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04-29-2018, 08:38 AM   #1
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Indoor flash photography - prom event

I've sort of asked about this in another thread I made before (regarding wireless flash triggering outdoors), but circumstances changed where I now will take photos indoors, which simplifies things a ton (I believe).

So basically I'm going to be taking prom photos (individuals and couples), they've decided to move it indoors and setup some nice decorational lighting and stuff like that.

I have my trusty K-1, three flashes (Pentax 540fgz and 360fgz, Sigma ef 500 super Canon mount).

I was planning to use my Tamron 70-200 when the shoot was outdoors, but I might reconsider and use another lens instead since working distance would be much tighter, and I'm probably going to take full body shots.

Now I'm thinking I'll bring my dfa 28-105 and 15-30 with me, and maybe my Tamron 90 macro if I will have an opportunity to shoot more artistically with blurred background etc. (thinking their decorations and light might give nice background).

Now, after this long intro - I'm looking at best/easiest ways to light the scene. I have purchased 2 47" softboxes (I have 7' stands for those), I also have two umbrellas and a 12" fstoppers disc knockoff. I have a pair of wireless triggers that I was planning to use for the two main flashes in softboxes, and maybe add a third flash (360fgz) as a hair highlight on a tripod (as a wireless slave). How would you position the main flashes? 45 degree angles to people in the shot? Would you set one flash at full power and another one at a lower value? Or both at full? Would you even use a third flash for hair highlights, or you think it's an overkill?

Any help much appreciated, always grateful for awesome knowledge I get on PF

04-29-2018, 11:24 AM   #2
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Funny you bring this up. I am shooting a local high school prom next week for the fourth year in a row. I would just opt for one of the softboxes set at 45 degree angle and slightly above eye level oriented down at the subject. I use a 55" Octabox and have had groups of up to eight. So for couples and individuals the 47" would work nicely. I am a firm believer in single light setups.
04-29-2018, 11:53 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by macman24054 Quote
Funny you bring this up. I am shooting a local high school prom next week for the fourth year in a row. I would just opt for one of the softboxes set at 45 degree angle and slightly above eye level oriented down at the subject. I use a 55" Octabox and have had groups of up to eight. So for couples and individuals the 47" would work nicely. I am a firm believer in single light setups.
I mean one light would be even easier

So you'd say 47" is large enough to fill in some of the shadows under the chins? Also, do you use a single flash, or maybe I can get one of those brackets that hold two flashes to double the output?
04-29-2018, 12:40 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by awscreo Quote
So you'd say 47" is large enough to fill in some of the shadows under the chins? Also, do you use a single flash, or maybe I can get one of those brackets that hold two flashes to double the output?
I have used two and three speedlight brackets to help give me more output. Yes you should be able to have nice soft light from your softbox. Just put it within a few feet from your subject.

04-29-2018, 12:46 PM   #5
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The 47 inch is quite large. You may want to test using one flash for the output. Most likely you will want to stick with one flash in each softbox, because being able to have 3 different sources to position for your lighting is going to be valuable/versatile. It would be nice if you could use 1/8 or 1/4 power for each light depending on what you are lighting, to conserve power. I would say that something like a 30 inch softbox may be more appropriate for one flash, but like I said, using multiple lights and testing will show you what you can do.

Umbrellas work very well, so you will have nice light from a single flash unit in that type of modifier also.

---------- Post added 04-29-18 at 04:10 PM ----------

The 28- 105 would most likely cover most scenarios, and if you expect a very wide situation, the 15-30 may help. The 70-200 is nice to have, but you may not want to carry too much., unless you expect to have distanced subjects.

Last edited by C_Jones; 04-29-2018 at 01:03 PM.
04-29-2018, 01:29 PM   #6
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Thanks for info! I was about to ask about lenses too actually. I was thinking to maybe rent 24-70, thought that would cover all situations I'd encounter for the event, and would save me carrying 2-3 lenses. I'm not sure I'll have enough space to work with 70-200, and I do not have 85 1.4 or something like that. I was thinking maybe to bring my 90mm macro alongside two other lenses for a bit of background blur. Thankfully 28-105 and 90 macro are fairly light. What do you guys think?

I'll probably pick up the double flash bracket just to have one. I'll test if I'm getting enough light from just one flash when I get my softboxes though.
04-29-2018, 01:38 PM - 1 Like   #7
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A single flash won’t spread the light widely enough inside such a big soft box. Even in my 24inch box I add a Gary Fong Lightsphere to the flash head in order to send the light in all directions. Soft boxes work best (ie softest light) when the light hits all four walls evenly, not when it’s projected mainly forwards. So I’d suggest fitting some sort of dome type transparent diffuser on the flash inside the box. Without this you are likely to get hotspots and uneven light across the area covered by the box.

2 flashes inside one box or umbrella will be better, with a wider spread, but still has the issue with hotspots from the centre of the flash head.

CJones is rIght about avoiding full power ...... these flashes are not super performing in terms of recycling, and you’ll end up changing batteries mid shoot as well . For something fairlly intense like your event then keeping to 1/4 power will give more comfortable performance. You adjust other things to get the desired exposure ....ie distance from flash to subject, aperture, ISO.

