Tutorial Which Flash System?

[Tyke Tiler]

Tyke Tiler submitted a new resource:

Which Flash System? - Which Flash System?

When your thinking about flash photography for the first time, one can become a little intimidated by the seemingly elusive and complex subject.

Whether you shooting as a hobby, for pleasure or to earn a living, all of the points covered in this text will help to understand the differences between the available systems.

The Three Typical Categories Of Flash System.

The most common type of flash units are designed for camera's directly. Excluding the onboard flash unit that can...

Read more about this resource...

 

[Tyke Tiler]

Out In The Field, Contributed by Colin Greenlees.

Ease of use and portability are the main priorities for a modern wedding photographer as most couples are looking for a journalistic/documentary approach to their wedding photography. However, they still require some set shots (either candid or posed) that reflect the day and what it means. Heads and packs do have their places but few wedding photographers use them due to the weight and it usually means you have to employ extra staff as the photographer will not have time to set up the lights as he/she will be busy elsewhere.

There are many ways to achieve this but in the main they are as follows (this section does not include using fill in flash):
1. On camera flash (diffused)
2. On camera flash (bounced)
3. Off camera flash (either bare or using a modifier)

On Camera Flash (diffused)
There are many types ranging from a simple Stofen type diffuser up to the Gary Fong Lightsphere and whole host of dedicated and home made units some of which are made from milk cartons! I have tried many different ones and the best I have come across is the Demb Flip-It as it uses a combination of bounce combined with a small amount of fill, it is also adjustable allowing the photographer to control the ratio of light hitting the subject.

This image from a recent wedding was taken with on camera flash and using the Flip-It:

The key thing to remember is that whilst some of these work quite well they are still relatively small sources of light and can cause unnatural looking harsh shadows and to effectively combat this you need to convert the light your small hotshot flash gives out to allow it to become a large, diffused and soft source of light. This is achieved by bouncing the flash.

On camera flash (bounced)
By bouncing the flash of a large surface you are effectively creating a very large source of natural looking light. A word of caution though, ignore those who tell you to bounce it off the ceiling almost straight up as you will get panda eyes which is very unflattering for most people. Also be very careful if angling the flash slightly towards the subject as any direct light from the flash will cause shadows.

The easiest way to bounce is over your shoulder aiming the flash at where the ceiling meets the wall (provided you have light coloured walls and ceilings) and remember not to stand too close to the wall as you want to create as large a spread of light as possible as is demonstrated in this next image. The bride was directly below me so I angled the flash directly above me to and bounced it off the ceiling.

But what if you do not have light ceilings or walls? This is where a reflector comes in handy but you might need an extra pair of hands and if you do not have an assistant with it's time for the ushers to earn their keep! Keep the camera on flash and aim it towards the reflector, you might find you need to 'flag' the flash which means using something to prevent direct light from the subject, I use pieces of flexible Fab Foam held onto my flash with hair bands which means I can move the foam quickly when needed and is demonstrated here:

This is an example shot taken about the same time as above:

If you do not have a reflector sometimes you have to think on your feet and get creative, I've actually bounced flash of the best man's shirt before as that was the only light surface available, he held his jacket wide open and it did the job!

Obviously this mini-guide to bouncing flash is just the tip of the iceberg and there are many sources out there that will give you more information including the person who is considered one of the masters at teaching this underused technique - Neil van Neikerk.

Off camera flash
Another favourite technique of mine and many other photographers. I won't go into too much detail as I could be writing for the next year but by using off camera flash techniques you can bring extra depth and drama to your images. The next photograph was taken at a wedding with the flash on a monopod fired through the Lastolite Ezybox Hotshoe, the camera was in matrix metering mode and underexposed to bring out the colour of the twilight sky. The flash was fired using a Pocketwizard and I think you will agree it gave a pretty good result for a single small flash:

A few moments earlier this shot was taken using the same set up but with the white balance set to Tungsten and a Colour Temperature Orange (CTO) gel fitted to the flash. Changing the white balance gives everything a strong blue cast which can work well for skies but this needs to be balanced with the CTO gel to keep the skin tones looking natural.

 

[Tyke Tiler]

Century Media Records and graphics designer Jan Yrlund approached my buddy Eero and I to shoot the Finnish rock band 'Kivimetsän Druidi'.
The briefing we received was exactly that, brief, but what it did stipulate was that they need head turning, winter promo shots for their CD sleeve artwork.

