Strobe Photography

Flash Photography with Cactus

admin — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 04:26:47 +0000

Cactus is the first registered trademark of Harvest One. Harvest One specializes in designing and manufacturing camera and flash accessories. They are based in Hong Kong with manufacturing arms in China and Taiwan. Their philosophy is based on quality and innovation at an affordable price. Their design emphasis is on the wireless dslr market. The Cactus version 4 (v4) wireless flash system is the latest release. This is a 16 channel manual, i.e. non ttl, system. The power source is AAA batteries, and the wireless reach is about 30 meters. A compatible dslr needs to trigger off the center pin of the hot shoe. One needs to check a compatibility list first. Sony/Minolta users need an adapter. The receiver can be mounted directly to a flash stand or a tripod.

These units are serious value, especially where you don’t have a Canon or Nikon camera.

Pay a visit to http://www.cactus-image.com/

Magic with Mirrors

admin — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 04:12:51 +0000

Here is a gobo system that can give you multiple sources of light on a subject merely by multiple bouncing at the head of the speedlight. Presslite developed a twin reflector system that sits atop the speedlight. Look at it as a more advanced version of the Demb Flip-It. Check the video below and it will give you more details.

Photogs and Their Tricks

admin — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 08:24:50 +0000

Here’s a good site with a video where Jason Pohuski explains his remote strobe techniques for shooting footballers:

How to photograph using remote flash/strobe photography -Jason … – Celebrity Wedding & Pro Sports photographer gives a inside look on photographing Football Portraits. Using only remote strobes, Nikon Camera gear. The Secrets Of Taking Great Digital Photos Every Time.

Nikon’s SB-700

admin — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:42:20 +0000

Nikon’s newly released SB-700 gives 2 group wireless control to the DSLRs that had no inbuilt commander system. So in those cases, instead of buying an SB-600, you can buy an SB-700 and gain some of the functionality of the SU-800. Nikon includes tungsten and fluoro clip on plastic color correction filters, which is very, very handy to match that ambient light. We can only assume for the moment that the wireless coverage is still 78deg.

The New Nikon SB-700

Wireless

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:09:33 +0000

Don’t Miss This! — New RadioPopper JrX Junior System Video

RadioPopper JrX System from RadioPopper on Vimeo.

For those Canon users in Europe who want to takeup the new radiopopper system for remote control, distribution commenced in Europe with compatible PX models.

News is that Canon’s new 60D has a transmitter included.

If anyone is interested, this guy below devised a “band” to attach poppers to his canon system.

You will find a whole series of radiopopper videos here.

Creative Strobing

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:40:37 +0000

From the Aussie Strobe Group on Flickr

Originally uploaded by The Derek

Photographer Michael Willems is a keen Honl and Pocket Wizard user.

Above is one of his latest model shots with 4 speedlights.

Michael emphasises the need for catchlight in the eyes with a Honl Traveller 8 softbox..

Honl Products

Sean — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:52:34 +0000

Among the Honl products for strobe flash photography are gobos, snoots, grids, filters, etc. I will list some below:

These gobos can be used as a light shield or reflector.
They come with a silver or warm surface.

These grids come in two hole sizes.
They concentrate light softly on a restricted area of the subject.

These snoots come in 2 lenghts.
They concentrate light on a restricted area of the subject.

This is the hingepin of the Honl system: the speedstrap.
It attaches quickly. It grips to the speedlight on one side, and the other side has the velcro hooks.

Welcome to Strobe Photography

Bruce — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:39:26 +0000

How does strobe photography with speedlites happen for you? Imagine you are out on a trek with your girlfriend or wife, and you come across a rock face. What a location! You recall those great model shots that you have seen the pros shoot, where a model poses against a background of natural brick or rock. You think that you can do just as well here. You are motivated by the chance to capture that God given beauty of a real woman, and can just imagine the prints up on your feature wall at home. Well, its your lucky day because you knew you would need to travel light, but managed to pack the dslr and 2 charged speedlights with filters and snoots. You packed the latter because you are a strobist at heart. You have a strobe to light the rock as a background, and the filters to bring out its natural colors. You have another strobe to position to the side of camera, perhaps with a snoot to better highlite you partner in the daylight. You snap off a dozen shots and you are on cloud nine.

A strobist has the advantage of travelling light. Whilst web surfing for knowledge we came across David Honl, and then the products that he manufactures. Believe me, they are lightweight and perfect for the above situation. Honl products are very light and flexible, fit with velcro, are easy to pack, and virtually unbreakable. We thoroughly recommend the DVD set, as it opened our eyes to new techniques and possibilites. At the same time you should find that David Honl is all too willing to give of his knowledge, and you will see how to use his products.

The possibilities in strobe photography are near endless. View our techniques page for some shooting ideas.

Some Honl products are described below.

Check the Google ad suggestions on the right for buying suggestions for:

honl, radiopopper, pocketwizard, speedlights (speedlites), rosco filters, slave adapters, remote flash, flash diffuser, Nikon commander, flash light modifier, vertex presslite.

Happy strobing!

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