Holding umbrella evening flash photography

cardiff_gareth

cardiff_gareth

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Gareth
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Hi,
Quick question please. I want to try recreate using an umbrella to light my subjects when they're under it, holding it with the light up in the umbrella.

Do you mount the flash in the top of the umbrella out of sight? Also the umbrella, is a normal "household" umbrella ok to use or do you use a photographic small parabolic umbrella ?

Any help us gratefully received :)
 
cardiff_gareth said:
Do you mount the flash in the top of the umbrella out of sight?
Click to expand...
Yes Garreth, inside.
Important is to use a dome on the speedlight and fix it
by the head with the body at 90° and use remote trigger.
Fix it as low as possible on the stick but no part of it
should be seen
cardiff_gareth said:
Also the umbrella, is a normal "household" umbrella ok to use or do you use a photographic small parabolic umbrella ?
Click to expand...
It can be a "household" umbrella as long as it is white and
use the material of an other barker one to reduce the glow
or more and darker to block it.
 
Thanks Kodiak
When you say dome, like a Stofen or something more substantial like maybe a Gary Fong?

Also, flash pointed up so it bounces off the umbrella material so further diffuses, or pointing down so it's direct diffused light?

Appreciate the tips ;)
 
I've read this a couple of times and I still don't really understand what you (the OP) are trying to do :(

Lots of Wedding togs do a 'brolly shot' now whether its raining or not (its in fashion still - for a while), where the couple are under one normally white brolly (not a photographic one, just a normal big white brolly) and they are largely lit by light coming down onto them from it - is that what you mean?

If so, I don't know of anyone who attaches the flash in the brolly, its normally either sat on the floor behind them or sometimes on a lightstand behind them pointing up into the brolly

Dave
 
I was looking at recreating an image where there is a couple holding an umbrella that looks like there is light coming out of it, illuminating the couple and the umbrella itself. I think if the flash is behind them then it makes a more backlit image that lights up their whole bodies, producing shadows to the camera, and I'm looking for the light to come from the umbrella.
 
cardiff_gareth said:
I was looking at recreating an image where there is a couple holding an umbrella that looks like there is light coming out of it, illuminating the couple and the umbrella itself. I think if the flash is behind them then it makes a more backlit image that lights up their whole bodies, producing shadows to the camera, and I'm looking for the light to come from the umbrella.
Click to expand...
Not if the flash is pointing at the umbrella.

Once you can visualise what a light does from a given place with a given zoom setting, you realise there's more than one way to get the effect you want.
 
Go ahead and laugh PICT_20170402_144518.JPG PICT_20170402_144643.JPG PICT_20170402_144503.JPG
Sorry for the lack of sharpness. I didn't take my time to focus the 12mm samyang after rearanging
This is somewhat heavy and not very handy with a tt685. A smaller flash like th tt350 might be a better choice.
 
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Another solution is to zoom the flash and have it shoot up into the umbrella from a low position on the floor, perhaps even use a grid.
 
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Thank you!

Really do appreciate the images and the description of flash placement
:ty:

Is that a large black / white reversible studio umbrella?

Also I'm guessing when it's off camera on a light stand behind the main subjects there isn't a diffuser on it due to the grid? Bare flash directed at the inside of the umbrella band the brolly then diffuses?
 
A snoot might loose you less power than the grids does so it could be a better option.
The flash is placed in front of me on the floor, no diffuser but grids. In my first post, on the umbrella shaft with the diffuser on. I like the floor solution better myself.

The umbrella is a white reflective, not a reversible, the cheapest I could find. I might go for such or a McNally next time.
 
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