Beginner sort of emergency lighting advice

[Ganton Gunner]

OK please feel free to look at my photo history but I can explain it very quick bird pics and lots of them stationary and BIF

The scenario I am leading on to describe is due to be done on Sunday hence the emergency bit

Here lies my problem my family all say my pictures look good and no doubt compared to anything they take on there phones they are
When I do a 4x6 print of a blue tit's upper 1/2 and you can see the feather detail etc they are impressed.

My Granddaughter turns 1 on Sunday and they are doing a cake smash and they have said your good at pictures and have cameras we want lots of good pics from it.

i have just seen for sale near me 2nd hand and arranged to pick it up tomorrow for just over 1/2 new price this kit http://www.10outof10.co.uk/acatalog/INT182-EX150-MKII--2-head-kit.html
i also have a neewer tt520 flash and a fake 910 flash think its mieke.

my cameras are a D500 and a D7200 short lenses i have a sigma 17-50 2.8 and a recent purchase sigma 50-150 mk2 2.8
i have had a quick look and seems to be that i will use manual mode maybe about 125th-150th shutter F6-F11 sort of area and ISO100
and then tweak to match the flashes.

i have a backdrop stand which i got months ago just cos i saw it for sale but never used and a 7x5 vinyl i can use for sitting her on its sort of a autumn tree's scene on it.

what i can not work out is where/how i am best to position the flashes etc.

so any advice would be much appreciated

I will be setting up at my son's place and I will just shuffle the living room round to make it work as best as I can.

quick edit in i do have Ishoot sniper sender and receiver thing too

 

[Garry Edwards]

Firstly, that kit will do the job, but it isn't one of the better makes and it certainly isn't cheap. It doesn't even have a basic radio trigger included, you can manage without but it would make sense to get one, it will make your life much easier because, without it, you'll have an extra trailing wire for the kids to trip over. I cannot believe that the kit is half of the new price...

Secondly, There are endless possible ways of setting up the lights, you can be creative and clever, or you can go for flat lighting that won't look great but which will work, and as you haven't done anything like this before, that's what I suggest you do, as a one off.

So,
1. Set the light with the softbox fitted one one side of your camera, with the sync lead plugged into the camera (I'm assuming that your camera has a PC socket for it). You want it say 3' to the side, and pointing towards the subject.
2. Set the camera ISO to 200
3. With the camera on manual, set the shutter speed to 1/125th
4. Set the aperture to f/11
5. Set the flash power to 1/2
6. Take a test shot. If it's too bright, set the lens aperture a bit smaller, if it's too dark, do the opposite.

Assuming that the exposure is now OK, set up the other light in the same way, on the other side of your camera, but set the power on this one to 1/4, take a test shot and see what you've got. The exposure will be about the same, but the second light will have lightened the shadows caused by the first light.
Job done.

 

[Ganton Gunner]

Firstly, that kit will do the job, but it isn't one of the better makes and it certainly isn't cheap. It doesn't even have a basic radio trigger included, you can manage without but it would make sense to get one, it will make your life much easier because, without it, you'll have an extra trailing wire for the kids to trip over. I cannot believe that the kit is half of the new price...

Secondly, There are endless possible ways of setting up the lights, you can be creative and clever, or you can go for flat lighting that won't look great but which will work, and as you haven't done anything like this before, that's what I suggest you do, as a one off.

So,
1. Set the light with the softbox fitted one one side of your camera, with the sync lead plugged into the camera (I'm assuming that your camera has a PC socket for it). You want it say 3' to the side, and pointing towards the subject.
2. Set the camera ISO to 200
3. With the camera on manual, set the shutter speed to 1/125th
4. Set the aperture to f/11
5. Set the flash power to 1/2
6. Take a test shot. If it's too bright, set the lens aperture a bit smaller, if it's too dark, do the opposite.

Assuming that the exposure is now OK, set up the other light in the same way, on the other side of your camera, but set the power on this one to 1/4, take a test shot and see what you've got. The exposure will be about the same, but the second light will have lightened the shadows caused by the first light.
Job done.

i think the ishoot sniper i have is a radio trigger.
and are you saying it is too expensive or good value ? i am paying £100 for it 2nd hand it's £195 new
sorry £195 + the dreaded so i am getting for less than 1/2 price.

