Portrait lighting with a flash.

[thenikonguy]

This thread would probably been better served in the Beyond The Basics forum. I don't see any relevance to the Beginners' Forum and Photo Gallery.

are you just traveling around to each thread stating that its in the wrong place? lots of spare time on your hands? how is this one not a beginner question? he asking a pretty basic question about lighting.

 

[kundalini]

There is a substantial amount of 'wrong question in the wrong place' on TPF of late. If you have issues with my post, please read the guidelines of each forum first. Then tell me I'm wrong.

 

[usayit]

Here is a YouTube video of Bruce Gilden

YouTube - WNYC Street Shots: Bruce Gilden

He uses flash a lot, using it on a remote flash cord, using a Leica, and aiming the flash right at people with his left hand while he holds the camera and focuses and ostensibly "composes" with his right hand. He's using a short focal length lens most of the time, probably a 21mm on 35mm film. M-series Leica's have pathetically slow X-synch speed, 1/50 second (yes one-fiftieth of a second)...which was pathetic in 1953 when the M3 came out and was laughable when the M6 cm out some three decades later....his photos have the garish,horrible look of a camera that was never designed to shoot with flash in any sort of daylight,and which might be one of the worst daylight + flash cameras one could buy today, but I digress.

Using the flash off-camera on a "smart cord" or TTL remote cord like SC-28 for Nikon and aiming the flash is a method I have used but mainly indoors,and never on the street.

Watching the Bruce Gilden video for the perhaps the 5th time today in response to your post, I kind of agreed with the first comment posted on You Tube today from a poster named raggedart, who wrote: "what a tool, walking around in a vest and a safari hat in NYC, shooting the same angle and pretty much blindly then calling it art?"

oooOoooo so critical... especially of someone who is highly regarded in his work. I am not 100% fan of his work but I can appreciate some of his other works. For one, he has accomplished what most of us here can only dream... a long career with Magnum photos no doubt. It is one thing to have an opinion but it is another to insulting. You focus on his "pathetic" equipment but failed to realize that everyone has their preference of equipment that serves and enables them. The results is what matters not the camera.

It's a rangefinder... you don't focus with your right hand. He's not focusing at all... he's eye'ing / zoning .. hyperfocal. You can assume he's probably working at a f/8 or f/11 which means the 1/50th sync speed is less of a concern. But yes.. you are right.... probably not the best choice... but he makes it work thus probably knows something we don't.

One of Andre Kertesz most influential and highly regraded work was done on a polaroid from within the confines of his apartment. Eh gad.. now that's pathetic. :er:

 

[thenikonguy]

There is a substantial amount of 'wrong question in the wrong place' on TPF of late. If you have issues with my post, please read the guidelines of each forum first. Then tell me I'm wrong.

i have no problem with your post.. and I think your 100% right.. however, it just strikes me as odd that your going from post to post, posting that message, and your not even a mod... it just made me think you must have a lot of spare time on your hands.

 

[ddeerreekk]

Sorry if this isn't in the correct spot - I felt this was a pretty basic question worthy of the beginners forum.

When using speedlights as to light portraits - is one enough, or do most situations require two? (Obviously speaking generally here - each photo will be different of course).

 

[usayit]

ddeerreekk,

Yes, this is the correct forum but I would recommend starting your own thread in the future with an appropriate heading: Ex; "Flash Portraiture, 1 or 2 lights"

The short answer to your question, yes and no. It depends on the lighting conditions and the effect you the photographer are searching for. Case in point, the OP of this thread was specifically talking about flashes "on-the-go" on the street. In this case, any additional flashes might not be all that practical. I am not a professional portrait photographer and often head out with a single flash, stand, remote, and umbrella (I am usually on a family trip thus the amount of stuff I carry matters). For me, this covers about 80% of everything I require and I definitely recommend something similar for starters.

For the other 20%, the extra flexibility of the 2nd strobe is wonderful. You can fill in the shadows better while keeping another as the primary. You can fill a background. You can obtain more even lighting. You can control the lighting of more than a single subject. It also opens the doors for even more creative lighting. You'll be surprised by the amount of lighting equipment is carried on location by a professional.... more so than the cameras+lenses.

Many of us here found the Strobist blog extremely helpful. Start at the 101 section to get started.

 

[Dao]

Usayit, I believe you maybe confused. (haha .. I was) Member ddeerreekk is the OP.

 

[Cely]

If you want to learn a lot about flash, stobist has more than enough information. Here is their welcome page: http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/02/welcome-to-strobist.html

 

[KmH]

Sorry if this isn't in the correct spot - I felt this was a pretty basic question worthy of the beginners forum.

When using speedlights as to light portraits - is one enough, or do most situations require two? (Obviously speaking generally here - each photo will be different of course).

No, one or 2 is not enough to do a good job. At a minimum to make a classic professional portrait it takes at least 4 to do a headshot. Full body shots and more than 1 person would require more.

 

[usayit]

Usayit, I believe you maybe confused. (haha .. I was) Member ddeerreekk is the OP.

ooops!!! My apologies.. :blushing: :blushing: :blushing: