Speedlight Question

[josheudowe]

<p>Question -<br>

I use a Nikon SB-800 flash, but would like to setup something in my home for some portrait work on my kids. The harsh light from the flash is too much. I'm an avid outdoor photographer (amateur), so I'm entering unchartered territory here. However, can I buy a stand and umbrella and merely use a remote for my flash? Or would a better option be to buy something else (1 or 2 other lights for a dedicated location?<br>

Again, dumn down your answers, because I'm not very familiar with indoor lighting options.</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

[michaelbrochstein]

<p>I think the short answer is YES, you can easily use your SB-800 as your main off-camera flash. Obviously you'll need a basic light stand (6-8 feet tall), umbrella (white, about 43" or so in diameter with a removable black cover), and an Adorama Universal Swivel Holder (SKU: LTUSH) or equivalent. These three items might run you under $100. I'd suggest you also consider a 32" or 42" circular collapsible disc white disc reflector for fill.</p>

<p>For synchronization you can use the Nikon CLS (assuming you have a Nikon SLR), a cheap long sync cord, or a radio slave. If you have a Nikon DSLR then CLS is probably the easiest way to go as you own it already and it is fairly simple to use.</p>

[wayne_f1]

<p>Yes, an umbrella will make a dramatic difference.<br>

See http://www.scantips.com/lights/umbrellas.html for some ideas.<br>

Short of that, just using ceiling bounce and the SB-800 pull out white card will also make a big difference, but the umbrella is better.</p>

<p> </p>

[josheudowe]

<p>Excellent! Thank you both so much for the help. Yes, I'm using a D300. Is there a better solution than using my SB-800? In other words, for similar cost (maybe up to $300) would I be better with something else? I've very new to lighting indoors, so your help is SO much appreciated!</p>

<p>Best,<br>

Josh</p>

[bob_bill]

<p>Josh, take a look at the Strobist web site re small flash lighting. You can produce some fabulous work with only your one light, a stand and white shoot through umbrella. Also take a look at what Joe McNally does with the Nikon speedlight system. He has about a half dozen courses on Kelby on line training and it is only $20 for a month. He shows you how it is done. There are another half dozen or so lighting classes on it in addition to the photoshop stuff that is the best training I have found for photoshop. Without any further investment, if you have a white wall or white sheet taped to it, have someone hold your flash to bounce it off the wall. It will soften the light and you can experiment with angle, height etc. Remember angle in is angle out. A good starting point is having it come into the subject about 45 degrees from slightly above. a 5 way reflector can be used to diffuse a flash shooting through it as would an umbrella and can also be used to bounce light back to the subject in reflector mode. the white side can be positioned against a non white wall for a bounce surface or on the floor for fill. Dont underestimate the beauty of window light and then fill with the reflector from the other side. It can also be covered with black cloth and held just out of camera to darken that side. That should get you started. A reflector stand and holder can be replaced with McNallys VAL - voice activated light stand- your wife. She can hold the diffuser a foot or two in front of the on stand light to duffuse as would an umbrella. You may be wondering what you are attempting to do with the light. Recommended reading for portraits would be Lowells Matter of Light and Depth for the overview and Hurters Photographic lighting for the traditional lighting styles. If lighting the face is new to you, Hurter gives some insight into the shadow patterns around the nose like butterfly under nose, loop to side & down and rembrandt connecting nose shadow to cheek shadow as well as split and back lighting. Enjoy.</p>

[wayne_f1]

<p>Nothing wrong with your SB-800 in the umbrella. It works fine in an umbrella with the Nikon commander. I have a D300 and a couple of SB-800 too. I would set the flash at 24mm zoom for this use, to fill the umbrella, and rotate body to aim its side sensor at the commander as much as you can. <br>

Studio lights have some advantages, of more power, faster recycle speed, more accessories, but the speedlight also has some advantages, portable and battery operated, and offers TTL with fast autotmatic point&shoot setup if you wish to use TTL. Both work fine. Later on, remember that your SB-800 has the optical slave trigger (SU-4 mode) so it can work with studio lights as an extra light too, like a background light.<br>

One thing that would be better for human portraits would be TWO lights and umbrellas, for a main and fill concept. Put each of two lights into a different group A or B, so the commander can control them individually. Or a reflector can substitute for one light, search Google for One Light Portrait for ideas. The reflector need not be expensive, a cheap white foam board (2 or 3 foot size) from the craft store works as well as any (it may not fold compactly for storage, but it will go behind a door or a couch). But eventually, two lights are generally easier to use than the reflector (a second light can go anywhere you want it, and you can set its power level as you want it), whereas the reflector goes where it has to be, and does what it does, passive with less control. It is a solution (and necessary with one light), but the reflector is less versatile.<br>

There is common advice to begin with a reflector and one light, to learn about lighting. Probably good advice for the first couple of weeks, as a learning exercise. It is a good way to begin. In the same way that grade school kids are not allowed to use a calculator at first, in order to learn about math better. But the calculator is easier to use, same as the second light is. :)</p>