 

[Garry Edwards]

i think the ishoot sniper i have is a radio trigger.

Let's hope so, it will make your life a lot easier. It's not a name that I know, but there are several different makes and then hundreds of re-brands. If it's a cheapie then you may find that you get a black line at the bottom of the frame. If that happens, just set the camera shutter speed to 1/60th, should then be OK

 

[Ganton Gunner]

OK I have been thinking about this all night and you say it's basic and not a great make.
I think due to the short notice I am maybe panic buying with limited funds so maybe I am better off leaving it and just bouncing my speed lights and buying something better when funds allow.

 

[Phil V]

For £100 it’s a good buy, you really only need better if you’re planning a lot of this. It’ll give much better results than bouncing speedlights.

Just like a first camera with lens, it’s not a ‘bad’ one, you’ll build on it as you learn what you need.

As for advice.

It’s tricky, I’d never advise someone to take on a job they have no idea about.

If I came to the birding section and said...
My cousin runs a wildlife magazine and they’ve seen my studio portraits and are really impressed, they’ve asked me to shoot a blue tit for their next issue. I’ve not got the right gear but I’ve found a cheap long tele lens, will that do?

What would the reaction be?

So the simple advice...
Be careful of too small an aperture, and ensure that you keep a distance between the subject and BG, bringing the bg into focus will ruin the shot.
Then remember the key to lighting is that there’s only one sun, and that it’s above the subject.

Keep your keylight simple, and your fill at the camera position.

The 2 biggest mistakes are lighting from 2 separate positions and lighting from too far away.

My advice is that if the lights aren’t almost in your way, they’re not close enough.

 

[Garry Edwards]

OK I have been thinking about this all night and you say it's basic and not a great make.
I think due to the short notice I am maybe panic buying with limited funds so maybe I am better off leaving it and just bouncing my speed lights and buying something better when funds allow.

Good decision

 

[swanseamale47]

I know someone who used a similar kit to that in his studio for about 2 years, he hammered it, still working last I heard, for the money not a bad deal.

 

[Ganton Gunner]

For £100 it’s a good buy, you really only need better if you’re planning a lot of this. It’ll give much better results than bouncing speedlights.

Just like a first camera with lens, it’s not a ‘bad’ one, you’ll build on it as you learn what you need.

As for advice.

It’s tricky, I’d never advise someone to take on a job they have no idea about.

If I came to the birding section and said...
My cousin runs a wildlife magazine and they’ve seen my studio portraits and are really impressed, they’ve asked me to shoot a blue tit for their next issue. I’ve not got the right gear but I’ve found a cheap long tele lens, will that do?

What would the reaction be?

So the simple advice...
Be careful of too small an aperture, and ensure that you keep a distance between the subject and BG, bringing the bg into focus will ruin the shot.
Then remember the key to lighting is that there’s only one sun, and that it’s above the subject.

Keep your keylight simple, and your fill at the camera position.

The 2 biggest mistakes are lighting from 2 separate positions and lighting from too far away.

My advice is that if the lights aren’t almost in your way, they’re not close enough.

They would have been a 65 mile round trip to get them.
I would not call it a job as its my granddaughter
I do not plan on doing lots of pictures at all just the odd family member pictures etc.
I do know at some point during the summer the family want a family BBQ at mine as we have a big garden and me to do some pictures of them all.
mostly individuals but a few with 2 or 3 in them as well.
I have no intention of going pro or semi pro etc i am happy running about on roofs fixing them
but i dont mind buying bits here and there so i can have stuff for when needed or wanted etc, if that makes sense

 

[Garry Edwards]

I know someone who used a similar kit to that in his studio for about 2 years, he hammered it, still working last I heard, for the money not a bad deal.

Not the worst kit in the world, and it sold very successfully in its day, when the only real competition was from Elinchrom and Bowens, both of which were much more expensive, but times have changed, and £234 is a lot of money for what it is.
They were successful in their day, partly because of the lack of competition but mainly because there were still a lot of camera shops around at the time, and the Company was very successful at getting them into the shops.

