Portable Studio...

[marivil]

I have recently bought 2 580EX II speedlites and the STE2 Speedlite Transmitter. Can anyone give me some opinions on what would be a good add on. I will be attempting to do shoots on the fly. Like in homes, buildings and outdoor settings some of which will need extra lighting. I presently do not have any umbrellas, reflectors or soft boxes.
I will mostly be shooting models in fashion, swim wear and theme shots.
I am looking for ease of set up and portability.

Thank you.
Gene

[Eero Makela]

Check out Strobist.com there is an article on Shoot thru umbrella using a flash

I just got a setup for myself.

Strobist: Rethinking the Umbrella

[Jacco]

Originally Posted by marivil

I have recently bought 2 580EX II speedlites and the STE2 Speedlite Transmitter. Can anyone give me some opinions on what would be a good add on. I will be attempting to do shoots on the fly. Like in homes, buildings and outdoor settings some of which will need extra lighting. I presently do not have any umbrellas, reflectors or soft boxes.
I will mostly be shooting models in fashion, swim wear and theme shots.
I am looking for ease of set up and portability.

The simplest add-on is/are (a) D-I-Y reflector(s), Gene. Lastolites if you can afford it.

I do mostly location work, so I have a "portable studio" too. It basically consists of 3x wireless 5600HS D flashguns on their own tripods (2 battery sets per), triggered by the pop-up flash on my camera (set to 'wireless' = IR), a 3' and a 4' silver/white Lastolite reflector. This provides plenty 'oomph', I can bounce and fake 'softboxes' and balance shadows, and endlessly vary combinations. And the whole schpiel fits a medium-sized suitcase, so it's perfect for locationwork and stores under a bed when I need space!

A seeming downside is that you have no modelling lights. But, hey!, this is the digital age, so you simply do test shots with the real light output, you chimp - on a laptop for a good view - and adjust if neccessary!
(I'm considering an Eye-Fi card for untethered shooting and chimping!).

Indoors I shoot live subjects often with unsupported camera, because flash freezes movement anyway, and it enables me to move around freely, direct the scene, try different angles and viewpoints, or adjust the lighting.

This set also provides TWO backup flashguns for my 'primary' flashgun.

The combination of versatility, portability and power means that I use this setup often. Those flashguns may appear to be expensive at first sight. They are, however, very much cheaper than the considerable expense of a permanent, properly equipped studio!

I now have 2 more 5600HS D's (and a spare tripod) for even more versatility and flexibility (backlighting and/or background lights).

Works like a charm.

Have fun!

[Jacco]

Joe McNally uses a 'portable studio' of standard flashguns too:

see how he does it here.

[Brooks]

Originally Posted by Jacco

Joe McNally uses a 'portable studio' of standard flashguns too:

see how he does it here.

Did you watch that video? He's got a trailer on location in the desert for the talent...several other vehicles for transportation.... and a big old truck with grip equipment, stands, Lastolite silks and frames, etc.

How easy and how much simpler would it be to drag out a generator, a pack and head strobe system, and a flash meter and create any type of light at any intensity for any f-stop that you'd want or need?

And after futzing around with the settings on those little Nikon flashes, master this and slave that... the quality of the light on the models was awful.

I don't get it.

Google an Annie Lebovitz shoot if you want to see how commercial location lighting is done in the real world.

[Jacco]

Originally Posted by Brooks

[...] the quality of the light on the models was awful.

That's 1) a matter of taste, and 2) because of those tupperware light wasters/DoF ruiners...

I don't get it.

I do. It's simple math, really.
Look in your wallet.

Google an Annie Lebovitz shoot if you want to see how commercial location lighting is done in the real world.

Yeah right, if you're doing a bigtime advertising production (been there, done that, in a previous life), and if you've got a production company and a 100 grand worth of equipment (rented, BTW).
Most of the little guys and gals can't put out that kind of cash. A multiple wireless setup is their next best option for on location shoots.

And you know what?
It works too...!


And if you lose the tupperware, you'll do better than McNally.

[pacifika]

I have found the softliter umbrella works well and easy to carry. but, I use it in manual mode for the flash. This was portable enough to recently bring to the Philippines with me.

[Brooks]

Originally Posted by Jacco

That's 1) a matter of taste, and 2) because of those tupperware light wasters/DoF ruiners...



I do. It's simple math, really.
Look in your wallet.



Yeah right, if you're doing a bigtime advertising production (been there, done that, in a previous life), and if you've got a production company and a 100 grand worth of equipment (rented, BTW).
Most of the little guys and gals can't put out that kind of cash. A multiple wireless setup is their next best option for on location shoots.

And you know what?
It works too...!


And if you lose the tupperware, you'll do better than McNally.

It may be a matter of taste, you could argue that most lighting is as you seem to be doing in this case. But for someone with McNally's background and talents, the lighting he produced in that video was atrocious.

It was a disservice to anyone looking to use small battery powered flashes as a cheap substitute for other lighting. And he offered very little reason to use Nikon's flashes when a manual flash into a silk, umbrella or softbox would be easier to use and create real professional lighting.

You can still be the cheapest guy on the block with your lighting if that's your goal. Buy a couple of Alien Bees and battery pack and you're miles ahead of this junk.

I guess just the fact that some light is actually produced with these battery powered flashes is enough for some people. To use them bare without modifiers is a poor substitute for good lighting. Or are they not powerful enough to use with an umbrella or softbox at more than 5 ft from the subject?

It's a shame to see someone like McNally shilling this poor technique to people who might not know better.