Softbox Shoe-Mount Question

[Ryan L]

Ok, I have couple questions here. I need to photography 8 people in an upside down V pose. There is no close power access for strobe and I am still somewhat new to lighting so thats out. I have a 580exII and a 430exII that I would like to incorperate into softboxes. I have seen the speedring adapters that I think would work and I need to know what size softboxes would be appropriate for this much lighting, and if there is a certain style that I need to get to fit the speedrings(this is outdoors). Any idea? Thanks

 

[KmH]

Speedlights aren't all that powerful and would have trouble in a softbox big enough to light 8 people.

Your inverted V will be at least 3 rows deep, right? It also seems 8 is an poor number for an inverted V. 4-3-1? 3-3-2? 4-2-2? 3-4-1?

 

[Ryan L]

Like This

xxxxOOxxxxx
xxxOxxOxxxx
xOxxxxxxOxx
OxxxxxxxxxO

The O's are people (It wouldnt let me make spaces

It's going to be on a hill so they will be a little closer than if they were lined up with no depth.

 

[Ryan L]

You don't think the 580exII and a 430 are really powerful enough? The 580 has a guide # of 190' and the 430 is I think 141', and if I bump the ISO up to 200 and say F4-5.6 area I was thinking there would be plenty. Please correct me though, as I haven't done alot of lighting work.

 

[KmH]

The 580 has a guide # of 190' and the 430 is I think 141', and if I bump the ISO up to 200.

So 4 rows. Do you know about the Inverse Square Law of light?

A lot of light gets left in the softbox, you'll need pretty big softboxes to go 4 deep, and the bigger the softbox the harder it is for a speedlight to use all of it.

 

[Ryan L]

The 580 has a guide # of 190' and the 430 is I think 141', and if I bump the ISO up to 200.

So 4 rows. Do you know about the Inverse Square Law of light?

A lot of light gets left in the softbox, you'll need pretty big softboxes to go 4 deep, and the bigger the softbox the harder it is for a speedlight to use all of it.

No I don't know about the inverse square of light (but you can bet I am googling as soon as I finish this).

Would umbrellas to reflect into be better? What I am basically trying to achieve here is a softer light than a direct flash. I love softbox light when I have seen it used, it looks so natural and well...soft lol. Do you have any other suggestion then? I was trying not to complicate things too much by having shadows cast by direct light as well. Like I said it's outdoors there so I can't bounce it.