Off Camera Flash Photography Thread

I thought this could be a place we could discuss and learn off camera flash. Everyone is welcome here from beginners to people that have been doing it for years. Let's learn everything we can from each other and maybe have some weekly or so challenges to try and learn something new.

 

I'll just leave this here toward the top:


http://strobist.blogspot.com/

 

I'll add too, that it doesn't cost a fortune to get started in this either. This can be as expensive or economical as you want it to be. Don't think that you have to drop $500+ on a flash to do this. Also don't be afraid to ask questions no matter how silly you may think they are. Off camera flash can can really make your photo's pop.

 

I was skeptical of OCF and thought "nature light" was the only way until I tried it. Then I realized that every photographer should at least dabble in it ha really opened my mind to how to bend and work with light in any scenario!

 

Oh back in the day I was a strobist I had 3 AB800's that use on just about every shoot. I did a lot of portrait shooting back in the day.


All of these were shot with the AB800'S

 

I like both i love shooting in low light with my 50mm 1.4

 

So, what is everyone shooting with as far as flash at this point?

I'm using:
SB-910
SB-600
Using the Nikon CLS system as a trigger for off camera use.

I also have:
43" Convertible umbrella
7' parabolic umbrella
2- 10' light stands
2- umbrella mounts with hotshoe adapters.
12" Octabox soft box

 

Nice work Jerry! I had forgotten you did photography.

 

I had all this but sold it after it sat for a few years. I still have my sb-600 but that's all I have for off camera. To anyone that has Paul c buff lights I have a 22" beauty dish and cyber sync and cyber commander that i can't use anymore that I would sell pretty cheap.

 

Thanks it's really something i wished i had more time for but BAMF took my life over and i just never had time to shoot. I've still got my camera but it doesn't get used very often.

 

I have a pretty basic, beginner kit but like working with minimal/lightweight stuff and only do portraits for friends and whatnot at this point anyway.


Gear list:

Lights:
LumoPro LP180 (x2)

Sync Cords:
OCF Gear 3' Coiled Cord*
FlashZebra 16' Cord

Modifiers:
Westcott 43" Umbrella*
LumiPro Softbox III
Westcott 20" 5 in 1 Reflector
Honl 1/8" Speed Grid / Strap

Stands/Swivels:
LumoPro LP605 Light Stand
LP633 Swivel Umbrella Mount


Off to sleep. Hope to see this thread take off! I love learning and one of my passions is also teaching so if anyone has questions there's lots of people to help out! Love the atmosphere here on TW later, all.

 

That's a nice setup you had Jerry. Wish I would have known you were selling it. I'm wanting to progress into studio flash at this point.

 

No modifiers? you seem to have them down pretty well if not.

 

I am shooting a 600ex-rt mainly for fill flash on some of the wildlife I shoot. I use it once in a while on a portrait or two... I just do pretty basic stuff with it right now, but hopefully I can learn some more on here!

 

It's not as hard as you might think. Check out the link Chaz put in the second post and check out the lighting 101 intro. You will learn a lot in there. You can ask questions in here too. There are a few of us doing off camera flash and can help you along.

 

Here's how I do Manual flash in a nutshell haha

Get exposure with ambient light.

Drop it down some (more or less depending on how moody I want the shot).

Fire flash a few times to get the subject exposed correctly with the flash.

Done. haha pretty easy

 

This is going to be my summer photography related project. I've been strongly considering the LumoPro LP180s

 

$199 is cheap compared to brand name TTL flashes and from what I've read almost every "strobist" photographer speaks very highly of them. (I trust their experience more than my own since I've been into photography for all of 7 or so months haha.)

 

From what I've read on blog and seen in videos TTL is really pointless and isn't needed for average photographer.

I was really drawn to them by their price as well. I feel like I'm getting alot more for my money with them.

 

Unless I find a really great deal on Nikon speedlights I'll be switching to Yougnuo's next time for small portable flash. I know that will involve switching to radio triggers instead of infrared with the CLS system but looking at studio units too I'll have to have them for that anyway. I'm not going to bother with sync cords.

Then again, I've been eyeing a Lumedyne portable set that's 400ws and runs on battery packs also.