workshop view: Hoboken, NJ « Neil vN

workshop view: Hoboken, NJ

May 22, 2009

Precious was one of our models at the recent workshop in Hoboken. This image was taken during part of the practical session in the afternoon where emphasis was placed on getting soft directional light from an on-camera speedlight. The trick here is to absolutely have no hint of light coming from the camera’s view-point. To do this, I once again used the Black Foamie Thing ™ to control the light from my on-camera speedlight, shielding the light from the flash. I pointed my speedlight 90′ to my left, so that the light reflected back towards Precious from that direction, to give this striking portrait.

I’d like to thank everyone who attended this workshop and once again made it a great experience for everyone.

This workshop was the second-to-last of the current series, and like most of the other recent workshops, was sold out. So if you’re interested in attending one of the workshops taking place during the rest of the year, or would like to help arrange a workshop in a city local to you, drop me a note.

11 Comments »

Hi there Neil,

The light in this shot is perfect. I just wondered if you could share with us blog readers what your camera settings were (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focal length, lens type, FEC, white balance setting and how far the wall was on which you bounced the flash to your left.

Also, I’m using a Sigma EF-530 DG ST EO-ETTL 2 flash at the moment for bounce. I noticed on the back of the flash it gives the focal lengths on the back: 28-105. Above the numbers are lights that light up when in TTL. When the flash is pointed straight on, it reads the correct focal length, but when I swivel the flash head to do bouce, the focal length indicator changes to 50mm no matter where I am pointing the flash head towards. My question is this…..

Will this affect the TTL reading through the camera’s communication with the flash or how does it normally work on flashes that have TTL capability? I know you probably don’t know the Sigma flashes, but you have worked with Canon and Nikon. Also the guide number for this flash is – 53 (ISO 100/m, 105mm head position). Also the flash duration is 1/700 sec (full power firing)

Thanks so much for such great articles and help.

Blessings,

Rory

Comment by Rory Mole — May 24, 2009 @ 3:20 am
Hi there Rory …

The specific settings are:
1/250th @ f3.2 @ 800 ISO
The FEC, as far as I recall was set to -0.7EV but might have been adjusted away from that by a small amount.
My WB was set to Cloudy.
EXIF data say that I was zoomed to 44mm on the 24-70mm f2.8 lens.

But these specific settings are largely irrelevant.
Since I shot this with TTL flash, the camera and flash will follow whatever I set my camera to.

So more importantly to note, is that I used a wide aperture, since I normally work at a wide-ish aperture when shooting a portrait.

The shutter speed there is very high, because I wanted to show the attendees to the workshop that what they see on my camera’s LCD, is all flash. No available light. So that was purposely set so high. Normally I would have my shutter speed a little lower to allow some available light in.

800 ISO because I was bouncing flash into a fairly big area – an unused business office space.
800 ISO because on the Nikon D3, that high an ISO is clean. No noise.

My FEC was dialled a little down, because in my experience, the D3 with the SB-900 has a tendency to over-expose TTL flash. So -0.7EV is my usual starting point for a photo when the flash is a dominant light source.

For any other camera make and model, the FEC would’ve been slightly different. For most cameras, it would be around 0EV or +0.3 EV. Whatever it is, it is something you need to determine for your own camera by playing around with it and picking up experience with how your own camera and speedlight interact.

Re your other question whether the zoom head would affect your TTL flash exposure .. it shouldn’t. TTL flash exposure is measured via a pre-flash that the speedlight emits before the main exposure … and the camera meters this pre-flash and makes the exposure decision.

I hope this helps.

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — May 24, 2009 @ 11:43 pm
Neil,

Thank YOU so much for the workshop – it was awesome and exactly what I needed to take my work to the next level. I had an E-Shoot on the 23rd, 5 days after the workshop – and I can’t tell you how much of your techniques I was able to utilize.

Thanks so much.

-Kelly

Comment by Kelly Formus — May 25, 2009 @ 12:43 am
Hi,

I have been a fan of yours for some time now, and this image pretty much seals my admiration.

I am keen on your writings because you do a LOT of stuff on on-camera flash. I like the fact that you don’t brow beat us with the conventional “you need a 400W mono light and softbox” line.

