naïveté At its best

[leroyneal]

I recently purchased two White Lightnings at a great price, I have been so obsessed with what wireless system I was to get I have lost the plot...

I plugged my 40D into the wired system it came with and some how just figured the camera would sort it all out..... HA HA How wrong was I?
I took some pictures in AP and all of them just appeared like a big snow storm.
I guess my question is (after much research on Youtube) how does one know what settings on the camera to use, and how does this help you in adjusting the strobes?
I was so focused on getting the TTL and HSS that this issue just rocked my world.
In my research I took note of a variety of angled set ups with various affects, but could not locate any regarding ISO and shutter speeds, let alone TV or AP modes
If it honestly a trial and error thing that is exactly how I started out with film.

any leads to educate this Noob are appreciated, or if I missed any "stickies" I apologize

 

[LBPhotog]

Yes, when you plug your camera into strobes the camera can not "just sort it all out" because your camera only meters "available light" and strobes aren't usually (if ever) "ttl flashes" ...

1) when you shoot with strobes, there's really no "automatic" mode there's no AP, no P, and really, no Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority (that I am aware of) when under your strobes only "M" will do.

2) how do you figure out your exposure ... well, the EASIEST way is to get one of these really neat things called a "light meter" It's the simplest way to figure the exposure your lights are throwing out ... then you just simply dial in the exposure yur light meter tells you into the manual mode of your camera and *poof* good exposure (and you adjust shutter and aperture based on your creative want to keep the exposure constant).

 

[Big Mike]

Yes, you should use Manual mode when shooting with studio strobes.

The proper tool to find your exposure, is a Flash Meter (not just a light meter).
You can get by without a flash meter, checking your exposing on your digital camera, but it's hard to judge ratios without a meter.

The important part to remember, is that shutter speed has no bearing on flash exposure, just keep it under the max sync speed of your camera (1/250). So that leaves you mainly with aperture as your way to control the exposure. Along with that, you can adjust the ISO, the power on the stobes and the distance from the lights to the subject.

 

[LBPhotog]

... The proper tool to find your exposure, is a Flash Meter (not just a light meter) ...

Agree, I guess I'm spoiled by my Minolta Flash Meter IV it does available, reflected and flash lighting all in the same unit. I forgot that light meters don't necessarily read flash out put. :blushing:

 

[gsgary]

Try one flash head 1/2 power at 45% to what you are shooting about 6 foot away, set camera to Manual F8 1/100 iso100 and see what you get check histogram, if it's dark turn power up on light, if it is too light move light further away or turn it down, move your light around and up and down to get different effects and a reflector to the opposite side to and a bit of fill light
Get shooting and post results

 

[ghpham]

Without modeling lights, it would be just trial and error then?

 

[gsgary]

Without modeling lights, it would be just trial and error then?

They should have modeling lights, but without a flash meter it is trial and error but once you get used to the power of your light there shouldn't be to much error

 

[leroyneal]

THANKS All !!
I will get busy !!

 

[NateWagner]

For the time being though, trial and error isn't a bad way to go either.

It should only take a few shots to get exposure pretty much accurate. Less if you have experience with it, and pretty much just know where the exposure will end up.

As Big Mike said though, if you are concerned about lighting ratios etc. then a flash meter would be helpful.