Difficulties with small flash setup

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Halflap

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Steve
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Took my flash lighting kit to my nieces 16th birthday party on staurday and struggled to get any decent shots. I have researched extensively on t'Internet and thought I understood how it all worked. I know how to use the lightmeter and about lighting ratios but once I had set up the background and lights it all went blank. I rushed to get shots done to get it finished before the disco started and seemed to forget everything I had learned. The strobist stuff looks really easy when explained by the likes of David Hobby and Zack Arias so why can't I get it right?

Anyway, back on track I have 2 main questions.

1. I have a background support and grey cloth backdrop. I found it impossible to get the back tight and as soon as someone walked onto the background it creased on the floor as well. I had some clips that i bought in B&Q but the backdrop was too far from the side supports to clamp it. Any ideas.

2. Jessops 360AFD flashguns seem to turn themselves off very quickly. When I am getting stressed over taking the shots it is frustrating to have a flash not fire. Is there any way to stop this happening.

Anyway, here is a shot that I am happy to show. It is still not 100% what I was after and I am not sure about the red light on the background (could not get rim light to do anything but over expose the shots during testing)

C&C welcomed
More on my Flickr page here
4827941918_8b0e546567_b.jpg
 
the rushing thing happens to me a lot, you get so engrossed in trying to get a good image that you forget what you read about how to get a good image.

i can't answer question 1 because i don't know.

question 2 i think it gives you a 90 second shutdown period so its quite long, mine doesn't turn off so i lose all settings it just hibernates.
 
mastertrinity said:
question 2 i think it gives you a 90 second shutdown period so its quite long, mine doesn't turn off so i lose all settings it just hibernates.
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Thanks. It did seem a lot shorter but that could have just been me. It said OFF on the back so I had assumed that it was off and used the power switch to get it back. Problem there is that it reverts to TTL mode and I had to change the settings. Trouble then is that 16 year olds are OK while you are taking their photo but soon lose interest when you are constantly faffing with the lights.
 
Halflap said:
Thanks. It did seem a lot shorter but that could have just been me. It said OFF on the back so I had assumed that it was off and used the power switch to get it back. Problem there is that it reverts to TTL mode and I had to change the settings. Trouble then is that 16 year olds are OK while you are taking their photo but soon lose interest when you are constantly faffing with the lights.
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I know what you mean, I have to photograph some of my friends (16 years old) and I just tell them to update their facebook status for 5 mins while I set up lol
 
I think you can prevent the 360AFD from going into sleep mode by keeping the backlight button for the display pressed down, I'm sure something could probably be rigged up with a bit or card or tape or suchlike.....
 
Halflap said:
The strobist stuff looks really easy when explained by the likes of David Hobby and Zack Arias so why can't I get it right?
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It takes time, don't get disheartened just practice, practice, practice! Looking at your Flickr you've done alright, not creative or dramatic lighting, but everyone seems well and evenly lit.

If you'd been at the McNally seminar last week, you'd have seen him making mistakes too, and working through it. It's a case of knowing your gear and practising with it as much as you can. Zack A, David H et al all advocate knowing your gear inside out and back to front.

As for backgrounds, fabric ones are the worst kind! I sold mine and now only shoot seamless in a studio. I have a collapsible grey botero for head or 3/4 shots but if someone wants a white backdrop, or full length on a plain background then it's studio time £20-30/hr. If you really have to work with the one you have, go for a really large aperture and bring your subjects forward so you can blow the background out of focus.
 
:agree:

Practice is the key. If you haven't done it yet, I recommend working through Strobist's Lighting 102 exercises. They really help you understand the nuances of light, and you get to practice with your speedlights at the same time.

Looking through your Flickr, they look fine. If you're worried about the creases on the fabric, increase the subject to bg distance and throw the aperture as wide open as you can (obviously adjusting flash to compensate).
 
Thanks for the comments. I metered all the shots using a flash meter but still found that I need to increase exposure slightly and increase Fill Light to about 50-60 in Lightroom. Luckily I shot in RAW so there was plenty of adjustment available

I only got the background set up at home a few days before I had this party and therefore did not have much time to practice. I set the lights up with main light up at F5.6, 45 degrees from subject RHS and fill light at F4 firing over my shoulder slightly to left. Camera was set to 1/125 sec, F5.6.This seemed to be the easiest way to get some simple shots without lots of practice. I had the subject about 2-2.5m from the background but I suppose at F5.6 I am not going to get fully out of focus background.

For the rest of the shots during the evening I just mount my Canon flash on the camera and used P mode, varying the exposure compensation a bit to try to darken the ambient exposure a little. I did try a few shots with slow shutter speeds and 2nd curtain flash but these were unsuccessful.

I think a lot more practice is in order.
 
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