Umbrellas are much less directional than a softbox, from what I understand. I'll be watching this thread! I just bought the same setup (two B800, softbox and umbrella). I like the high key effect in the first shot, but I guess that isn't what you were going for.
Umbrellas are much less directional than a softbox, from what I understand. I'll be watching this thread! I just bought the same setup (two B800, softbox and umbrella). I like the high key effect in the first shot, but I guess that isn't what you were going for.
Owen
Actually I really liked how the first one came out, I am just trying to understand why....so I can replicate it if I want to and to understand how to changed it.
But all that video lighting stuff is coming back.
This is what I just did with a singled bee....1/16 power, the white bounce umbrela.....
now I need to figure out how to use the light meter.
Winger, I apologize if I'm preaching to the choir. Sometimes I'm not sure when people are serious with their questions or asking them tongue-in-cheek.
I have an expensive light/flash meter and rarely use it anymore. I use the histogram primarily and find it much faster than using the meter. If you are serious about using the meter then have the model hold the meter between their nose and forehead (touching both) then fire the flash. I have them hold the meter there because it's the face and eyes that I want to nail. Then read the exposure time and f-stop combos from the meter and chose the one you want for the DOF you are going for. I'm assuming that you know to set it to the proper ISO, etc.
I am also assuming that you are using a cable or transceiver to fire the flash set up and not slaving from the on-camera flash. If you are trying to slave off an on-camera flash the readings are going to change every time you change your position.
I find that I get better results when I have the power ratio somewhere between 2:1 and 3:1 between the fill flash and key light when using two flash heads. I'm not familiar with the flash heads you are using but figure that they have modeling lights on them which will help you set the ratio if the modeling lights are keyed to the power settings on the heads. I always shoot with softboxes or umbrellas. When shooting with the umbrellas I reverse the heads and bounce the light off the umbrellas.
I shoot totally manual when using my flash heads.
Dixie Photographs by Dixie | Canon 1Ds | Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 5D | Canon 50D | Canon 10D | Canon EOS Elan 7 | Mamiya Pro S RB67 |
...and bunches of Canon lenses - I'm equipment rich and dollar poor!
Winger, I apologize if I'm preaching to the choir. Sometimes I'm not sure when people are serious with their questions or asking them tongue-in-cheek.
I have an expensive light/flash meter and rarely use it anymore. I use the histogram primarily and find it much faster than using the meter. If you are serious about using the meter then have the model hold the meter between their nose and forehead (touching both) then fire the flash. I have them hold the meter there because it's the face and eyes that I want to nail. Then read the exposure time and f-stop combos from the meter and chose the one you want for the DOF you are going for. I'm assuming that you know to set it to the proper ISO, etc.
I am also assuming that you are using a cable or transceiver to fire the flash set up and not slaving from the on-camera flash. If you are trying to slave off an on-camera flash the readings are going to change every time you change your position.
I find that I get better results when I have the power ratio somewhere between 2:1 and 3:1 between the fill flash and key light when using two flash heads. I'm not familiar with the flash heads you are using but figure that they have modeling lights on them which will help you set the ratio if the modeling lights are keyed to the power settings on the heads. I always shoot with softboxes or umbrellas. When shooting with the umbrellas I reverse the heads and bounce the light off the umbrellas.
I shoot totally manual when using my flash heads.
Well I figured picking up the light meter was a good idea, since the incamera meter cant really read the strobes......so then it becomes a crap shoot. And I guess I will get better at guesstimating the proper settings with time, but I would rather not make my poor victums wait around why i fiddle with my camera.....so that is why I picked up a light meter.
And now some of this stuff is all coming back to me, like the light ratios....
Right now I just have the sync cable, I think im going to wait for xmas for pocket wizards. I think tonight I am going to take one of them to the practice rink and see if now I can get decent light in there. I was reading on arena strobes that when strobing a place you only need enough light to bring it up one or two stops in order to wash out the ambient light. Well the practice rink is such a dungeon that the one bee in the corner should totally work ( My plan is for their next game to set the two up one one end.....).
Comments
try one light, then two before you go for three lights.
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(only two :-P)
Maybe Doctor it can come over and show me how to use my darn equipement again...
Explain what you've got: camera, lights, etc
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Yeah good point.
Two Alien Bee's B800's. Canon 20-d, Sekonic 358
Well I got some skin tone back
What is the difference between using umbrelas or a softbox?
Owen
Actually I really liked how the first one came out, I am just trying to understand why....so I can replicate it if I want to and to understand how to changed it.
But all that video lighting stuff is coming back.
This is what I just did with a singled bee....1/16 power, the white bounce umbrela.....
now I need to figure out how to use the light meter.
I have an expensive light/flash meter and rarely use it anymore. I use the histogram primarily and find it much faster than using the meter. If you are serious about using the meter then have the model hold the meter between their nose and forehead (touching both) then fire the flash. I have them hold the meter there because it's the face and eyes that I want to nail. Then read the exposure time and f-stop combos from the meter and chose the one you want for the DOF you are going for. I'm assuming that you know to set it to the proper ISO, etc.
I am also assuming that you are using a cable or transceiver to fire the flash set up and not slaving from the on-camera flash. If you are trying to slave off an on-camera flash the readings are going to change every time you change your position.
I find that I get better results when I have the power ratio somewhere between 2:1 and 3:1 between the fill flash and key light when using two flash heads. I'm not familiar with the flash heads you are using but figure that they have modeling lights on them which will help you set the ratio if the modeling lights are keyed to the power settings on the heads. I always shoot with softboxes or umbrellas. When shooting with the umbrellas I reverse the heads and bounce the light off the umbrellas.
I shoot totally manual when using my flash heads.
Photographs by Dixie
| Canon 1Ds | Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 5D | Canon 50D | Canon 10D | Canon EOS Elan 7 | Mamiya Pro S RB67 |
...and bunches of Canon lenses - I'm equipment rich and dollar poor!
Well I figured picking up the light meter was a good idea, since the incamera meter cant really read the strobes......so then it becomes a crap shoot. And I guess I will get better at guesstimating the proper settings with time, but I would rather not make my poor victums wait around why i fiddle with my camera.....so that is why I picked up a light meter.
And now some of this stuff is all coming back to me, like the light ratios....
Right now I just have the sync cable, I think im going to wait for xmas for pocket wizards. I think tonight I am going to take one of them to the practice rink and see if now I can get decent light in there. I was reading on arena strobes that when strobing a place you only need enough light to bring it up one or two stops in order to wash out the ambient light. Well the practice rink is such a dungeon that the one bee in the corner should totally work ( My plan is for their next game to set the two up one one end.....).
But thanks for the help so far
BTW, you should have taken a photo of the lights, so we can all bask in their pink beauty!
I don't know if I'll be any help, but I'd love to come play sometime.
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