Setting Up the Background Light

We first set up our background light, which was the shoe mount hardware connected to a small strip light soft box. We used 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 Shoe Mount Accessory Hardware, which is connected to the small strip light soft box. [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 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 shoe mount hardware setup to an extra small soft box, and basic connector. We also used a Shoe Mount MultiClamp to attach the hardware 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 soft boxes. To ensure that the flash sensors detected each other, we repostioned the flash body onto the shoe mount hardware sideways and then rotated the flash head into the soft box. In this position, the flash head sat slightly off center, but it was able to detect the flash and still filled the soft box 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]

The first rim light was placed at 135˚ camera right, about five feet from our model, and placed at about three and a half feet high. [figures 8 and 9]

Figure 10 shows our resulting image from this setup.

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 Shoe Mount 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 soft box 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]

This second light was also set to 1/2 power. Once it was dialed in, we took another shot with just this light powered up. [figure 13]

Dialing In the Rim Lights and Background Light

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 in a light that would illuminate the model's face.

Using an Octagon Soft Box with the Shoe Mount Accessory Hardware
We decided to use a three-foot OctoDome (octagonal soft box) as our main light to illuminate the front of our model. We chose an octagon-shaped soft box as opposed to a rectangular-shaped soft box 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 shoe mount hardware with an octagonal soft box 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 shoe mount flashes.

So once again we repositioned the flash sideways on the shoe mount hardware and angled it in to the octagon soft box. 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 Octagon Soft Box
Having connected our fourth and final flash to the modified shoe mount hardware with a three-foot octagon soft box, 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]

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 soft boxes, in combination with the Shoe Mount Accessory Hardware and any type of shoe mount flash, is that you have the choice of taking your photographs indoor or out on location.

As always, remember to experiment with you lighting, and have fun!