off with just on-camera flash, diffused.

    Thanks for your reply.............please note there is virtually no ambient light in this image.

    I would have tried to alter the ratios some, but my voice activated light stand doesn't have a clue about photography or lighting. Lilly has a limited attention span and kept trying to wondering off. Getting Lilly to listen is like trying to get the attention of you girlfriend in a jewelery store who has your credit card.

    This was a proof of concept image and based on that I am pleased with the results. Now the possibilities are wide open, and I am ready to try some refinements.

    sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
  • CowboydougCowboydoug Registered Users Posts: 401 Major grins
    edited August 2, 2011
    Just another congressman Weiner shot :)
    when I saw the title to this shot my first thought was... Oh great, just another Congressman Wiener shot wings.gif
    Sorry... I couldn't resist bowdown.gif my badmwink.gif
    I'm a Kidnapper... I take terrible pictures of people, then hold them for ransom.

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    Certified Journeyman Commercial Photographer
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