Please be gentle, strobists!

I was bored today and decided to try some off camera flash shots. It's rather gray and ugly outside, so I searched the house for something to take pictures of. I found this die cast model of a first generation Mazda Miata/MX-5. This is a model of the first car I ever bought, and I still regret selling it in 2000!

I used the built-in flash to wirelessly trigger an off camera flash that was sitting on the floor behind the table in order to light the background. Hope these are an acceptable first try. Thanks for looking!

[joe.penn]

What setup were you using Lori? How was the flash diffused?

[loco]

I used the little pull out diffuser that came with the flash to "diffuse" the one behind the table. Probably should have used the mini softbox, but actually forgot about it! I was playing with gels and stuff and never even thought about it. I had an old Gary Fong Puffer diffuser for the built in flash.

[Bob Harris]

Lori, I wish I could recommend something, but I am just starting to play with my off camera flash also and generally not very happy with the results, so I will have to read up and pay attention to what Joe has to say. You don't have the original Mazda, but at least you have the model to "remember when".

[Sailor]

Lori, I know nothing about off-camera flash, but I do like your photos here. I also like Miatas, and owned three of 'em over the years - they simply provide more fun for the buck than about anything else out there.

Jer

[loco]

Lori, I wish I could recommend something, but I am just starting to play with my off camera flash also and generally not very happy with the results, so I will have to read up and pay attention to what Joe has to say. You don't have the original Mazda, but at least you have the model to "remember when".

Thanks for commenting, Bob! Yes, I can wax poetic about the old car and at least remember what it looked like.

Lori, I know nothing about off-camera flash, but I do like your photos here. I also like Miatas, and owned three of 'em over the years - they simply provide more fun for the buck than about anything else out there.

Jer

Thanks very much, Jer! I'm on my second Miata now, a 2009 model. It's a fine car, too, but doesn't have quite the same feel of the original.

[liukaitc]

ye...shoot large subject like car with flash is challege
it is always eaiser to shoot small subject....
good job..

[joe.penn]

Good stuff Lori! To get a pure white background (using the second pic as the reference) you could set the flash zoom to wide [50 or lower], dial the power up a little and shoot directly at the wall behind the model with the flash not too far from the model center position on the wall - that should overexpose the wall quite a bit and blow the wall detail out of the photo...

[loco]

ye...shoot large subject like car with flash is challege
it is always eaiser to shoot small subject....
good job..

Thank you!

Good stuff Lori! To get a pure white background (using the second pic as the reference) you could set the flash zoom to wide [50 or lower], dial the power up a little and shoot directly at the wall behind the model with the flash not too far from the model center position on the wall - that should overexpose the wall quite a bit and blow the wall detail out of the photo...

Thanks, Joe! Yes, something was different in that shot and I can't remember what. I may not have used full flash power on that one. I was messing with settings a lot. The first shot was actually the last one I did and it turned out the best, I think. I appreciate the tips!