Recent portrait session...

[Steve Paxton]

Here is one of my favorite images from a recent portrait session.

[jeezopeezo]

Steve,

Is this your muted preset?

I love the soft tones.

[Steve Paxton]

Yep...I believe that is the same preset.

[JohnB]

That is a nice photo.

Any chance you'd share your lighting set up? I'll be getting a couple of light stands, umbrella and reflector tomorrow and want to start playing with portrait lighting.

[Steve Paxton]

Easy stuff here John. This is from a portrait session with a family. I generally use an on camera flash (Canon 580EX) when I photograph kids outside (since it is too much stress moving lights on tripods around - chasing after the kids). I don't mind setting up lights on tripods when I am dealing with adults or teens, but kids don't hold still.

I position this little one so that she was backlit by the sun. I just stood back and fired off images while she played in the leaves. I have a Nextel phone that I chirped every once in a while to get her attention to look at me. The key to this shot is the sun back lighting the girl creating beautiful rim light. I just filled in the rest with my flash. :)

[JohnB]

On-Camera fill flash is something I need to work on apparently. Do you use TTL or do you use your flash in manual mode for this?

[Steve Paxton]

I can go both ways - TTL is certainly easier when you are shooting in a dynamic situation and need things to just work. If I am going for something more controlled I will swith to manual (or if TTL is just misreading things). I always shoot manual flash when I am using stands (especially when I am using more than one head).

[JohnB]

That's good to know. When spring rolls around, I'll get the girls outside and practice using my flash for fill with the sun as a back light.

There's so many aspects to photography... I don't know how I ever get bored with it!

[jillmarie7276]

That is an adorable image...

[jeezopeezo]

John,

Here are some cool shots using the sun as another off camera flash....
http://edpingol.blogspot.com/ Big photos....wait until they all download.

Also here is some white seamless setup shots..something I have been wanting to try.
BTW...make sure you look at the size of the umbrella at the end....HUGE!!

http://robertbenson.com/blog/archives/1160

And here is a great site for on camera/off camera shots.
http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/

Here is a crazy setup for broad daylight shooting..
http://pixsylated.com/2008/12/i-shot-be ... ht-part-1/ (http://pixsylated.com/2008/12/i-shot-ben-willmore-in-broad-daylight-gang-light-part-1/)

http://flashflavor.com/blog/post/193

http://edpingol.blogspot.com/2008/04/ra ... eview.html (http://edpingol.blogspot.com/2008/04/radio-popper-review.html)

Hope you like them all.
Rob

[JohnB]

And here is a great site for on camera/off camera shots.
http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/

Added to Google Reader. Thanks!


http://flashflavor.com/blog/post/193

That's cool! I wish I had two flashes off-camera. I may spring for my next 580ex II sooner than I anticipated.



http://edpingol.blogspot.com/2008/04/ra ... eview.html (http://edpingol.blogspot.com/2008/04/radio-popper-review.html)

I like the photos he was able to get using high speed sync with Radio Poppers. It kind of leaves me torn on what to get for radio triggers. I was pretty settled on Elinchrom Skyports, but may seriously consider Radio Poppers instead. We'll see where my photography takes me.


Hope you like them all.

They were definitely all very worth reading. Thank you!