It's January 9th and -24°C outside, the band made a firm assertion that shooting outdoors was not a favoured preference. I also was a highly concerned with safety issues and for the lighting equipment in such cold temperatures, let alone if it began to snow.
Thus a studio environment was installed in a previously arranged back up location, the unused garage area at Kouvola's newspaper HQ.

It's worth mentioning that as the garage floor was so dusty, safely gaffer taping the cables down was ineffective. We called a short meeting before the band entered the set and notified everyone clearly where the cables were and the where the safe entrance onto the cloth was.
Having someone trip over a cable a strip a light down is not something that anyone wants to experience and despite the messy appearance in the images here, both Eero and I were highly conscious of safety.

As the location was now going to be indoors and the icy background was going to be added in post, we would be blessed with the advent of a continuos power source, we were also provided with enough space to install the 3 meter by 6 meter backdrop cloth, which allowed much more effective extractions and layer masking in photoshop. The only issue was that our backdrop cloth was not wide enough to accommodate six members wearing medieval battle gear.

The total shoot time including the installation was around 8 hours. There was myself and Eero rigging up and striking down the lighting.

We knew that this would be a long day as we needed to shoot a variety of poses and at differing focal lengths from each member.
So in this particular instance, low power battery operated flashes are clearly not the best way to go. All lights were monobloc studio heads.

Had the shoot gone ahead outdoors, I would have suggested a sunset shoot, would have readily chosen multiple hotshoe flashes and taken a single group shot rather than a composite.

Full set here:

 

[david1701]

epic series of articles

 

[Spiritflier]

An excellent write-up... Really well done!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading that.

Cheers,
Si

 

[Tyke Tiler]

Just before Christmas I invested in my first head and pack system, I had no real intention of splashing out until I noticed an irresistible offer from Helsinki City's Profoto dealer = 1000€ discount

I picked up the set up I had been thinking about for some time, an AcuteB 600R pack, Acute D4 600ws Head, Acute D4 Ringflash, Softlight Reflector and a spare battery.
All for 2400€.
A mighty blow to the wallet but an absolute bargain never the less.

There are many cheaper alternatives however, the immediate pack that springs to mind and also the pack that I was considering for some time as a compromise, was the Lencarta Safari Ringflash and Safari head. This is the most reasonably priced kit available but the lack of reflectors always held me back on the sale. It would be really great to see more modifiers available for this set up as this is clearly a winning bit of kit.

Having this kind of power in a fairly portable package is a real luxury. I can only power either the ringlflash or the head at a time though as the AcuteB 600R can only power one at a time.
Despite it's portability, I won't automatically select it on a job due to it's weight. I travel around the city quite a bit by good old reliable Finnish public transport and I'll really start feeling the 8kg of weight if having to strap it over my shoulder when travelling by bus, tram or walking.
Combine this with the weight of my regular camera bag and a light stand then this can get quite uncomfortable.
However there must be a compromise, if you want big power in a smaller package then you'll pay the price in weight as well as the price tag itself.

The Profoto AcuteB packs boast some very fast flash durations, 1/6800 at maximum. This comes in handy when you need to freeze action at your top syncing speeds, typically 1/200 and 1/250th.

 

[Tyke Tiler]

In the above text, we have briefly considered lighting family photo's.

Each year my family visit us here in Finland, we hire a voyager sized vehicle and take the 4 hour drive to my girlfriends folk's summer cottage.
Traditionally, there is a no electricity rule as the fam wants to keep it as rustic and as faithful to the good old days as possible.
I love this despite having to take trips to the local village, some 30 minutes drive, to charge phones and batteries.

The car is pretty much full to the roof with everyones luggage, there is very little room reserved for photo gear.

This summer, I took a handful of hotshoe flashes, stands, gels and a few diffusers.

Also, after reading a fair bit of Joe McNally, I was desperate to try some portraits while peeps were enjoying a dip in lake after a hot sauna at sunset.

A hotshoe flash at half power in a 60cm softbox is more than adequate here.
Since investing in a head and pack system I still wouldn't be wading into water with it.
During the summer lake Saimaa is like a vast expanse of motionless glass, zero current or tide so a hotshoe is not such a bad choice in terms of safety aspects.

The light stand was forced hard down into the silt and wasn't budging anywhere during our little session.

My brother and I also wanted something a little more fun and also daring in terms of hotshoe capabilities.
We set up a four hotshoe flash set up on a very picturesque cliff face just a short walk from the cottage, the sun was fairly high so we sought a little shade from a few towering pine trees and for the best chance of effectiveness, got the flashes in as close as possible.

