[mcgregni]

I thought flash users here might like to see some recent use I've made of the Cactus V6 / RF60 combo, for 're-lighting' work in a deep woodland, where contrast control and dynamic range is so often a challenge. I used a single RF60 in a 60cm softbox with a 1/2CTO gel on the flash head.

I've posted two threads on PentaxUser.com .... hope you don't mind clicking through. You'll see some shots of the set-up, camera, trigger, softbox and the subject positioning and of course the photographic results. A few comparisons with different shutter speeds for ambient control also ....


1) https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/relighting-the-woods-56684


2) https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/cactii-in-the-forest-56692


Thanks for taking a look, and I hope you might decide to try some flash in the forest as well! All comments and suggestions most welcome

Nigel

[RAART]

Good work... I am using radio controlled flash, though dumb radio triggers only, all times to relight something in woody or shadowed areas... In a fact flash close to the ground or from bellow was used in this BW pictures... go figure.

[mcgregni]

I think often the best use of flash is only revealed when we see the image without the flash first .... thanks for taking a look at my threads.

[BrianR]

Terrific stuff Nigel! Love the setup shots and the comparisons, they're great to have around as visual notes before you go out next time.

I'm a firm believer in a wide-angle lens, an off camera flash in a little softbox, and a forest, so I heartily approve with your endeavor.

[mcgregni]

Thanks Brian! I was certainly encouraged and inspired by your 'Wide Angle Close Ups' set a while back when you shot those fungii with the camera on the ground. I said then I wanted to try it, and I have, although only with the camera suspended upside down on a reversed tripod tube, and only with uninteresting things on my grass at home.

I tried to get that low with my forest shots, but I admit I found the composing and focussing too difficult.....so I reverted to a normal lowest setting on the tripod and shot items a little higher up. Maybe I need to get an angle-finder? I womder if the K1 screen would help also for those almost on the ground shots......

Other factors that got in the way was the fact I forgot to take a spare battery, so didn't want to use Live View. Also I was surrounded by dense ferns on steep slopes, so sprawling on the ground was going to flatten the lovely ferns, and I didn't like doing that!

[BrianR]

For the really low stuff, I'll use a little gorillapod with no tripod head and the legs splayed out. This gives some ability to position the camera and still get really low without a big tripod in the way which can make it easier to access the viewfinder. I have also been eyeing that screen on the k-1, it looks well suited for this sort of thing, though a live wifi connection to a phone or tablet might be even better.

Some acrobatics can be required to avoid squishing the surroundings.

Looking forward to seeing more from your lush English woods!

[mcgregni]

Thanks ... I'll try a gorilla pod, good idea, and I'm sure that woodland flash shoots will become a regular ' thing' for me ....