hello my fellow photographers,

first off, happy holidays... i wish everyone a very prosperous year for 2008.

okay, onto business. i've been getting numerous emails regarding my lighting setup especially after the workshop about off camera lighting. it's nothing new to the fashion photographers... actually, if fashion photographers see me using my "light stick", i wouldn't be surprised if they take it away from me and whack me in the head with it while shouting "understand point of relativity you idiot!". plus i'm using a very very simple one light set-up compared to the 3-5 "standard" lighting set-up most "studio" photographers use. other wedding photographers are also on the off camera lighting wagon. so this post isn't for everybody. = )

what is "point of relativity" you ask? point of relativity simple talks about the difference between what is soft and harsh lighting on the subject relative to the light source... totally another post that i would love to dive in the future.

anyways, i'm getting off track here. i use this lightstick to acquire images like these, these and these.

wanna see my stick (sorry, bad joke)? here it is in all it's glory.


front view - don't mind the helpful groomsmen



rear view - don't mind the helpful groomsmens




questions are VERY welcome. we're here to learn peopel!

FAQs:

why do you use 2 strobes instead of one?
there's a bunch of reasons why i use 2 heads instead of one.

reason 1 - one of them being the characteristics of light and that is "light falloffs". did you know that every other feet or so, you'll need 4 times the amount of light to keep the same exposure? light drains exponentially so you'll need plenty of power to go against the sun especially if you're shooting groups.

reason 2 - if i double the power, technically i just cut my recycle time in half. let me explain. if i shoot at half power with both strobes with my lightstick, technically i'm shooting at a setting of 1/1 (full) power with one strobe in comparison. get it? so... if i want to shoot at the equivalent of 1/4th power with one strobe, all i have to do is set both my strobes at 1/8th power... i can shoot twice as fast and twice as much. plus, my battery drains twice as slow. shooting with 2 is a good thing.

i thought you were a canon shooter... so why are you using nikon flashes, you trader?!?! >: |
older nikon flashes are cheaper. plus, they already have a pc input that is needed for external triggers such as a pocket wizard. we place these flashes in places some photographers would never dare such as over crashing ocean waves and cliffs. you wouldn't want to mount over $800 dollars worth of canon flashes over these terrains, would you? we wouldn't want to either... so nikons are put on the front line to help this canon shooter get the images. = )

where can i find that "universal flat bracket?"
ebay. simply look for "universal flat bracket" and it "should" pop up.

why do you use a tilt head and what is it for?
this tilt gives me a ton more versatility compared to just flopping a bracket on a stick. my assistant can hold it at any which way and still get the correct angle that i need. i believe it's a must buy if you're going to build a off camera flash system.

do you always have an assistant?
i wouldn't get the type of images that i want without one. thanks monica! my "assistant" and loving wife.

i want to learn more... do you have any resources that are online AND free?
check out my FAQ section on my blog to learn more. also check out:

Strobist - lighting 101 (a must read, but don't take it all in one day cause it's a lot)
Ken Rockwell - how to get great colors
Neil Cowley - making light real
Michael Quack - DIY master
PlanetNeil - techniques for on camera flash
Dave Black - awesome awesome lighting techniques explained
DG28 - learn plenty of techniques
Canon Resource - read before you buy
-----------------------------------
mburkephoto.blogspot.com
russellbrown
photonomics

BOOKS TO READ:

• "Art of Raw Conversion" by Juergen Gulbins
• Secrets of Lighting on Location" by Bob Kirst
• "Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait" by Michael Grecco
• "Skin" by Lee Varis
• "Photojournalis, Fifth Edition" by Kenneth Kobre
• "Perception and Imaging" by Richard Zakia
• "Matters of Light and Depth" by Ross Lowel
• "Light Science & Magic" by Hunter and Fuqua

i have a rash... and it's very itchy.
uhm,... okay. does anybody else have other questions? let's discuss and learn.

//ed pingol
edpingol.blogspot.com

It's very generous for you to use your time to share these pictures and resources. Thanks!

Thank for the info man, keep it coming..................all the best

Wow! Thanks so much for taking the time to post this! Love your work!

Ed ... truly inspiring work there, man! *wild applause*

Very cool idea Ed--thanks for sharing!

Do you set the flashes at different power levels or do you always fire them at the same levels?

If you fire them at different levels; what are you trying to accomplish in the shot?

Do you have any images of a setup while you are engaged in a shoot?

jason - tis the season.

nadil - will do.

jenD - thanks jen!

neil - i learn from the best.

bryce - i usually set them at equal power. BUT there are times when i point the heads at different directions... this is when i adjust the power accordingly.

mildred - here you go:

WOW- thanks for such amazing info!!

I SO love the action shots!!

BRAVO..I am standing and clapping! Thanks for sharing the knowledge. you are FABULOUS!

Thank you.