I'm aware we look like a pair of nutters, when your both not exactly the modelling type, ya haffa ebb with a different rhythm

Great advantage with a hotshoe, our shortage of stands wasn't a problem thanks to a super clamp, in this picture a flash is clamped to a tree branch.

After the sun began to set, our lower power flashes had a little more effect.

'Mrs. Elvis'

Now this could have been down far more effectively with more power. If our space in the car wasn't so limited and either I had a fair few grands worth or I was granted the use of 4 head and pack systems by someone very generous, many compromises could have been bypassed here.
The point is that our fundamental lighting principles remain the same, no matter the power, we are positioning and shaping light in order to achieve a desired effect.

More antics from this holiday here.

 

[Garry Edwards]

I think this is an excellent article - so much so that when I first saw it while away on business I struggled to read every word on my Blackberry

This is just the kind of balanced, objective post that people need, so that they can understand what it's all about and make informed decisions.

The reality of course is that no one system or approach can cover every need. People like me have all of them, and choose whichever is best for the particular job, people who are operating on a budget usually have to choose one or another because they can't fund or can't justify the funding for more than one type of system.

In my own posts, I often suggest either mains powered or battery powered studio flash, simply because I'm always trying to get people to use lighting creatively and to not assume that lighting starts and stops with softboxes and umbrellas, and it's much easier to be creative with studio lighting simply because of the wide range of good light shaping tools available for studio flash heads. But this doesn't mean of course that studio flash is the only option. It isn't.

There are a couple of things that might be worth adding. As well as the mains powered monoblock flash heads and the battery powered flash generators (pack & head in the U.S.) there are also mains powered flash generators. Big, heavy, expensive, high powered but used by studio pros because of the ease of adjustment (adjusting manually is much better than fiddling with a remote control and as the generators are on the floor adjustments are very easy) and tiny, lightweight heads, making them more stable and safer when perched high on a stand.

There is also the option of plugging a mains powered monoblock flash head into a car battery fitted with a pure sine wave inverter, or buying a ready made one such as the Tronix. AFAIK ANY mains powered flash can be used in this way, you won't get many flashes from it, recycling may be very slow, it isn't a good idea to use the modelling lamp, but it will work so is an option worth considering.

I think that Tomas was thinking only of the Safari ringflash when he wrote this, not the 'ordinary' Safari head

There are many cheaper alternatives however, the immediate pack that springs to mind and also the pack that I was considering for some time as a compromise, was the Lencarta Safari Ringflash and Safari head. This is the most reasonably priced kit available but the lack of reflectors always held me back on the sale. It would be really great to see more modifiers available for this set up as this is clearly a winning bit of kit.

The ringflash can't currently be fitted with any modifiers except gels, a diffuser and an umbrella, but the Safari ringflash head is standard S-fit so can be fitted with any of the 46 Lencarta light modifiers/shapers (soon to be over 60) and can also be used with all of the other S-fit accessories available from various sources.

 

[Tyke Tiler]

I think this is an excellent article - so much so that when I first saw it while away on business I struggled to read every word on my Blackberry

This is just the kind of balanced, objective post that people need, so that they can understand what it's all about and make informed decisions.

Cheers Garry

There is also the option of plugging a mains powered monoblock flash head into a car battery fitted with a pure sine wave inverter, or buying a ready made one such as the Tronix. AFAIK ANY mains powered flash can be used in this way, you won't get many flashes from it, recycling may be very slow, it isn't a good idea to use the modelling lamp, but it will work so is an option worth considering.

Indeed, good points. I've just purchased an Innovatronix XT Explorer pack, they were on sale over here for 399€ so I thought I'd give them a whirl.
Here it is fresh out of the box...

I intend to use this with a single 600ws head for larger scale outdoor shots. I'll add a more detailed write up to this thread when I've have the chance to put it out in the field properly. So far initial testing has impressed me very much.

There's also a chap on here who has built his own battery pack from a pure sine wave inverter and a car battery iirc.

If your into all day shoots out in the thick of it, t's also possible to run a bunch of monoblocs from a petrol generator although this heeds caution at the highest degree. There's not too much literature available on the subject, it requires an extensive knowledge of electric engineering to do it safely and successfully.
More on that at another time too.

