cgardner
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John Power wrote:
The problem I see with the fill on the camera is that once you get your ratios set (assuming the flashes are in manual) you have to always shoot from the same location because if you move the flash moves and the ratio changes. If you put your fill flash on a stand it would appear to me that you have a little more flexibility in moving around a bit, at least forward and backward.
Lighting tools are like hammers: they come in all different sizes and shapes and some are better for some jobs than others. While some try to turn a pair of hot shoe flashes into a substitute for a set of studio lights by adding huge modifiers and planting them on stands I have always used mine as a portable solution with the emphasis on convenience and portability in dynamic candid situations where using two stands is not practical.
A big part of solving any lighting problem effectively is picking the right tool for the job. The best tools in my view are those which solve the greatest range of problems. But the corollary for that is for any given tool you will face jobs where the use of the tool must be adapted to the problem. The problem you cite, the fact that light ratios change if fill is on a flash bracket and the camera moves can be solved one of three ways with Canon flash: 1) Use ETTL ratios which automatically compensate for flash distance. 2) In M mode reach up over the camera, turn the dial and increase the power of the fill, or; 3) Move the key light and adjust the aperture.
Method #3 is how I kept ratios consistent with manual flash for over 30 years. I tested two light configurations at combinations of 16ft/11ft, 11ft/8ft, 8ft/6ft, 8ft/4ft. Each of those configurations produce a 3:1 ratio when two equal flashes are used. Getting correct exposure and consistent 3:1 ratios was simply a matter of remembering what f/stop was needed for correct exposure at 16ft, 11ft, 8ft, and 6ft. Move in with the camera, move the key light in, close aperture. Move out, move key light out, open aperture. Sounds complicated but with a bit of practice it becomes instinctive like focusing. When I switched to Canon flash I found it much simpler to use ETTL in dynamic situations where flash/subject distances constantly changed and M mode in static situations where I needed to keep the background consistent shot-to-shot for directory head shots, etc.
Learning to shoot with dynamic candid wedding receptions with one flash on a bracket another one light on a rolling stand made me realize how liberating it can be in terms of finding effective lighting situations. That tool set allows the use of creative lighting solutions in situations where two conventional stands wouldn't be possible. I was fortunate to not only learn flash technique from the best in the wedding business, who was also from the person who introduced and popularized the two-flash approach for wedding candids, and hone those skills shooting wedding receptions with dual flash. But I've observed that most people tend to start with flash on camera, see it sucks, and assume all flash on camera sucks. They seem to develop a "all lights must be off camera on stands" mentality, and that frame of reference causes them to buy tools that only allow a two-stand / manual mode of operation. As a result they never consider the possibilities for dual flash in candid situations.
If Joe Megapixel swallows the Strobist "manual is more ethical form of lighting" line and buys a pair of Vivitar 285HVs, two stands and three pocket wizards that pretty much locks him into a two stand, don't move the lights manual power workflow. That will work fine for don't editorial style PJ work like the Stobist does in his day job where there is time to set up and meter static lighting configurations. But is it really the best tool set for documenting the life of his kids as they grow-up?
http://super.nova.org/TP/161.jpg
http://super.nova.org/TP/154.jpg
With one flash on the camera at all times for fill capturing action with nice 3D lighting is often simply a matter of wheeling the off camera stand into the corner, as you can see it in this shot:
http://super.nova.org/TP/10mm_ActionB.jpg
Flash on bracket also works OK in portrait situations, such as this one about 30 min. earlier:
http://super.nova.org/TP/0125_Screen.jpg
So while I agree with the KISS aspect of the Strobist approach -- and have used it with hot shoe flash since 1972 -- I differ on the choice of tools. I think starting from the premise that "manual is more ethical" is nonsense and the best approach is to pick the tool best suited for the job. Camera and flash have evolved since the 1970s and so have the most effective ways to handle various situations with flash. The Stobist approach is based upon distrust and total dismissal of TTL and optical triggering which biases equipment choices and limits the tool set. Since coded optical has some limitations in extreme situations radio triggers must be used for all situations. But the minute you go radio you lose all the advantages and problem solving solutions of TTL control of exposure and wireless control of ratios. Strobist has recently "discovered" and warmed to the idea of wireless control of ratios after trying Radio Poppers, but that same capability is build-in to Canon and Nikon flash optically which works fine in most typical flash situations. Of course you actually need to use Nikon / Canon wireless control systems to discover that...
So I suggest is beginners consider what their shooting priorities will be: static situations where setting up stands and umbrellas is possible, or situation where its possible to grab the camera and take nicely lit shots anywhere and select their tools accordingly based on their needs and priorities.
ETTL ratios with a bracket / diffuser / single stand approach is always far more convenient than a manual/ umbrella/ two-stand approach in most location situations. Manual is better in some situations, but that doesn't mean ETTL will not also work, it simply may require more effort and introduce more variability in the outcome. The use of radio triggering should be a tool of last resort, not the tool around which the entire lighting strategy is built around. Radio triggers eliminate the use of ETTL, wireless ratio control in ETTL and M, and high-speed FP sync outdoors. If one starts with the Canon or Nikon system radio triggers can always be added later , which will provide the widest range of solutions to a problem. If one starts with radio triggers and manual flash there's only one hammer in the tool box and everything looks like a nail.
With respect to modiifer size bigger isn't always better and its never more convenient so if the goal is a portable solution the best approach is the smallest modifiers that will produce the desired results. The best way to learn the role of fill and modifier size in creating the illusion of softness is start the way I did with bare unmodified flash. You'll be surprised how soft you can make the lighting look just by modulating neutral fill. Then from that baseline of first hand experience you'll be better able to judge the effect of adding bigger and bigger modifiers. Eventually you will reach a point where the inconvenience of the modifier size outweighs the difference in the lighting. You will not see that if you start by putting a 60" umbrella on a hot shoe flash. Sure you will get soft light, but you perhaps not see it would be just as soft perceptually with smaller modifiers and more fill.
Big modifiers are also not compatible with the design of the optical-based Canon/Nikon systems creating another chicken/egg situation with radio triggers and TTL ratios. People put huge modifers on hot shoe flash which block the slave sensor. There are three solutions to that problem: 1) use a modifier which does not block the sensor; 2) abandon the built-in wireless remote control for a manual-only radio approach; or 3) use Radio Poppers which combine the best of both. Realizing that huge modifiers are not really needed to create perceptually flattering "soft" looking lighting I opted for approach #1 for most situations. When more diffusion is needed I use an umbrella on the off camera flash which still allows the sensor of the slave to see the Master's light.
Chuck
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