Now that we know how to use all the major functions of our cameras, I'd like to add another factor: Off camera lighting!
In addition, these off-camera lighting lessons are going to be geared to small flashes (or strobes) as opposed to continous output lights or monolights. As always, I try to keep the lessons geared toward using your camera on full manual.
For starters, why do we want to have a flash off camera as opposed to using the one built in or just attaching a seperate flash on top of the camera?
Simply put... the quality of the light!
The flash built into most cameras just don't put out a quality lighting result. The biggest reason is that a flash on the same axis as your cameras lens just produces non-flattering light. The lighting is very flat and doesn't usually enhance the way an image looks. An on-camera flash can provide light in a situation where the shot is do or die. I can almost guarantee though, that when you get used to using flash off camera, you'll never want to go back to that weak on-camera flash. In addition, if you have a longer lens on your camera, the on camera flash or flash you've attached to the top of your camera will often produce a massive shadow on your subject.
LIGHTING EQUIPMENT TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
Portrait - A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. For this reason, in photography a portrait is generally not a snapshot, but a composed image of a person in a still position.
On-location - A portrait session that takes place at a location other than a studio. Often this location is but not limited to outdoors.
Ambient Light - Any light that is exiting or present at the shooting scene that is not part of the photographers lighting setup.
Hot shoe - A hot shoe is a mounting point on the top of a camera to attach a flash unit. The hot shoe is shaped somewhat like an inverted, squared-off "U" of metal. The matching adapter on the bottom of the flash unit slides in from the back of the camera and is sometimes secured by a clamping screw on the flash. In the center of the "U" is a metal contact point. This is used for standard, brand-independent flash synchronization.
Sync & PC Cables - A cord that attaches your off-camera flash to your camera. When the shutter button is pressed, the cord sends a signal to the flash to fire it.
Radio Slaves or Wireless Transmitters/Receivers - A radio slave system uses 2 devices to fire your flash wirelessly. One piece attaches to the hot shoe of your device (the transmitter) and the other attaches to your flash off-camera (the receiver). When the shutter button is pressed the transmitter sends a signal to the receiver to set off the flash. Some brands use transceivers. A transceiver sends and receives signals as opposed to just one of the duties. Wit these systems, it doesn't matter which piece is on the flash and which is on the camera.
Lightstands - A pole or stand for which you attach your flash and any lighting modifiers.
Booms - An adjustable arm sometimes built into the lightstand that allows you to relocate the flash above the subject.
Umbrella Brackets - A device that attaches to the top of the lightstand that gives you a place to mount your umbrella. Often the umbrella bracket will have a movable elbow allowing you to redirect the flash and the umbrella at different angles.
Lighting Modifiers - Any device that allows you to modify the light for any purpose. Modifiers change the softness, direction, color, intensity, etc. of the light source. Umbrellas, snoots, gobos, gels, etc. are considered lighting modifiers.
Diffusion or Diffuser - any device that diffuses or spreads out or scatters light in some manner, to give soft light.
Umbrella - A lighting modifier that softens the light by diffusing it. The umbrella typically spreads the light pattern over a greater area. If used as a shoot-through, the light is often softer than using it to bounce the light back on the subject.
Softbox - A lighting modifier that softens the light by diffusing it. As opposed to spreading the light over a wide area, a softbox produces more directional light.
Snoot - Snoots are front-of-the-light "tubes" that project a circle of light on a subject or background. They also reduce light spill.
Barn Door - A front-of-the-light device having two or more pivotable black panels used to shape the Beam and shade the camera lens or scene.
Reflector - Flat devices, mostly white, silver, or gold, that redirect the sun's and other source's rays. Lighting with reflectors is like lighting with lights - except no cables. Just cloud and wind worries.
Diffusion or Diffuser - any device that diffuses or spreads out or scatters light in some manner, to give soft light.
Gel - A strong, flexible, fade-resistant material that changes the color, amount, or quality of light.
STARTER BASIC LIGHTING SETUP AT A DESCENT COST
So now that we have an idea of some of the basic items used in portrait photography, I'd like to give you a list of links to the bare minimum lighting equipment to produce professional results on a budget price plan. The following list is what I personally started with. This list of equipment is of descent quality for the money and should last you awhile. In no way am I insisting that you by the same equipment that I purchased, but this hopefully can act as a good guide.
Off Camera Flash - Vivitar 285HV - I like this flash for the price. Given, this is an older more basic flash, but it produces consistent results. The Vivitar 285HV has all manual controls as opposed to electronic controls. If you're unsure about flash photography and you don't want to drop a lot of coin on a flash you may not end up using, the Vivitar won't set you back to much money. My biggest complaint is the slow flash recycle time, especially as the batteries start to wither.
Sync Cable - PC male to PC female sync cable. This is the bare minimum to get by with off-camera flash. One end hooks into your camera and the other hooks into the cord included with the Vivitar 285HV. The other end of the cord included with the flash plugs into the flash. Note: Different flash brands may require different sync cables.
Lightstand - Impact 8' Lightstand - This is a pretty basic lightstand with no boom arm.
Umbrella Bracket - Generic swivel bracket - Not much to say about it, holds the umbrella and the flash :P
Umbrella - Westcott 45" with removable black cover - Good to use as a shoot-through, or as a bounce back umbrella. 45" is pretty large and will allow you to cover a relatively large area. Kinda cheaply made, but it's a given that when the wind catches it and blows it over, it's only going to hold up for so long.
The above setup will get you shooting portraits and making money with an initial $173 investment. Really not bad when you consider how expensive this hobby can be.
OPTIONAL
Wireless Triggers - CyberSync Radio Remote System - I use this wireless trigger system, and I love them. Honestly, the Pocketwizard brand is nice and the effective distance is much greater, but the cost is considerably more. The CyberSync system is a transmitter and receiver system rather than a transceiver like the PocketWizards. The PW's are around $200 each, whereas the CyberSyncs are like 60 for the transmitter and 90 for each receiver. The effective distance is about 400 ft compared to PW's 1600 feet, but for the money, they are very consistent, easy to use, and very well built. Please spare yourself and don't order the cheap ones on ebay. They are inconsistent and don't work that well.
If you choose to go with the the CyberSyncs, or the PW's, and plan on using them with the Vivitar 285HV, you'll need this special cord to attach them since the triggers don't come with this cord used on the older Vivitars.
Vivitar to Wireless Trigger Adapter Cord
If you did go this route and assuming you only bought 1 flash, hence only 1 receiver and adapter cord, this version of the setup will run you about $327. The wireless triggering systems are so much nicer than runing a PC cable. I found that with only 16 foot of cable, I was looking through the viewfinder and accidently pulling over the lightstand. It didn't take long before I went wireless.
I'm currently not at home, so I can't take photographs of the setup, but the next post will likely be about how to setup all the elements listed above including visuals. The next post will also include the most common portrait lighting setup: 45 degree lighting.
Here's a few photos from a portrait session this past weekend using the above listed lighting setup.
My friend Lauren at an abandoned nursing home in Mathews, VA.
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