I think that Tomas was thinking only of the Safari ringflash when he wrote this, not the 'ordinary' Safari head The ringflash can't currently be fitted with any modifiers except gels, a diffuser and an umbrella, but the Safari ringflash head is standard S-fit so can be fitted with any of the 46 Lencarta light modifiers/shapers (soon to be over 60) and can also be used with all of the other S-fit accessories available from various sources.

Correct, it would be great to see the Safari Ringflash have some Profoto and Hensel 'esque reflectors/diffusers in the future. Maybe we should put a word in

When you have time Garry (I appreciate your a busy chap), could you include some of your field experiences here? Be good to get a fair few all in the one place

 

[Janice]

Tom.. what a superb article. Thanks for all your time and trouble.

 

[Tyke Tiler]

Tom.. what a superb article. Thanks for all your time and trouble.

Thanks Janice It's a pleasure to give a little back to a place that's given and keeps giving so much

 

[ryanyboy]

Thanks to Thomas and Colin for making this one of the best threads on TP. I hope others have found it as interesting and informative as I have. Personally I couldnlt add much to what Colin has said. The Demb flip-it's are the best in the business for on-camera flash - helping to soften the light and increasing the size of the light source. Off camera, I mostly use the Lastolite Ezybox softboxes and it's worth noting that Lastolite have just released a new 76cm x 76cm model - mine arrived yesterday but I'm yet to use it.

For me, i find the size and portability of hotshoe flashes to be the best solution. I now have two SB-900's and it's got to a point where I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to buy a couple more to help light big groups or if it would be better to go for a head and pack option. There's a separate thread on the best head & pack systems out there. It's here - http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=198963 I'd love to add the quadra's or something similar to my arsenal but the initial outlay is very high. Perhaps better to get another SB-900/800 now, and then another in a month or two.....

The guys have already established that there is a huge choice and some are far more appropriate than others. Whatever, controlling the light is the most important (and most fun) thing when shooting weddings and portraits and I'm convinced that you can never have enough "stuff". The boot of my car is testament to that!!

Thanks again TW

 

[Kaouthia]

Nice article, but the Lencarta website doesn't list Bowens, Elinchrom, Profoto, Lastolite, Interfit or other studio strobe manufacturers. Perhaps link to those as well so that viewers have easy access to the other "big names"?

 

[Tyke Tiler]

Nice article, but the Lencarta website doesn't list Bowens, Elinchrom, Profoto, Lastolite, Interfit or other studio strobe manufacturers. Perhaps link to those as well so that viewers have easy access to the other "big names"?

Cheers John

The links I have included are to free tutorials on lighting or guides on how modifiers and diffusers work. I wanted to avoid actually promoting brands especially as I have no experience with Bowens, Interfit etc so recommendations to these brands are better written by someone who works with that particular brand and explaining why they do.

The varying brands can be supported by member contributions within the thread in the 'Out In The Field' theme were encouraging.

Under your recommendation though, I have now mentioned that there are many brands available

 

[Tyke Tiler]

Thanks again

No probs Ryan mate

 

[Vulkan75]

Superb thread!

Thanks!!

 

[Rough Edges]

Just before Christmas I invested in my first head and pack system, I had no real intention of splashing out until I noticed an irresistible offer from Helsinki City's Profoto dealer = 1000€ discount

I picked up the set up I had been thinking about for some time, an AcuteB 600R pack, Acute D4 600ws Head, Acute D4 Ringflash, Softlight Reflector and a spare battery.
All for 2400€.
A mighty blow to the wallet but an absolute bargain never the less.

There are many cheaper alternatives however, the immediate pack that springs to mind and also the pack that I was considering for some time as a compromise, was the Lencarta Safari Ringflash and Safari head. This is the most reasonably priced kit available but the lack of reflectors always held me back on the sale. It would be really great to see more modifiers available for this set up as this is clearly a winning bit of kit.

Having this kind of power in a fairly portable package is a real luxury. I can only power either the ringlflash or the head at a time though as the AcuteB 600R can only power one at a time.
Despite it's portability, I won't automatically select it on a job due to it's weight. I travel around the city quite a bit by good old reliable Finnish public transport and I'll really start feeling the 8kg of weight if having to strap it over my shoulder when travelling by bus, tram or walking.
Combine this with the weight of my regular camera bag and a light stand then this can get quite uncomfortable.
However there must be a compromise, if you want big power in a smaller package then you'll pay the price in weight as well as the price tag itself.

The Profoto AcuteB packs boast some very fast flash durations, 1/6800 at maximum. This comes in handy when you need to freeze action at your top syncing speeds, typically 1/200 and 1/250th.

