studio lighting with umbrella

[susan_matthews]

<p>I have a canon 50d and 580ex speedlight. I want to shoot some indoor portraits with the speedlight off camera shooting it into a white umbrella and have a white reflector to light the shadows. Having trouble figuring out what settings to use on the flash and camera as I don't have an instruction manual for my flash. Can anybody help?</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>How are you triggering the flash?</p>

[susan_matthews]

<p>with my camera shutter release...no wireless</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>That doesn't really answer the question. Are you using a TTL cable from the camera's hot shoe? Or a non-TTL cable. This makes a difference in terms of what settings you want to use.</p>

[Mattman944]

<p>Instruction manual is online:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/speedlite_flash_lineup/speedlite_580ex_ii#BrochuresAndManuals">http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/speedlite_flash_lineup/speedlite_580ex_ii#BrochuresAndManuals</a></p>

<p>If you are using a plain pc sync cord, put both camera and flash in manual mode. </p>

[susan_matthews]

<p>yes it is a TTL cable</p>

[susan_matthews]

<p>also it is Not the 580exii, just 580ex</p>

[Mattman944]

<p>With the flash off-camera and a TTL cable, I use the same settings as when the flash is on the hotshoe.</p>

[susan_matthews]

<p>if i use manual mode, how do I get the camera to read for the correct lighting; the shutter speed is reeally slow...</p>

[Mattman944]

<p>580EX manual: <a href="http://eosdoc.com/manuals/?q=580EX">http://eosdoc.com/manuals/?q=580EX</a></p>

<p>If you want to use manual mode, you need to put both in manual mode. Then you need to determine the exposure either with a flash meter, or by trial and error.</p>

<p>Set the camera to "M", set the shutter speed to 1/250 (the sync speed for the camera), you will need to determine the aperture with a flash meter or trial and error. Start with an ISO of 100, but if you can't use the aperture you want, raise it.</p>

<p>Set the flash to "M", you may need to adjust the power level to get the camera aperture to a usable range.</p>

[jeffrey_c1]

<p>Sounds like you're shooting in Av mode. Shoot in M mode with iso at 100, aperture at 5.6, and shutter speed at 125. Since you're a beginner, I would also set the flash on E-TTL. This would allow the flash and camera to do the automatic metering. </p>

<p>From this point on, you can use the flash exposure compensation to brighten or lessen the flash power. If your photos are still too dark, it mean the flash is firing at full power. If this happens, increase the iso. If you want to bring more of the ambient light, slow down the shutter speed/open up the aperture of the lens. If you want to decrease the depth of field, open up the aperture of your lens.</p>

<p>If your background is too dark, you may need a separate flash to light up different areas of your photo.</p>

[JohnMWright]

<p>The Canon ST-E2 wireless trigger will make your life much easier. You won't trip over wires or worry quite as much about knocking over the lightstand.</p>

<p> </p>

[susan_matthews]

<p>If I don't have a hand held light meter, will the camera allow me to fire a preflash to measure how much light the subject's face needs for proper exposure?</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>The answer should be yes if your settings are right.<br>

<br />However, one of the nice things about digital is that you don't need a light meter. You set up with a certain distance from flash/umbrella to subject. You shoot. You look at the histogram. If it's too light, you change the flash compensation (if you are using ETTL flash) or the aperture (if you are using manual flash). Or, in the case of manually set flash, you change the output if you can. </p>