Shoe camera flash as background / hair light

Hi all,

 

I am new to studio lighting, and primarily need to photograph

actor's headshots. I use 2 x Bowens monolights with Softbox &

Umbrella as Key & Fill.

 

I was hoping to save a little by using one Hot-Shoe flash (or

perhaps 2) as a background light. Put it on a tripod, optical slave,

Manual power setting etc. This I don't forsee problems with.

 

I am thinking of using one as a hair light, but realise that without

barn doors that it will be difficult to prevent flare.

 

I currently have 1x 550EX that can be set manually. I'm thinking of

an old Manual flash to go with it as a hair light or second

background light.

 

Any tips or ideas? What are the drawbacks?

 

Thanks

 

-Ian

Well, I tried this setup using a 550EX as a hairlignt and a Wein Peanut to trigger it from the flash of my AB800's. I found an incompatability with the Wein and the 550. The flash would fire once, but I had to power cycle the flash to get it to work again.

 

I then tried a Sunpak 383 Super and though it worked with the peanut, I found that the output really wasn't high enough. With both flashes, I used a home made snoot to focus the light and it still wasn't really enough. Ultimately, I ended up using a reflector for fill and one of the AB's as a hair light and sold the 383.

 

Now, I didn't try the flash as a background light, as I was using a dark background. I suppose it might work for that.

if your only problem is flagging the 550ex then why not use some black card taped to the flash, then you can position it to light the hair and no flare because it has been flagged.

Ditto what Russell said. I have one of those little $15 peanut flashes. Taped construction paper around it to form a snoot to confine the light to just the hair or other location. Works fine.

 

The peanut comes with a tiny flash stand that can sit on any horizontal surface, and it's hinged to adjust the angle. There's a tripod socket so it can be mounted just about anywhere. It's so cute I just want to squeeze it 'til it pops.

 

If anything, the problem with the li'l peanut is it's too powerful! I actually need something like the Sunpak 383 that can be dialed down. As it is, I have to tape diffusion material over the flash to cut back the light output.

 

Another potential drawback to these little peanuts is the slowish recycle time. There's no audible flash ready signal and I can't see the ready lamp when it's mounted overhead. So I just have to count to 10 between each shot to be sure it's recycled.