04-29-2018, 01:40 PM   #8
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The 24-70 would cover a lot of instances, and give you a short depth of field advantage if you are looking for blurred background. If you do not plan on that, then the 28-105 should do well. Then if you plan on further distanced subjects than the 28-105 can handle, the 70-200 may come in handy.
04-29-2018, 02:47 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by mcgregni Quote
A single flash won’t spread the light widely enough inside such a big soft box. Even in my 24inch box I add a Gary Fong Lightsphere to the flash head in order to send the light in all directions. Soft boxes work best (ie softest light) when the light hits all four walls evenly, not when it’s projected mainly forwards. So I’d suggest fitting some sort of dome type transparent diffuser on the flash inside the box. Without this you are likely to get hotspots and uneven light across the area covered by the box.

2 flashes inside one box or umbrella will be better, with a wider spread, but still has the issue with hotspots from the centre of the flash head.

CJones is rIght about avoiding full power ...... these flashes are not super performing in terms of recycling, and you’ll end up changing batteries mid shoot as well . For something fairlly intense like your event then keeping to 1/4 power will give more comfortable performance. You adjust other things to get the desired exposure ....ie distance from flash to subject, aperture, ISO.
Hmm i haven't thought of that. Would stofen diffuser work? Or maybe a cheap knock off of GF lightsphere? I've already stretched the budget almost to the point where I'm not going to make much from the event lol, and only doing it because I promised way before without thinking ahead of my expenses. Lesson learned

---------- Post added 04-29-18 at 02:47 PM ----------

I just ordered the dual bracket for flashes
04-29-2018, 06:34 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by awscreo Quote
Hmm i haven't thought of that. Would stofen diffuser work? Or maybe a cheap knock off of GF lightsphere? I've already stretched the budget almost to the point where I'm not going to make much from the event lol, and only doing it because I promised way before without thinking ahead of my expenses. Lesson learned

---------- Post added 04-29-18 at 02:47 PM ----------

I just ordered the dual bracket for flashes
A Stofen would be fine.

If you use one light source, it can be really even on one person.

A second person can cop a shadow depending on positioning.

You're forced for group shots into fairly flat lighting ... a big umbrella/softbox above the camera pointing very slightly down, or two umbrellas side by side at 45 degrees left and right - wedding group setup.
04-30-2018, 09:18 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
A Stofen would be fine.

If you use one light source, it can be really even on one person.

A second person can cop a shadow depending on positioning.

You're forced for group shots into fairly flat lighting ... a big umbrella/softbox above the camera pointing very slightly down, or two umbrellas side by side at 45 degrees left and right - wedding group setup.
Ok, so then i'll just use stofens on my main flashes. I looked at lightspheres and similar items, and decided against buying them for now. Hopefully, one or two flashes in my 47" softboxes would do the trick. I also have the 12" flash disc that I'll use at the event itself for candids and group shots, I think should be fine.
04-30-2018, 01:06 PM   #12
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Here is an Easter shoot taken using one 47" Octabox using a 250 monolight set to 1/4 power. The light was set up to light the bunny and one or two children. Two families wanted their children in the same photo. This gives you an idea what you can do with one light.
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04-30-2018, 01:21 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by macman24054 Quote
Here is an Easter shoot taken using one 47" Octabox using a 250 monolight set to 1/4 power. The light was set up to light the bunny and one or two children. Two families wanted their children in the same photo. This gives you an idea what you can do with one light.
Hmm, seems the cone is wide enough for what I'd need it for lol, I'll be taking photos of couples at most at that stage of the evening. But, I don't own a studio strobe yet, so I'm just going to use my flashes. I wonder how much power I'll be getting from those.

Oh, was wondering if anyone has any estimates for how many firings I can get at say 2/3 power from 540fgz and 360fgz? I bought a 48 pack of AA batteries, would I need a second pack?
04-30-2018, 03:57 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by awscreo Quote
Hmm, seems the cone is wide enough for what I'd need it for lol, I'll be taking photos of couples at most at that stage of the evening. But, I don't own a studio strobe yet, so I'm just going to use my flashes. I wonder how much power I'll be getting from those.
Just from shooting in the past with speedlight, I would say start with the 540 and 360 at about half power to get about the same output as my 250w strobe on 1/4 power. You could add the third light if that does not give you enough pop. I personally would try to stay at half power to help give you a shorter recycle time. If I am not mistaken the 540 allows for audio alert when it is charged. I would enable it. Because the 360 will recycle faster. That way when it gives the alert you know the 360 is ready. I would say the 48 pack of batteries should be more than enough.

Please let us see some of your work when you get it done.
04-30-2018, 07:42 PM   #15
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I think you may be surprised at what 1/4 power can do. I have used 1/8 and 1/4 power combinations for portrait setups with 2 or three umbrellas with success. 1/2 power may be valuable also depending on your settings for your subject(s), but if I were you I would try to conserve using 1/4 and/or 1/8 when possible.

If you want to get an extra pack of batteries, the dollar stores usually sell 8 packs of the AA type for a dollar.

Last edited by C_Jones; 04-30-2018 at 07:48 PM.
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