Being able to use your lighting gear in the studio, as well as on location, is a major advantage in the world of photography today. This is especially important for photographers who only have a handful of options.
Recently, Photoflex® introduced a ShoeMount Accessory Hardware, which allows you to create professional quality images using any brand of ShoeMount flash in the studio or on location. The ShoeMount Accessory Hardware is available individually or in various lighting kits. The ShoeMount hardware can connect with all standard four-rod SoftBox designs via a basic strobe connector. With some slight modifications it can also accept an octagon connector, allowing for use of octagon-shaped SoftBoxes.
This lesson demonstrates how to use ShoeMount flashes with this ShoeMount hardware, in conjunction with two extra small SoftBoxes, a three-foot octagonal SoftBox and a small strip light SoftBox.
(Most images can be clicked for an enlarged view.)
We first set up our background light, using a standard camera-mounted flash unit, which was mounted to a Small HalfDome SoftBox using Photoflex®'s Adjustable ShoeMount Hardware. We chose to use a Nikon SB-800 with a Pocket Wizard wireless receiver attached to it. [figures 1 and 2]
Here, you can see this background flash placed onto the ground. The flash and the wireless trigger are both mounted onto the ShoeMount Accessory Hardware, which is connected to the small strip light SoftBox. [figure 3]
We adjusted the power down from full (1/1) to a quarter power (1/4) so that the color of the background would be a darker shade of yellow, rather than a bright one. [figures 4 and 5]
The reason we set up the background light first was so that we could control the color and tone of it. Once we had it dialed in to the shade we wanted, we would easily be able to tell if any of the other lights we set up would affect the background. We placed this light directly on the ground, as it was the best way to position the light low enough behind our model, who's sitting on a relatively short stool.
Our camera settings were 1/250th of a second @ f/6.3 with the ISO set to 200. For this series of shots we kept the same shutter speed and aperture settings and used the power levels of the flashes to dial in optimal exposures.
Setting Up the First Rim Light
We left the background light in place, but turned it off and then set up the first of two rim lights. We attached another ShoeMount Hardware setup to an extra small LiteDome SoftBox and basic connector. We again used a ShoeMount MultiClamp, this time to attach the hardware and Dome to the LiteStand so that it would enable us to angle our light up or down.
Since we were using two different brands of hot shoe flashes, we were unable to take advantage of any dedicated wireless triggering from camera to flash. We set up our background flash (a Nikon SB-800) with our one wireless trigger. We then proceeded to set our other flashes to SLAVE MODE. This mode simply means that the flash is triggered when its sensor detects another flash going off.
This proved to be somewhat difficult, as our flashes were pushed right up against the SoftBoxes. To ensure that the flash sensors detected each other, we repositioned the flash body onto the ShoeMount hardware sideways and then rotated the flash head into the SoftBox. In this position, the flash head sat slightly off center, but it was able to detect the flash and still filled the SoftBox evenly with light. [figure 6]
If you're still having difficulty triggering the flash, you can bounce light into your flash's sensor with a small reflector mounted to a LiteStand or LiteDisc Holder. [figure 7]
Our camera settings here again were 1/250th of a second @ f/6.3 with the ISO set to 200. We ended up setting this first rim light to half power (1/2) as that gave us the exposure level we were looking for.
Setting Up the Second Rim Light
With our background light and right rim light dialed in, we decided to add our left rim light. We set up another XS LiteDome Kit on a ShoeMount MultiClamp for our third flash. We also needed to set this second Olympus FL-50R to SLAVE MODE so it would trigger remotely. Remember that both rim light flash sensors were detecting the flash from the background light (the only one "connected" to the camera via wireless trigger). With the first rim light being successfully triggered and throwing ample light toward the second rim light, we were not concerned with angling the flash into the SoftBox of the second rim light, the way we did with the first.
We placed this second rim light at 135° camera left, about five feet from our model, raised it up about five feet, and then angled it slightly downward. We placed this rim light slightly higher than the other one because we wanted it to hit the model's hair and create separation from the background. [figures 11 and 12]
With both of the rim lights powered up and in place [figures 14 and 15] and the background light still turned off, we took a another shot [figure 16].
We liked the placement and power levels of the rim lights, so next we decided to turn on the background light and take an image with all three flashes powered up.
In the result shot, we see good separation between the model and the background. We also see that we've maintained the shade of yellow on the background. [figure 17]
The next step would be to add a light to our setup that would illuminate the model's face.
Using an Octagonal SoftBox with the ShoeMount Accessory Hardware
We decided to use a Small OctoDome (3-foot octagonal SoftBox) as our main light to illuminate the front of our model. We chose an octagon-shaped SoftBox as opposed to a rectangular-shaped SoftBox because the octagonal shape would allow the light to further spread and wrap around the model's face, creating softer shadows and more flattering light.
To use the ShoeMount hardware with an octagonal SoftBox connector, you need to make some slight modifications. Using a set of pliers, remove the guide pin located on the top of the hardware [figures 18 and 19].
This will allow you to attach the hardware to the octagon connector. [figure 20]
Here is our actual flash positioning once the OctoDome was attached to the connector. [figure 21]
After we had set up the flash and placed it on SLAVE MODE, we discovered that we had the same issue of our flash's sensor not detecting any flashes from the other ShoeMount flashes.
So once again we repositioned the flash sideways on the ShoeMount hardware and angled it in to the octagonal SoftBox. We also partially opened the Velcro® flaps on the back of the OctoDome to allow for more light to reach the flash's sensor.
Placing the OctoDome
Having connected our fourth and final flash to the modified ShoeMount Hardware with our three foot OctoDome SoftBox, we placed the light at 45° camera right and raised it up to about six feet high. We left the light pointing straight across because we wanted it feathered slightly off of our model to create a more three-dimensional, flattering light on her face. [figures 22 and 23]
To maintain our exposure of 1/250th of a second @ f/6.3 with the ISO set to 200, we needed to power this flash down from full power (1/1) to quarter power (1/4).
With all of our lights dialed in, we took a series of images with the model giving us a variety of poses. Here's one of our favorites from this series. [figure 24]
Figure 24
As you can see from the result, the lighting strategy here resulted in a very contemporary looking portrait.
One of the best things about using these SoftBoxes, in combination with the ShoeMount Accessory Hardware and any type of ShoeMount flash, is that you have the choice of taking your photographs indoor or outdoors on location.
As always, remember to experiment with you lighting, and have fun!
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