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08/14/2007 05:03:25 AM · #1 |
I'm about to enter the world of portrait photography, and am taking a group shot of myself and my two sisters.
My only lighting is a off camera 580EX (no softboxes, umberellas etc), and i'm intending to improvise(Mcgyver-style) using sheets, reflectors etc. and any other stuff i have lying around or can buy cheaply.
Is anyone able to recommend a nice reliable setup using perhaps window light and a 580EX? I'm interested to know where to position the subject in relation to the window, where to out diffussion material, reflectors etc, and the best way to position and angle my 580EX in relation to the rest of the setup. Any help greatly appreciated.
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08/14/2007 08:53:23 AM · #2 |
I'm still waiting for my off-camera flash, so I'm no expert but I'll answer this post anyway, not because I'm necessarily right, but because it's a free world, and perhaps my thoughts are worth something. :) Here's some setups to try.
The simple setup is to bounce the 580EX off a light non-coloured (or even better, slightly warm coloured) wall or ceiling. This will give a nice diffuse source of light. Have the bounce surface slightly off to one side of the faces, to give some variation. You can even leave the 580EX on the camera, point it to the wall, and use a small card or lightsphere on the flash to get a little direct front light to fill the shadows, then let most of the flash bounce. Leaving it on the camera will also let you use TTL, which will make life easier for a first try.
If you have access good large window light as your main light, make use of it. Two (balanced) light sources are better than one, and it will let you be a little more creative. Use the 580 on the other side, pointed direct, but on much low power, just as a small fill-in. You can put on a very small diffuser if you are getting shadows, particularly if any of you have long hair or glasses, or particularly large noses, or anything else that might cast a shadow line from a direct flash off to the side.
As for framing, get close. Get your heads close together, without looking squished, and frame around the head and shoulders. This should be close enough to get catchlights from the windows and the speedlight, which will look really nice. Keep the main light a little above the subject, and the second light at eye level.
For both setups, I'm imagining the main light on the RHS of the shot, and the 2nd light on the left. Both front lights will be at 45 degrees in front of the subjects.
As always with flash, less is more. If there's available light, use it, and just let the flash add to it, rather than overpowering the natural light with the flash.
Well, that's my 2 cents. I hope it gives you some ideas to work with.
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08/14/2007 09:16:20 AM · #3 |
| A cheap reflector I use... get a big piece of sturdy Cardboard cover it in glue and then put Aluminum foil over it, shiny side in. try and get the wrinkles and bubbles out and you have a nice soft reflective surface! not bright enough? on the other side do the same with shiny side out, and then you have a 2 sided board with 2 brightness levels! lol |
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08/14/2007 09:56:20 AM · #4 |
Originally posted by Cboydrun:
A cheap reflector I use... get a big piece of sturdy Cardboard cover it in glue and then put Aluminum foil over it, shiny side in. try and get the wrinkles and bubbles out and you have a nice soft reflective surface! not bright enough? on the other side do the same with shiny side out, and then you have a 2 sided board with 2 brightness levels! lol |
Ive found that ive gotten better results with the foil being wrinkled, since then it spreads the light more, then if it was smooth, which is more like shooting into a mirror. |
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08/15/2007 03:49:03 AM · #5 |
| Thanks all! I'll keep you suggestions in mind when considering a setup, Dabbler. |
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