First attempt at flash portraiture

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

No expensive kit here, just some dirt cheap Chinese (Neewer branded) wireless flash triggers, a couple of light stands with cheap white umbrella reflectors and a pair of old 1970s flashguns (Konica X20 as a fill light and Praktica 220 as a key light). EOS 450D with Helios 44-2.

#1

#2

#3

#4

mmelvis · Expire: 2015-05-09

That second picture seems to have the perfect lighting. Very well done shot, you even got the highlights on the eyes perfect.

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

nice work.
You could try to place the umbrella lower at eye level to get the reflection from the eyes, and a ceiling bounce to control the fill. Darker skin tone near the light source to balance out the faces (#3).

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

I like best #3 and #4 well done!

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

Good job Ian.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Cheers guys.

Thanks for the tips hoanpham, I'll experiment further, this was just an initial test to see if the equipment I bought worked, I just stuck the two flashes at roughly 45 degrees to the subject one either side, with one closer as the key and the other a bit further away and higher as the fill, pretty basic, it's 15 years since I learnt lighting for film and tv shooting at uni so I just went for basic and simple. There wasn't room for a second fill or a rim light, we were just working in my friend's lounge, and we'd have to have moved some furniture around to make room for my third stand/umbrella.

Now I know the kit works I can start playing with different setups, which will be fun. Got a paying portrait session including a baby and a dog on Saturday, hence I needed to try things out asap, one thing I learnt is the recycle time on the flashes gets slightly longer as the batteries run down, I was using cheap zinc-air AAs, need to buy some powerful Ni-Mh ones asap, but I had 20-odd of the cheapies to play with so just went with what was at hand. The cheap Chinese wireless triggers work really well, fired both flashes every time (apart from a few shots where I hadn't given the Konica flash long enough to recharge) so I can recommend them, for the price I paid (less than 30ukp for three receivers and the transmitter) I think they're a real bargain.