I have learnt most of what I know about flash from you and one or two other sites, and am still learning and finding stuff difficult.

I understand you are coming over to the UK next month. I realy do hope you come again VERY SOON because I won’t be able to make the June seminar due to finances.

Anyway, to end my preamble, I would like to ask a few questions.

Firstly, you always shoot raw right?

I noticed that you set the White Balance to Cloudy. So how would you have played it if you were shooting JPEG? Or is the word JPEG like swearing to you? :~)

And what sort of distance from camera position to bounced surface were you bouncing off of? And was the surface conveniently white?

And your distance from/to the subject model, approximately?

And one last question, do you intentionally make me jealous with your beatifully lit shots using a mere speedlite??? :~)

Regards,

Comment by plevyadophy — May 25, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
Sorry, in addition to my post immediately above, I forgot to ask this.

You mention your patent pending :~) Black Foamie Thing ™. I already have a light modifier that is kinda similar, and I am wondering whether you think I could acheive a similar result with it?

The product in question is this: The Lumiquest Pocket Bouncer http://www.lumiquest.com/products/pocket-bouncer.htm

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Comment by plevyadophy — May 25, 2009 @ 6:37 pm
plevyadophy .. thank you for the great compliment. : )

Re your questions:
I always shoot in RAW. If you’re shooting under predictable conditions such as a studio set-up where yo have absolute control over your lighting … then JPG might be an option. Or if you are photographing an event and need to print out hundreds of images on site .. then JPG is the way to go. So there are a few situations where an out-of-camera-JPG is the most simple option.

The same goes for simple snap-shots.

But for the majority of photography, RAW is the only way to go.

I’ve said it elsewhere here before .. there is simply NO photographer on this planet that is good enough to set precise exposure and white balance and contrast and saturation in camera for every scenario they might encounter. Nevermind other controls such as black point and local contrast. So this implies that everyone will have to do a measure of post-processing of the image. Therefore you might as well then just shoot in RAW since RAW offers you the most latitude and flexibility.

How would I have set up the WB if I shot in JPG? I can’t answer that, since I would never shoot only in JPG.

There was no specific surface that I bounced the light off. I just pointed my speedlight into the rest of the area, and enough light bounced back from the walls, windows, pillars and part of the ceiling. The surfaces were fairly neutral. No colour casts. The pillars were painted grey.

My distance to my subject? Not that far .. the focal length was 44mm on a full-frame camera, and the image is uncropped.

That Lumiquest device might do something similar, IF you used it to flag your speedlight, and not use it to bounce the light.

There’s a big difference in approach in using that piece of black foam to FLAG the light, as opposed to using something white to bounce the flash off.

With the flag, the area that I am bouncing my flash off, becomes my light source. Which in effect means my light is off-camera. With that bounce device attached to the flash, the light is coming from the camera’s point of view again, giving entirely different results.

My advice? There are more useful things to spend your money on.

best

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — May 27, 2009 @ 3:47 am
Thank you VERY much for your generous answer to my questions.

And may I ask, when are you next in the UK (other than this summer)?

Warm regards,

plevyadophy

Comment by plevyadophy — May 27, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
I might be back in the UK in 2010 .. but we’ll have to see how things work out. : )

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — May 28, 2009 @ 2:54 am
Hi Neil, I’m so glad that I was finally able to attend your workshop! Thank you for the workbook & the ‘black foamie thing’ that you gave each of us. I just (pre) ordered your book, so that I can continue to build on what I learned.

-Lisa

Comment by Lisa H — June 19, 2009 @ 12:36 am
Hi Neil,

I am very glad I made the trip to your workshop! It was worth it in so many ways. I’ve definitely improved my flash techniques, purchased some additional gear (PocketWizards are on the way), and learned to light in a very simple and intuitive way. I ordered your book, so I can’t wait to receive my signed copy! See you again in the future, and THANK YOU.

-Norman Allen

Comment by Norman Allen — September 11, 2009 @ 4:12 pm
Hi Neil,

I would be interested in attending one of your seminars in 2010 in the UK. Do you know when you would be coming (at what point if at all) ?

If not, I would travel over to the States but obviously UK would be better..

Thanks
Ade

Comment by Adrian Pitt — September 24, 2009 @ 12:57 pm