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580exII and the Swim team portrait poolside

vdotmatrixvdotmatrix Registered Users Posts: 343 Major grins
edited March 23, 2012 in Technique
Right off the bat I am new to speedlight location photography and really hate flash photograohy sometimes.

I am shooting the swim team across a 30ft pool.

The test shots were ok.
  • Used and umbrella and the 580exII at about 8-10ft at the end of the pool from the side. threw out a lot of light,
  • ditched the umbrella for a Gary Fong lightsphere and bounced it off the ceiling (maybe 30 ft). got some even light but from the side.
Z0Ey2dmx


My Question: Is the 580EXII strong enough to bouce off the celiing and light a group 30ft across the pool?


I could put this light on a stand above the camera and shoot head on from 30 ft.


Will this work?
http://penosoimages.com

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    BendrBendr Registered Users Posts: 665 Major grins
    edited March 23, 2012
    Your image is not showing. Check the link
    http://bendr.smugmug.com
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    vdotmatrixvdotmatrix Registered Users Posts: 343 Major grins
    edited March 23, 2012
    http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5501747/team%20shoot%20survey.lnk

    This is a lousy jpeg link to dropbox.
    you don't have to download it just view it.
    http://penosoimages.com
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    pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,696 moderator
    edited March 23, 2012
    I think it depends on how reflective the walls and ceilings are, and what ISO and what aperture you are wanting to use.

    At ISO 100, probably not, unless the walls are mirrors, and you're shooting at f2.8 or thereabout.

    But at ISO 800 or 1600, certainly, unless the walls are black or dark grey. Think f5.6 or so.

    You can always gang two 580s together with a bungee cord, and double your flash output and your flash guide number, or cross light with them with a 2 stop difference in flash output for some shadows.

    You are shooting in manual mode aren't you, since the flash to subject distance is not changing.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
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    Moving PicturesMoving Pictures Registered Users Posts: 384 Major grins
    edited March 23, 2012
    Please embed. I ain't on the ubuntu machine, and therefore don't trust strange links that punt me to download files of any kind.
    Newspaper photogs specialize in drive-by shootings.
    Forum for Canadian shooters: www.canphoto.net
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    vdotmatrixvdotmatrix Registered Users Posts: 343 Major grins
    edited March 23, 2012
    pathfinder wrote: »
    I think it depends on how reflective the walls and ceilings are, and what ISO and what aperture you are wanting to use.

    At ISO 100, probably not, unless the walls are mirrors, and you're shooting at f2.8 or thereabout.

    But at ISO 800 or 1600, certainly, unless the walls are black or dark grey. Think f5.6 or so.

    You can always gang two 580s together with a bungee cord, and double your flash output and your flash guide number, or cross light with them with a 2 stop difference in flash output for some shadows.

    You are shooting in manual mode aren't you, since the flash to subject distance is not changing.
    Everything is on manual on this shoot. My photobuddy lent me his Nikon Sb600 speedlight and I am going to slave that to my 580exII coupled to my pocket wizards and my L-358. I am going to blast some light so i can stop down a little bit. I am going to come in as tight as i can with my 70-200mm.

    The ceiling is puke yellow orange and corrugated as well. I am shooting a photovision target to be safe with all that going on plus some evil pool lighting

    I guess i am a little sketched out because I am 30ft away, shooting across the pool and depending on speedlights. I am outside my comfort zone in the studio where everything is controlled and that wonderful AC power outlet!!!

    It's like carrying the pond which is 75yds that any day you could clear with a sand wedge, but going over water changes everything. lol thanks for the responses!
    http://penosoimages.com
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    Moving PicturesMoving Pictures Registered Users Posts: 384 Major grins
    edited March 23, 2012
    Irvanview says it can't read the .jpg header.
    Maybe try a photo hosting service (photobucket) or, as I do for non-mission-critical pics, Facebook.
    Newspaper photogs specialize in drive-by shootings.
    Forum for Canadian shooters: www.canphoto.net
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    pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,696 moderator
    edited March 23, 2012
    Puke yellow orange ceiling with bounced flash - I feel your pain.

    A photo vision target for a custom white balance sounds perfect. Might include a non specular white or grey target in a few shots as well, for later balancing in Raw processing if needed.

    Is there much ambient fluorescent or Sodium halide lighting too? If there is, you may need a slower shutter speed to allow for the color cycling that occurs with some gym lighting, or over drive ambient with flash so that the color temp of the ambient is a non-siginificant event.

    Use as low an ISO as you can, but as fast as needed to maximize the utility of your flash output.

    Sounds like you are on top of things!
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
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