zigzag Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 I have two 580exs, two umbrellas (one silvered, one white - no black backing),two <a href="http://super.nova.org/DPR/DIY01/">Chuck Gardner Diffusers</a>, aGary Fong Lightsphere and a reflector. What is my best option to getdirectional, controlled, soft light that is easily mobile? i.e. I don't wantdirectional spillage and I want a large, portable light source that can begobo'd/door'd so that it doesn't contaminate backgrounds or light up peripheralshadows. Am I basically describing a softbox? I realise that softness isrelated to the size of the light source which is why window light can be so goodand maybe why those tiny soft boxes are not the answer. Hard light is not anissue - I have snoots for that.<br><br>Let me put it another way - for indoor studio type portraits is there no otheroption than to go the full studio equipment way and buy AB's, barn doors, softboxes or can I adopt my portable ('strobist') kit to better, moody, indoorportraiture. We are talking maybe 50 shots from set up to tear down indoors.<br><br>Here's the scenario - turn up on foot at someone's house carrying everything Ineed for indoor and outdoor portraiture. Outdoor, natural light and one lightis not a problem but indoors I'm not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 It depends on what ISOs you like to work with. For lower ISOs, you're going to need more power for the softbox you seem to want/need, since you don't want a lot of spillage. Working with ISO 400 and higher, you can do fine with the shoemounts in maybe a larger Westcott Apollo with a couple of flags or barndoors for it. The Apollos set up like an umbrella. Lastolite makes EZBoxes as well. The key is using the softboxes as close to the subject as you can. Also, don't discount plain wall bounce. You could even set up a large flat white surface to bounce off if you don't have it right there in the house, or wherever you are shooting. That is very portable, although harder to flag or gobo properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_shearman1 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 You can definitely shoot studio style with a Strobist setup. The advantage of studio lights is more power, quicker recycling and modeling lights to let you see the effect of the lights before you shoot. But as Nadine says, ISO 400 and keeping the lights relatively close will take care of the power issue, being able to look at the image immediately on a digital camera reduces the need for modeling lights (though it isn't as convenient) and if you add Lumedyne or Quantum Turbo batteries you can be pretty good recycling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted January 18, 2008 Author Share Posted January 18, 2008 Ah, that <a href="www.fjwestcott.com/instructions/apollos.pdf">Westcott Apollo</a> looks like exactly the thing I was thinking about - and if you can get barn doors that fit on it, even better. I will have to read up a bit more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted January 18, 2008 Author Share Posted January 18, 2008 Nadine: Do you use a flash bracket for weddings? I have been convinced I need one but the local wedding photographers seem to manage without - what's your opinion? I do families, outdoors mostly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Just recently, I tried shooting a wedding without a bracket and it works OK most of the time. Previous to that I went through a number of brackets and ended up with a Custom Bracket QR-EV, which scares most photographers. They think it is way too heavy and bulky. And it is, but you would be surprised how easy it is to use and I used to carry around heavy medium format cameras and handle mount flashes for weddings, so weight doesn't really bother me. It is very fast going from landscape to portrait orientation and the nice thing is that you don't need to fool with the flash orientation when bouncing, and you can swivel all over the place. With brackets that flip the flash (and bracketless), you have dead spots in swivel-ability, and you have to adjust the head for vertical bounce. Of the ones that flip the flash, I like the Flash Frame VF300. I like bracketless if I'm using more than one camera at a time, and I've fashioned a very small bracket for myself to use at weddings (with flash directly on the hotshoe) where I have the option of taking the flash off to one side to use--horizontal or vertical--when I want direct flash, which is outside in bright light, and I don't want side shadows (if they show). Kind of complicated to explain, but similar to the Demb Flash bracket. The bracket also holds my slave transmitter. For portraits, going bracketless inside is no problem, because if you use an on camera flash, you are probably bouncing. Outside, there is nothing like direct flash where the flash head matches the camera orientation, so if I'm shooting an outdoor portrait, I use my Flash Frame VF300. I can see for some events, I might use my Custom Bracket. It is funny that flash brackets cause so much heated discussion for or against, depending on what is the fashion at the moment. Some younger photographers think that if you use a flash bracket, you must be an old, boring, traditional photographer. Anyway, I say why not use one when it makes sense and not when it doesn't matter? Works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 I should add, outside--you can usually get away with vertical shots with the flash directly on the hotshoe. It is only when side shadows can be seen that it is a problem. Like when the subject is standing in front of something fairly close where a shadow would show. Or you are photographing two people and the shadow of one is on the other. Otherwise, landscape shadows (bracketless) are no problem, and redeye is usually non-existant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted January 18, 2008 Author Share Posted January 18, 2008 Thanks, I'll check those out too - I can see where my shadows are falling and in some cases more separation is definitely the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagephotoworld.com Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 I just looked at the link for the westcott apollo and it didn't work. I had a quick look online to see what a Westcott Apollo was and found a very interesting gizmo - http://www.adraycamera.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2968. I wonder how that copes with hot spots! I don't know - I look at all these add-ons for flashes and still feel the white notecard is probably the best - keep a bunch in your bag and use them for notes as well as for reflectors! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twmeyer Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 The Apollo is tricky to get a light into, and hard to get at the light to control angle and tilt. Look at Westcott's small strip light and build barn doors out of black cinefoil... t... t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Rhys--the Micro Apollo is still a small source of light = harder light. The resulting light is softer, but only slightly. There are no hotspots I can see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twmeyer Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Nadine is right again. Over 4 or 5 feet, the Micro Apollo is ineffective... t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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