New member here so firstly hi all..

I see you mention the Lencarta Safari system above, but mention the lack of reflectors.. Not sure what type specifically but the lights are all Bowens S Fit compatible...

I had the chance to use this setup recently, having seen it at Focus on Imaging.. I can honestly say I was very impressed. Fits what I want it to do perfectly.. So will be buying one as soon as I can.

The one I used had the 70Cm beauty dish and a grid fitted.. I would buy a two head kit for what I want to do...

One thing I feel I should mention as it doesn't seem to have been in the threads I have looked at ralated to this one..

Batteries..
The Ranger Quadra etc are still fitted with SLA batts. The Lecarta Safari is NIMH, which is much lighter..

Seems a no brainer to me...

 

[Tyke Tiler]

New member here so firstly hi all..

Hi simon and welcome to TP

I see you mention the Lencarta Safari system above, but mention the lack of reflectors.. Not sure what type specifically but the lights are all Bowens S Fit compatible...

Specifically, I'm referring to the lack of reflectors for Safari Ringflash and not Safari in general.

One thing I feel I should mention as it doesn't seem to have been in the threads I have looked at ralated to this one..

Batteries..
The Ranger Quadra etc are still fitted with SLA batts. The Lecarta Safari is NIMH, which is much lighter..

Seems a no brainer to me...

I wouldn't say it's a no brainer Simon. Each of our requirements and needs differ greatly from person to person.

The Elinchrom Quadra is the smallest and lightest head and pack system available, it compromises a lower power output but offers a more compact solution.

Personally, this kind of portability is not a priority for me. A 400ws mobile pack falls short in power for my needs and at £1500 my money is more effectively spent elsewhere, but, some will justify the Quadra price tag in comparison to say a Safari head and pack alternative at £740 based on the size/weight alone and not the output.

Also, I'd be willing to bet that the type of battery, whether Lithium or SLA based, won't tend to influence which system folk will invest in too heavily.

IMO decisions will be based on requirements, price, features and output.

 

[Rough Edges]

Hi Tomas, thanks for the welcome.

I agree that everyone has different needs and of course there is brand snobbery...

I also now agree with you on the Ringflash reflectors. (Sorry didn't realise that is what you meant)

If going portable I personally think lightweight is better, I have yet to try the Quadra, though I have had the chance to try the Lecarta, if only thy also did more powerful systems too.....

One thing does surprise me slighty is that more companies have yet to use more modern battery types in their portable kits, ease of charging and how long they can be used for etc..

For me the Lencarta is at the better price for my first rig.... My first lights were going to be mains powered, but as I don't have a studio etc, location shooting is more likely...

One thing I forgot to say, is that you have some fabulous photos posted in your comment. I especially like the guy out in the snow...

 

[Tyke Tiler]

Hi Tomas, thanks for the welcome.

No problem mate, glad to have you aboard the crazy train that is TP

If going portable I personally think lightweight is better, I have yet to try the Quadra, though I have had the chance to try the Lecarta, if only thy also did more powerful systems too.....

Indeed, lightweight is better when mobility is a priority, after all whether your carrying the rig from a boot of a car, to the spot you need the light, or if your carrying the pack on your shoulder for the duration, lightweight is certainly more comfortable.

For me personally though, weight is first element that is compromised if price is significantly higher as a result, my needs largely involve setting up and leaving the packs stationary, unless the light is repositioned or the location is moved, it'll simply remain in place.
Sometimes, if there is no harsh breezes or heavy winds, then I'll use the pack as a weight

The Profoto unit is reasonable for a keen assistant who maybe slinging the pack over a shoulder and then holding a pole with head and diffuser however.

This is where a Quadra unit shines. Truth be told though, I'm not too much of a fan of Elinchrom as I really dislike the mounting system.

One thing does surprise me slighty is that more companies have yet to use more modern battery types in their portable kits, ease of charging and how long they can be used for etc..

I'm not too up to date with the particulars with the most effective battery options. What would you consider as pro's and con's with SLA and Lithium based?

One thing I forgot to say, is that you have some fabulous photos posted in your comment. I especially like the guy out in the snow...

Cheers very much mate

 

[Rough Edges]

SLA batts are similar inside to a car battery, split one and..........

Other pros for the Lithium other than weight is a the resistance to battery memory issues and will give more shots per charge..
I am sure there are other more technical reasons, that I am not aware of at this time..

I like the idea of overhead usage, some great pics on Zack Arias' blog doing just that...

