Lighting/Flash

[lisameowrie]

I am doing my first studio session next month using a backdrop with a speedlight at an animal hospital. I know natural lighting is best, but it's not always available. My question is using this speedlight, will it automatically cause red or green eye? Do I need a bracket? Also, can I benefit from using something like a flashbender so the light doesn't disappear everywhere else other than on my subject? I just need some direction on what I should be using or is my speedlight just fine without any extra bells and whistles. Thanks!

 

[dennybeall]

You can make it as complex as you want but the question is what's the purpose. Are you doing pet portraits for a fee or just shooting photos of adoptable dogs for the web?
Portraits for a fee you need to look into lighting with a full array of portrait gear while if doing shots for adoptability you could just bounce the strobe off the ceiling.

 

[lisameowrie]

I am not charging. It's for a fun adoption event. Thanks for your input! I also read the similar threads below, so I think my questions have been answered.

 

[Mach0]

I am doing my first studio session next month using a backdrop with a speedlight at an animal hospital. I know natural lighting is best, but it's not always available. My question is using this speedlight, will it automatically cause red or green eye? Do I need a bracket? Also, can I benefit from using something like a flashbender so the light doesn't disappear everywhere else other than on my subject? I just need some direction on what I should be using or is my speedlight just fine without any extra bells and whistles. Thanks!

Try to get it off camera. If you can't- Id bounce it at the very least.



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[AKUK]

Hi Lisa,

It's best to get the flash off camera, so I would recommend getting a light stand and a sandbag to weigh it down for safety reasons. These don't have to be hugely expensive but if you can stretch to a good quality stand, it's definitely an investment. Personally I wouldn't use the flash on it's own. Fired directly at the animals/people it will give harsh light and hard shadows, which will make the images look a bit amateurish. You do have the option of bouncing it off a ceiling or wall but, you have no control over the spill.

Ultimately it's going to depend upon the mood you are trying to create in the image but, as it's a happy event, I think the lighting should reflect this and be low contrast, with no ugly shadows on the backdrop or subject matter.

Perhaps the easiest and most versatile modifier is an umbrella. You can get ones that have a removable cover that convert from a reflective to a shoot-thru, give you different options for containing or spreading the light. The size is up to you but get something that is going to work for the environment you're in. I'd suggest at least 60cm, preferably closer to 90cm-100cm.

If you're using a Nikon (and the model has the feature) you can use the CLS system to fire the flash off camera. You don't mention what camera or flash type you have. Is it TTL or manual. Do you possess any radio trigger system?

 

[Mach0]

Forgot to mention- if you bounce flash- you can flag it and aim it to where it's best to create directional light


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[pixmedic]

Why is natural lighting best?
I think off camera flashes are best. You control the light, not the weather.
For bouncing flash, I use a medium or large Rogue Flashbender.
They can also be rolled into a snoot.
For portraits though I prefer a few off camera flashes with 43" brollys or umbrella softboxes.

 

[Designer]

I am doing my first studio session next month using a backdrop with a speedlight at an animal hospital. I know natural lighting is best, but it's not always available. My question is using this speedlight, will it automatically cause red or green eye? Do I need a bracket? Also, can I benefit from using something like a flashbender so the light doesn't disappear everywhere else other than on my subject? I just need some direction on what I should be using or is my speedlight just fine without any extra bells and whistles. Thanks!

Red-eye is made worse when the light and the lens are fairly close together. You can minimize this effect by positioning the speedlight away from the lens.

An inexpensive light stand, plus a bracket, plus some kind of diffuser will help a lot. I mount my speedlight on the light stand using a bracket made for that, and mount a white "shoot-through" umbrella so the flash is diffused and softened.

Personally, I have opted for radio-frequency remote triggers, or you can use a cable, but it seems awkward and there is a chance that the camera pulling on the cable could pull the light stand over.

You can purchase a light stand, bracket and umbrella for not much money. You can purchase some inexpensive RF remote triggers.

 

[photoguy99]

Well I don't know about you but I'd rather control the weather than the light.

Make some big money in New England.

 

[Vtec44]

Why is natural lighting best?
I think off camera flashes are best. You control the light, not the weather.

If you know how to utilize both, you're unstoppable.

Generally speaking, you want the light source to be soft and as large as possible. So it can create a soft transition between light and dark on your subject. With that in mind, you can use walls, diffusers, modifiers, etc to create a large and slightly directional light source. You don't want the light source to be where the camera lens will be and fire onto the subject, but off to the side, above, under. Experiment with different angles of light to see what works for you.

If your shoot place has a wall, place your subject slightly angle away from the wall and bounce your flash off of it. You will basically create a beautiful portrait with very soft lighting with 1 single on camera flash.

 

[Derrel]

Post #10 solves a LOT of problems for the person new to flash. Setting up like that does a few good things for the person who has limited equipment; it eliminates the need for a PC synchronization cord or transmitter/receiver triggering system; it also eliminates the need for a light stand; it eliminates the need for an umbrella; and makes use of something available most places: a wall. The wall creates a BIG, soft, yet directional light source. I think that bounce flash off of a wall is likely to be a somewhat better choice than ceiling bounce for pets. I would really consider this wall bounce set-up.

One idea is to shoot on an elevated table, which will help end to keep the animals confined to the immediate shooting location, rather than free to squirm away down on the ground level.