For £100 it’s a good buy, you really only need better if you’re planning a lot of this. It’ll give much better results than bouncing speedlights.

Just like a first camera with lens, it’s not a ‘bad’ one, you’ll build on it as you learn what you need.

As for advice.

It’s tricky, I’d never advise someone to take on a job they have no idea about.

If I came to the birding section and said...
My cousin runs a wildlife magazine and they’ve seen my studio portraits and are really impressed, they’ve asked me to shoot a blue tit for their next issue. I’ve not got the right gear but I’ve found a cheap long tele lens, will that do?

What would the reaction be?

So the simple advice...
Be careful of too small an aperture, and ensure that you keep a distance between the subject and BG, bringing the bg into focus will ruin the shot.
Then remember the key to lighting is that there’s only one sun, and that it’s above the subject.

Keep your keylight simple, and your fill at the camera position.

The 2 biggest mistakes are lighting from 2 separate positions and lighting from too far away.

My advice is that if the lights aren’t almost in your way, they’re not close enough.

Your advice is good, but the OP would have struggled with any form of creative lighting, given his lack of experience, and given that he's old enough to be a grandad, he's probably a bit too old to do something entirely new to him and to do it well first time (a situation that I, at my age, understand very well ) hence my initial advice to go for simple, flat lighting.

 

[Ganton Gunner]

Not the worst kit in the world, and it sold very successfully in its day, when the only real competition was from Elinchrom and Bowens, both of which were much more expensive, but times have changed, and £234 is a lot of money for what it is.
They were successful in their day, partly because of the lack of competition but mainly because there were still a lot of camera shops around at the time, and the Company was very successful at getting them into the shops.

Your advice is good, but the OP would have struggled with any form of creative lighting, given his lack of experience, and given that he's old enough to be a grandad, he's probably a bit too old to do something entirely new to him and to do it well first time (a situation that I, at my age, understand very well ) hence my initial advice to go for simple, flat lighting.

I may be a granddad but i am not that old
I only turned 39 last week
I have absolutely no intention of a change in career i am happy as a roofer.
i am willing to build up a kit though and spend a bit more but funds were just not spare today and i saw that.
(funds not spare as i bought a new D500 last week and a sigma 50-150 2.8 mk2. )

 

[swanseamale47]

Not the worst kit in the world, and it sold very successfully in its day, when the only real competition was from Elinchrom and Bowens, both of which were much more expensive, but times have changed, and £234 is a lot of money for what it is.
They were successful in their day, partly because of the lack of competition but mainly because there were still a lot of camera shops around at the time, and the Company was very successful at getting them into the shops.

Your advice is good, but the OP would have struggled with any form of creative lighting, given his lack of experience, and given that he's old enough to be a grandad, he's probably a bit too old to do something entirely new to him and to do it well first time (a situation that I, at my age, understand very well ) hence my initial advice to go for simple, flat lighting.

I went for the Bowens, still got them and they still work, don't use them in the studio now though. (they were pricey at the time)

 

[simonbarker]

i am willing to build up a kit though and spend a bit more but funds were just not spare today and i saw that.
(funds not spare as i bought a new D500 last week and a sigma 50-150 2.8 mk2. )

The trick with second hand equipment is timing, if you can wait everything will pop up eventually.

If you're not going to go for the Interfit kit then what instead do you plan on? Bowens GM200's? Elinchrom D-lite 2's? Godox heads? I ask because it will help you if you have a clear idea of what tools will work best for you and of course you need to be aware of the prices to know if the used price is a good one.

 

[Ganton Gunner]

The trick with second hand equipment is timing, if you can wait everything will pop up eventually.

If you're not going to go for the Interfit kit then what instead do you plan on? Bowens GM200's? Elinchrom D-lite 2's? Godox heads? I ask because it will help you if you have a clear idea of what tools will work best for you and of course you need to be aware of the prices to know if the used price is a good one.

I have no plan of what to get instead.
as I say it will just be for family pictures etc, I am not wanting to go pro so do not want to find myself spending £1000 on lighting.
I would think it would be best to have a idea what to look out for and I can gradually build up and watch out for bits over a period of months and maybe add to over time if needed.