Struggling with Off Camera Lighting/Flash

[LABPhotography]

I'm new to this site, so please bare with me as I learn how to post in this forum.

I've been a photographer for almost 20yrs but this is the first time I'm using off camera lighting. I attempted to use it for a wedding and was extremely displeased with the final results when I got home. I'm not sure what I did wrong. I don't fully understand the technical side of photography, I've just been able to naturally 'wing it' for so long. But, now I need to understand the technical side to be more successful at weddings.

I have a Cannon EOS Rebal T3 and recently purchased the Neewer TT850 off camera flash kit. The flash works great for indoor portraits, but it didn't work as expected at my wedding. I set my camera to the sports setting to capture movement and had the flashes on the stands then eventually moved to my camera - either way, the shutter was fast & slow but all movement pictures were blurred. How can I keep this from happening?? I have another wedding in 2 weeks and I desperately need this to be corrected before then!

Any tips and help is greatly appreciated Thank you - Lori (LABPhotography)

 

[rexbobcat]

Use, uh, manual? I'm sorry, this issue is too complex to give a simple one-size-fits-all answer. But that's one of the first steps.

 

[tirediron]

I have removed your other thread, please don't cross-post.

My best advice? Refer the other wedding to someone more skilled. Two weeks is NOT sufficient time to master off-camera flash. Nor, are, IMO, two speedlights sufficient lighting for a wedding. I would read everything on this 'site, and search YouTube for "off-camera flash" and "wedding lighting" and similar. There is a LOT to learn, 'though the basics won't take too long. If you absolutely insist on doing this next wedding, then my suggestion would be to ensure you have a fully TTL capable light (I have no idea if yours are or not), and a TTL cord. Camera in one hand, speedlight in the other.

 

[LABPhotography]

I have removed your other thread, please don't cross-post.

My best advice? Refer the other wedding to someone more skilled. Two weeks is NOT sufficient time to master off-camera flash. Nor, are, IMO, two speedlights sufficient lighting for a wedding. I would read everything on this 'site, and search YouTube for "off-camera flash" and "wedding lighting" and similar. There is a LOT to learn, 'though the basics won't take too long. If you absolutely insist on doing this next wedding, then my suggestion would be to ensure you have a fully TTL capable light (I have no idea if yours are or not), and a TTL cord. Camera in one hand, speedlight in the other.

That was my fear, I couldn't 'master' it in 2 weeks. Thanks for updating me about cross posting, I've never used a forum before. I'll check out other wedding photographers and YouTube. This was helpful, thank you for replying!!

 

[Derrel]

The scene modes and off camera flash have no relationship. The flash is what supplies the lighting, so typically, an experienced flash shooter will shoot all flash photos in Manual exposure mode, at most often, only one shutter speed for many, many photos in a row. It's fairly common when shooting with off-cvamera flashes to set the shutter to one speed, and to leave it there for "almost" every shot. There are exceptions, like "dragging the shutter", but usually flash is shot in Manual mode, and the photo selects the right lens aperture to go with the flash power, but the shutter speed stays fixed.

Based on the earlier incident, I would agree, two weeks will be nowhere near enough time to get you up to speed for a wedding shot with off-camera flash. I think Neil V's Tangents blog is an excellent resource for how to shoot natural flash photos.

 

[LABPhotography]

The scene modes and off camera flash have no relationship. The flash is what supplies the lighting, so typically, an experienced flash shooter will shoot all flash photos in Manual exposure mode, at most often, only one shutter speed for many, many photos in a row. It's fairly common when shooting with off-cvamera flashes to set the shutter to one speed, and to leave it there for "almost" every shot. There are exceptions, like "dragging the shutter", but usually flash is shot in Manual mode, and the photo selects the right lens aperture to go with the flash power, but the shutter speed stays fixed.

Based on the earlier incident, I would agree, two weeks will be nowhere near enough time to get you up to speed for a wedding shot with off-camera flash. I think Neil V's Tangents blog is an excellent resource for how to shoot natural flash photos.

Thank you! I've not used the manual setting before, I primarily stay in the sports setting because I'm mostly doing out door sessions that don't require a flash. This is helpful, thank you!

 

[Designer]

Forget the "modes".

Use iTTL so the flash and camera can work together.

If you apply yourself in the next two weeks, you should be able to make better photographs.

 

[LABPhotography]

Forget the "modes".

Use iTTL so the flash and camera can work together.

If you apply yourself in the next two weeks, you should be able to make better photographs.

Awesome! Thank you for the advice!!

 

[photoguy67]

This is all great advice but I think the biggest problem you are facing is you used "sports" setting which disables flash.

 

[LABPhotography]

But my flash goes off when I use the kit or attach it to my camera. I'm sorry, I'm confused by your statement. Could you explain further?

 

[photoguy67]

Are you sure its going off? The sports setting is supposed to disable the flash. You said the pictures were blurred which indicates either out of focus or no flash fired.

 

[LABPhotography]

Yes, I took several test shots by holding the camera away from my eye to confirm the flash was going off. I searched and the flash I'm using is Canon compatible (ETTL, I believe) but it was just crappy. I've done weddings before with a generic flash (of which is broken) and had better results using the same sports setting, but the main problem there was the flash didn't fire with every snap (continuous). This flash does It could very well be me, I've never used the manual setting which could be the main part of my problem and that seems to be the theme of all the feedback. One of the other comments mentioned the settings with a flash do not matter.

 

[Mike_E]

The only thing that matters using flash -usually- is the aperture setting. Ettl tries to bump up the power on the flash or increase the aperture on the camera. Unless you have enough power to overcome your camera's shortcomings you'll have issues most of the time.

Your best bet is to borrow a flash meter and work out how far away from the flash you have to be to get your desired f stop.

Set it to half power in manual and move it for every shot.

I use Metz flashes because their auto thrystors are usually dead on and I can just set them to f whatever and not worry about it. If your flash has an auto setting you can try it this way but be prepared to be disappointed.

Do read Neil's blog though there is a lot of great info there.

 

[gsgary]

I can't believe what I'm reading off camera flash in sports mode, using flash off camera mixing with ambient you have 2 exposures, aperture controls flash expose and shutter speed controls ambient so there is no way sports mode will ever work, you also have to wait between shots for the flash to refresh