{"id":38118,"date":"2017-03-10T16:18:05","date_gmt":"2017-03-10T20:18:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/?p=38118"},"modified":"2023-07-26T14:15:35","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T18:15:35","slug":"using-grids-with-flash-for-a-spot-of-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/using-grids-with-flash-for-a-spot-of-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Using grids with flash for a spot of light"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Using grids with flash for a spot of light<\/h1>\n

My preference is for softer, flattering light. When I use off-camera flash, I really try to use a softbox if at all feasible. It’s easier to use in that you have leeway in how your subject is posed. \u00a0For with a smaller, harder light source, you have to be much more specific about posing. A bigger light source is therefore easier to work with when you shoot fast – such as at a wedding.<\/p>\n

But there are times when you just want to light up a portion of the scene, or want to specifically light your subjects. The photo above is an example. I am shooting from up high from a balcony overlooking the dance floor. I don’t want to light everything up – I just want to light up the couple to the same level as the chandeliers at the top. Of course, how much light I add to them, or how bright I want the surroundings, is something I control from my camera with my camera settings – and the flash power. Choices. And this is how I wanted to balance the scene here with off-camera flash.<\/p>\n

The pull-back shot below will show where and how I placed the Profoto B1. It was high up on a 12-ft\u00a0tall\u00a0Manfrotto 1004BAC<\/a>\u00a0light stand. I didn’t put it all the way up … just high enough to have the light fall from a proper angle from above.<\/p>\n

I also added the\u00a0Profoto OCF grid kit<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0(B&H<\/em><\/a>\u00a0\/\u00a0Amazon<\/em><\/a>), to contain the spread of light. If you recall this article –\u00a0comparing output: Studio lights vs. speedlights<\/a>\u00a0– you’ll see that the Profoto B1 and D1 flashes spread their light very wide. I wanted to control the spill of light to just light up my couple. I just keep the 30 degree as a default. No time to experiment when shooting faster. As it is, I had to shout at the couple for them to hear me – there is no leeway to run up and down and change the grids to a tighter beam. I choose the wider beam grid then as a default – it is the better compromise than one that throws too tight a beam of light.<\/p>\n

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Camera settings & photo gear used during this\u00a0part of the\u00a0photo session<\/h2>\n