Off Camera question

[gsk]

I am wanting to start to learn lighting and am wanting to start with just flash. My question is: If you are not in a studio and are out ( such as a weddibg) and you speak about off camera flash, do you mean flash on a camera bracket? If so, what is a good bracket to get? Would you want one that puts the flash unit to the side instead of high on top of the camera? Sorry for the very basic type of question. If this is in the wrong subforum please tell me where it would be more appropriate.

[Not4wood]

I use an El Cheapo bracket I had gotten from a mass market electronic store. Keeps my external to my left and above.

I've seen them with swivels where you can tilt it directly over the camera but is still higher and if you turn your camera to shoot vertically the flash can be brought up and over (by the hinge) and still be higher then the camera.

Its all about personal tastes and how you feel. I've also seen brackets in my Local Photostore that sells them for a couple hundred as well. To me, as long as it keeps my Flash out of the range of the Lens, I'm happy.

[Cuervo79]

When talking about off camera flash I understood it that it was off the camera, on a stand or on something else where you can place it anywhere you want, If you're interested in more info about this check out Strobist
Don't really know much about brackets, what I did at first when my canon 420ex is that I connected it through an extension cord (it was canon as well) but never really used it "in the field"

[gsk]

Thanks for the replies.
I guess I should have been more specific in saying that it would be impracticable to have a light stand around. If one was able to use a stand then one could also use a umbrella or soft box in addition. In these cases I guess you would be using a breacket with a type of diffuser instead of using the on camera hot shoe correct.

[dougsmit]

Off camera is off camera. That is not always easy and a bracket is better than the hotshoe. You do what you have to do. One possibility is to have an assistant hold the off camera unit and point it as directed. Many years ago I worked with a pro who used (far) off camera household base flash bulbs. My job was to change the bulb after each shot and hold the unit high overhead. Whether you have access to a teenager that can be trusted to pay attention and serve as a smart lightstand or not would determine if this is a possibility. At least today no fingers get burned changing bulbs.

[gsk]

Thanks Doug.
That is what I was looking for...A bracket is better than hot shoe flash....

[euglan]

hi there
this can also mean the wireless off camera flash, say you use your speedlight at the other side of the room and remotely trigger it from your camera or a commander unit, very good set up indeed, and not massively expensive

[stdon]

Off camera is off camera. Here is an example of off camera. Flash is about 5 feet from camera left and 8 feet from subject. I just use a cheapy RPS wireless remote and trigger. I just propped it on the floor with my bag. Just enough to fill in and somewhat overcome the horrible museum lighting.

[coalcliff]

Or you can use an off shoe flash cord which lets you hold the flash a few feet from the lens and where you want the light source to come from if you dont want to play with triggers.

[pellepiano]

I also use cheapo radio triggers for cheap off camera flash. Here I used 2 Vivitars ( on stands though , but no diffuser as wind so easily make the stands fall )

[Songman45]

Originally Posted by gsk

Thanks Doug.
That is what I was looking for...A bracket is better than hot shoe flash....

If your subjects are people or animals most definately. "Red Eye" or "Ghost Eye" is caused by the light rays being at a narrow angle to the lens, thus the reflection from inside eyes travels pretty much straight into the lens. Having the light source, especially a small intense one like a compact flash unit, above the subject helps resolve this issue. It can also cast shadows in a more desirable angle.

[deluco]

Stroboframe makes some good brackets for relatively short money. But if you really want to go high-end, try Custom Brackets or Just-Rite. I have a Just-Rite and believe it or not, the $300 I paid for it was worth it !!! Have had it for five years and it's still as smooth as ever.

[Light Currents]

Originally Posted by pellepiano

I also use cheapo radio triggers for cheap off camera flash. Here I used 2 Vivitars ( on stands though , but no diffuser as wind so easily make the stands fall )

Pellepianom

Nice image. Question: You've successfully cranked down the background exposure about 1.5 - 2 stops and have minimized the blown sun. How was this done while maintaining the OCF PC sync speed restriction which was probably no more than 1/250? ND filter? (I'm assuming you did not crank down aperture because of diffraction) Thanks.

[pellepiano]

I used F14 and 1/160 sec. No filters.

[Austen]

Just a cross-post, I popped this post in here as people looking at the thread title may possibly be interested in these new Alien Bees remotes.


Austen.

Don't click this clicky, it's just the link to my original post.