shma el Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 I need to impruve qualiti of my pictures and decide to purchase Profoto monolite ComPakt kit or only one strobe and umbrella(s) with stand. B and H Photo have so meny of them with optical and radio slaves 300/600, 600/600,one- 1200 W/S, with different modeling lights. I am using Canon 20D (will chang for 5D soon) Speedlight 550EX, lenses: 24 2.8 / 28-70 2.8L / 50 1.4 / 85 1.8 / 100 macro USM / 135 2.0L / 70-200 2.8L ; A am shooting smal events (100-200 peoples) Ingagments, second weddings, Bar Mitzvah etc. Most of the time it happen in dark room with florecets light. Thank you for your input and exquse my english.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon27 Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 The lighting isn't bad but the lights around the ceiling really stand out if you're not level. Keep an eye on any straight lines to make sure that you're set up level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandra_schaffer Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 This lighting is typical of wedding halls etc. in the NY/NJ area. the lights aroung the ceiling are common. If I understand your question, you are attempting to have an in room set up with a single strobe and at camera fill light and are asking which single strobe would be best? I have seen the mid range White Lightning used (the 800 I believe) and a Novatron as well as various pack and head kits. Single strobes are used with an umbrella or soft box as the key light and an on camera flash as the fill light... Are you asking which one is best to buy? I would warn against optical slaves in a room with people with other cameras as their flash will fire yours as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shma el Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 Simon. the level is isy to fix IN PS. This shoy is for information of surraunding lights. I even boght background, to get rid of this lights. My question is about "ProFoto" line of monolits. There are to meny of them. What power, size of umbrella, lightstend, one or two itc. Folowing is the crop photo from cimilar shot of the catering teem. (above this post). I used 550Ex bouns of white ceiling, hand hold 20D with 28-70 f/2.8. Here you can see shadow under his nose. Thnx.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedding-photography-denver Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 For larger groups, I use a couple of 800ws heads w/42" brolly's placed about 20+ feet from the group, or one 1600ws farther back with a 45" brolly. I use two when the group is larger and aim the heads slightly outward to reduce the crossover shadows. Not sure if that is what you wanted to know, but there you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shma el Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 Sandra... Thank you for stoping by. It is fery nice of you. You anderstand my question very well. I need room set up for 1 to 8 people (see above). I pick "Profoto" brend - ComPakt monolight. B&H photo video store has meny different modifications of this line. 600W/S + 300W/S , 600+600W/S and 1200W/S. Wich one is enaff for my purpos? I dont know. They come with optical and radio slaves. Dose optical slave lets any one with the flush to trigger my strob? If yes I should go with radio slave and pocket wizard?<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 the first thing you can do to improve the quality of your photos is very basic and doesn't involve spending ANY money: Pay attention to your backgrounds, they are way too busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shma el Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 Ellis...do you think I have to change background here and this is all? Is this enuff lite? It is only one 550EX. Thnx.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ni_gentry Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Your backgrounds are too busy and your compositions are boring (sorry). Your color and exposure also need work. <p> I think there are plenty of things you can do to improve before even thinking about buying ANY new equipment.<p> If you want to get rid of shadows (not sure why, because shadows are what add depth and dimension to a photograph), then you need to learn about placement of your lights/subjects. It doesn't matter "what" brand strobe you buy, it's about where you place it relative to your subject. <p> Also, if you are having problems with light falloff then again, think about subject placement relative to the distance from the strobe... basic inverse square law stuff... Lighting 101. Don't buy new equipment if you don't know how to use what you already have. <p> If you must buy new equipment, then yes ProFoto is about as good as it gets if you are lucky enough to afford it. But there are plenty of amazing photographers getting great results with much, much less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shma el Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 David Denver, Co... Thank you for your advice. Do you think one 600W/S monolight with 42" umbrella on the stand would be enuff for this shot (above)for the beginning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelvinphoto - arlington, t Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 SHMIL, with digital, you only need a shoemount flash for any big group you want, and this is why I love CANON so much for it high iso performance. The trick is to set your camera setting 0.5-1.5 stop below background reading. goodluck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shma el Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 Ni...I am so happy you came aboard, cose your input was delited. I understand my background and composition needs major improovment. And I will go for it. But now I need to get help with light. What dose inversive squar low, and liting 101 means. Unfortunatly I did not fined any photograph nore tiching aticals in yor portfolio and your respond on my question was not so helpfull. Regards. SG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shma el Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 Kelvin, thanks so mutch. PLease be so cined explain what you sed: "1.5 stop below background reading". What shoud I do with flash settings? Thanks agen, SG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedding-photography-denver Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Shmil, people are just trying to help. I would say one is plenty. Get the distance from your group to about 2x that of your groups overall width. I.e. if you have 8 bodies (approx 12' wide shoulder to shoulder) you can set your light at about 24' back and cover well. You will of course need to power that light and enough to get the F stop you want. I generally use between F5.6 for two rows and F8 for three rows. Set the head at about 10' up and just off to one side of your cam. position by about 3 or 4 feet. Beware, as you move back the light gets less effective and must be increased to compensate for the increased distance. I find an 800ws to be at about 1/3 power for 20' - 24' (light position) from the group. That generally gives me; ISO400; 1/60th; f5.6 - f8. In short the 600ws from Profoto will be ample, IMHO. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedding-photography-denver Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I think Kelvin means 1.5 stops below the ambient reading, not the background specifically. Yes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelvinphoto - arlington, t Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 hehe, sorry about my stupid definition term in photography. I learn thru trial and error. :)<br> <br> get a handheld meter and do a reading of the ambient light. if the meter read 1/30s, iso=1000, f2.8, then set your camera at f2.8, f4, f5, or f5.6. just use your camera in ttl mode or auto mode.<br> <img src="http://www.kelvinphoto.com/sample/Truong%20&%20Yen/slides/012_ty.jpg"/> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shma el Posted April 14, 2007 Author Share Posted April 14, 2007 Thank you aii for help. Shmil._. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_kinosh Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 If I am shooting groups, I always make sure that the grid display is on soo I get an even line STeve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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