Any battery system should do what we want it to, just each has a different Pro and Con..

I know I could not afford the Quadra...

 

[david1701]

lithium batteries are hardcore, but its what the unit does and what you need that are more important imho

 

[AliB]

Fab article Tomas and Colin, well written from an end user perspecitive.

You are very right when you say that there are a lot of considerations when buying a portable solution. Personally it's something I will be looked at adding perhaps next winter

I absolutely adore Phofoto but at their prices would be limited to one pack/head and then I'd have to buy modifiers and they aint cheap!

I have had a play with Quadras and the sheer portability is a major plus. Packed into that little case they are outstanding but again, modifiers would add greatly to the bill.

Another one that I love the look of is the Broncolor Mobil kit, good power, excellent portability and some really neat features like being able to adjust power remotely. Again, not cheap and again would have to factor in modifiers.

Lencarta, for the price is looking very much like a good buy to me. Since I already have three Interfit 300W heads with a range of Bowens goodies including a £300 odd beauty dish then the S fitting of the Lencarta really appeals. I'd like to see what Tomas could do with one

Last but not least on my pack options would be the Interfit one. Can only run one head from a pack and really basic but at £350 ish would not be a bad solution for shooting some of the stuff I do like boudoir where space is already limited and I don't need huge amounts of power.

The SB900 and EX580 can produce good results, you only need to see Joe McNally to appreciate what you can do with them but are always going to be limited in power compared to the pack solution.

Thanks for the great write up guys, still lots more to consider before the budget will allow any more toys!

 

[Rough Edges]

Indeed Ali, some great words above.. I am going to have a look at the Broncolor kit you mention, now...

It is indeed impressive what Joe McNally can do with small lights, but the cost of two SB-900s will equal the cost of the Lencarta...

I too would like to see what Tomas could do with one.. going by those images...

I only spent a short period with the Lencarta, but I think a system like this is the way forward for me..

Here are a couple of shots on Fickr using it with the 70cm Beauty dish and Grid.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sounds-and-images/4510029691/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sounds-and-images/4510029455

With huge thanks to Jonathan Ryan for tips and lighting. Was a learning curve for me and now I am hooked...

 

[AliB]

lol, like the second one Simon

I actually have 2 SB900's but as Garry points out, they are limited when it comes to what you can do with modifiers. Yes there are now suitable beauty dishes coming out for them and Damien McGillicuddy does some brilliant lighting kit for strobes but you really can't beat studio heads for some applications.

 

[Tyke Tiler]

Lencarta, for the price is looking very much like a good buy to me. Since I already have three Interfit 300W heads with a range of Bowens goodies including a £300 odd beauty dish then the S fitting of the Lencarta really appeals. I'd like to see what Tomas could do with one

I too would like to see what Tomas could do with one.. going by those images...

:nuts:

I'd love to have a go with few to be fair. Not wanting to shamelessly plug Lencarta but I do only ever hear good things about them.

If Garry ever needs any testing doing then I'd be more than eager but I think there are far better 'tographers than me testing Lencarta gear already

BTW, Nice images Simon

 

[Rough Edges]

Thanks Ali! Indeed though I think I might grab a Yongnuo or two of Ebay with RF602 triggers...

Tomas, I have been trying to land some clients to pay for a system, I want to specialise in prestige cars, bikes, mountain biking and small planes etc.. Having something portable would be spot on.. I certainly feel the system to be comparable to others out there...

What I really like the idea of is a softbox the is put up like an umbrella for me that is a killer idea, especially on night shoots.. no lost rods on packing up....

I would be more than happy to plug lencarta Tomas, as no retailers means it is harder to make waves in this name is everything business. Garry is also a top bloke to talk too. When I was going to Focus on Imaging this year I was looking at budget starter mains lighting, now I am more focused, and Thanks to Jonathan Rya recommending Lencarta on the phone (had not heard of them before that) I made sure I had a look... I am glad I held off the cash..... As portability is what suits me.....

As I no longer want to do educational music workshops need to find new ideas...

Now if only I could shift a few CDs LOL...

Thanks Tomas glad you like them..

 

[middlearthimages]

Thanks for a putting up a great article.

regards,

john

 

[Phiggys]

excellent article well worth anyone interested in flash reading Thank you Thomas

 

[Tano Lam]

Great read, Tyke! I've had the exact same soft-box as the one you are using above. I was shooting next to a canel and I dropped it in the water. It's probably still there. Haha!

 

[cargo]

Enjoyed this too.

Gaz