Thanks so much for sharing Ed

no problem friends-

we're all here to learn. i still have a ton to learn myself, i'm just trying to contribute with the learning process. = )

//ed

Awesome Ed, thanks for sharing!! I guess next I need reliable PW's instead of these cheapie ones that I have just about busted to pieces. Should work great with my box of old 285's. I love the monopod useage!

Thx for sharing Ed ! Super cool , Thx !

Ed

Thanks for sharing your tricks... do you use a light modifer at all; and secondly do you think this would work with two cheap Vivatars ?

Melissa

I love your stuff; you should give a speach at OSPW2 I know I would love to see this demonstrated with you and Monica. (no presure )

Thanks Ed! Amazing work! And the fklash set up, very interesting...

Thanks again!

You should be able to do it with most flashes. Definitely check out Strobist (First link up there). Strobist 101 and the "on assignment" posts are great if you're new to off camera lighting. I'm still learning so much, but it sure keeps things fresh and exciting!

Great work Ed!

Here's one of mine using off camera lighting.

Awesome! Thank you for sharing. Do you use the same setup for receptions too? Are you always off camera flash, or does it depend on the situation?
Thanks!
Danielle

Thanks for sharing your tricks Ed.

Inspired by Ed's work, I tried off-camera flash techniques with cheap 4-channel trans-receivers for the first time; and guess what...my 430 and 580EX misfired the whole time. It appears that PT-4 has misfiring issues with those two flashes only. I need to buy either pockets wizards or nikon flashes now. bummer.

Use the PT-4's with the Vivtar 285's. Never have any probs with that combination Nudrat. I'm gonna purchase the bracket that Ed is using and get another 285. The 285's are like 90 bucks and well worth the money.

When are you having another workshop Ed???

Ed is so Awesome.. !!!

Very well done my friend...
Thanks for sharing...
~erwin

Wow, thank you , I know it's been said before but you are indeed generous, the links you provided are wonderful and I'm reading through them all as I type this... I'm seconding Strobist as the number one resource for off camera lighting, before that site I was using on camera flash and wondering why it looked hideous.

--

For anyone who reads this post I recommend that you have a go, let go of your fear and thoughts of 'oh it won't work for me, I don't have the right stuff/flash with manual control' My first flash was a very cheap centon with no kind of manual control at all. I used an old photography trick of toilet paper over the head of the flash to modify the output (1 sheet = -1 stop) and it worked lovely. Yes it does help to have a manual flash with a controllable output but it's not necessary. I took photographs that were not great but they were a starting point and I got good with that little flash before investing in a better one. Just have a go, what do you have to lose?

Ed, where did you buy your flash bracket?
Thanks for sharing.

Wow I am new to this forum and I am impressed with how generous photographers are here. This is some great information and I hope to see you on gmail Ed. I added you to my list!

Great post!!

I have been experimenting with a very similar setup using an STE2 transmitter and 2 580 ex's. (I am awaiting the radio popper to get longer-range, outdoor remote flash under control)

One other thing to mention is the ablity to adjust the head positions and bounce the flashes from different sources - ie: if indoors, point one unit to the ciealing for your fill light, then bound the other head off of a wall/reflector (maybe use a lightsphere?) with a higher power setting and use this is your main source.
The possibilities are limitless. We call it the Studio on a stick.
It's a good call to go with cheaper flashes as any flash can do this, but I love my 580 ex's.

I was thinking about getting a 580ex but I think it would just cost too much and Ed has a good point about putting your flashes in danger by making them hang over a ledge above water. I have a Vivitar 285 and it works really well! Theres just a matter of education and how I can use my Vivitar and 430ex together. I am thinking about doing the same setup as Ed but I need an assistant :[

Ed already noted good and valid reasons to go with cheaper flashes. I would go with Vivitar 285's myself (great flashes too), but I invested a lot in my 580ex's a wanna use them, darnitt!

In lieue of an assistant, a light stand or tripod will do the job nicely. Or, just bring a friend.
I never tried mixing flashes such as you mentioned (Canon 430ex and Vivitar 285), but where there's a will, there is a way and I'm sure this can be done fairly easily.

Regards,

I actually have mixed the Canon 430ex and Vivitar 285 through pocket wizards. Just add a little strobist knowledge and you've got yourself some creativity. Some of those shots are in my flickr stream ;]

Great Post!

Thanks, Ed. Great thread.

Sometimes, I used the same light stick technique, but with only one SB-800. Yesterday, I tried with a second flash, the SB-80DX. I had no headphone splitter, so I tried to set one flash in remote – and it works great. I just plug the SB-800 to PW and set the SB-80 to remote, so that it uses the built-in slave sensor.

Thanks for the idea to put two flashes together.

Mario

I have the Gadget Infinity Cactus V2's (from Ebay, very cheap) and they work fine with my 580ex, no misfiring. I also put a second reciever on my SB-24 and use both flashes together without any probs... don't know if that helps any!