# Anything Strobist



## Viggo (Jul 12, 2014)

Hi all! Let me know if there's a thread like this that I missed.

I wanted to create a thread where we post our strobist pictures (speedlites and or studio strobes) ONLY, and give info about how it was made, perhaps a BTS shot and where we positioned the light and how we modified and perhaps some post process tips. I find it's a great way to learn for newbies and a great way for experienced users to pick up new ideas.

I'll start with two simple shots from today of my kids having fun. 

They are all done with two bare bulb (no modifier) 600 RT triggered by the st-e3 camera left. I used HSS (highspeed sync) to bring down the ambient to be able to use a 1.4 aperture. Camera right I used the sun for edge/rim light. I really like hard light, and I have been kind of worried about it before as it can be absolutely horrible, but found that it actually can be really cool. Adds lots of punch and contrast, and for flat children's faces it creates more definition.

50 Art, f1.4 (no filter) iso 100 and 1/2500s 






Exif same as the previous one.


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## RLPhoto (Jul 12, 2014)

Does strobist only include speedlites and not studio strobes? (Ironic?)


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## Viggo (Jul 12, 2014)

RLPhoto said:


> Does strobist only include speedlites and not studio strobes? (Ironic?)



Strobes and speedlites ;D


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## RLPhoto (Jul 12, 2014)

OK I'll add three but it's hard to choose when the majority of your stuff is strobist. These are currently my fav 3 photos at this time.

1. Two 36" stripboxes on each side of the chair and an 47" octo just above the subject. 5d3+17-40L @ 17mm. ISO 100 - 1/200th - f11

2. 2x 600rts and a reflector below. Set at 8 feet plus a smoke machine. 5d3+24-105 @ 24 mm - iso 400 - 1\200th - f/5.6

3. One 47" octo as the key and a gridded for the BG light. Processed for the strip light in front. 5d3+17-40 @ 17mm - iso 100 - 1/200th - f8


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## Viggo (Jul 12, 2014)

Excellent RLPhoto, thanks for sharing. Fantastic shots and great info. Well played!


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## madspihl (Jul 12, 2014)

Hi guys

Here are two shots, both with a 5D III and Sigma 35 1.4 DG HSM combo. Both shot in Nuuk, Greenland, where I live.

The shot of the girl is done walking backwards with a 600EX-RT in an Apollo Orb and triggered with the ST-E3-RT. I did multiple shots in the same walking sequence, and I picked this one which I liked the best. A friend of mine was carrying the Apollo to camera left, and the speedlite was in high speed sync mode and dialed down to -2 EV. Exif is 35mm, 1/2500 sec, f/1.4, ISO 125.

For the group shot I used two Bowens Gemini 500r triggered wirelessly, each mounted with a Westcott Rapid Box XXL on c-stands and shot a wee bit above the group to my right and left. Exif is 35mm, 1/160, f/1.4, ISO 50 and with a 0.9ND IR Tiffen filter on the lens. Ambient light was underexposed by -0.7EV. Focused manually on a tripod (the lens-camera combo reeeally struggles with nailing autofocus with this type of filter, even in good light, much to my (mild) frustration, since other combos have no issues at all).

Lovely shots in this thread. I hope to see more good stuff


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## Viggo (Jul 12, 2014)

Thanks for sharing madsphil! Just the kind of detailed info I was hoping to see here, and learn from. The group shot is awesome!


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## privatebydesign (Jul 13, 2014)

So anything shot with artificial lights and, or not, ambient? Isn't that a bit broad?

Like RL I have always considered "Strobists" as small hotshoe mountable flashes users, though normally not on the hotshoe.


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## Viggo (Jul 13, 2014)

privatebydesign said:


> So anything shot with artificial lights and, or not, ambient? Isn't that a bit broad?
> 
> Like RL I have always considered "Strobists" as small hotshoe mountable flashes users, though normally not on the hotshoe.



Well, the title brought you here didn't it? They point of this thread is to share technique and experiences with different lightning gear and how to utilize them in different ways. So if you have a strobe or a speedlite doesn't matter in that case. It's not show what you can do with the cheapest gear, although I highly recommend people sharing ANYTHING shot with any light. The more we limit the less we learn.

I have learned a lot from using speedlites and transferred that to strobes and also the other way around, the way light acts with a subject is the same.


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## WillThompson (Jul 13, 2014)

1st photo model
2nd photo gear X2, some ebay, some home depot, some KEH. Custom cable and custom 12V modeling light mod to studio heads by me.

Will T.


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## Viggo (Jul 13, 2014)

WillThompson said:


> 1st photo model
> 2nd photo gear X2, some ebay, some home depot, some KEH. Custom cable and custom 12V modeling light mod to studio heads by me.
> 
> Will T.



Cool setup! I have tried some DIY gear myself, for example my mount bracket for my two 600's, I'll post a shot later. Thanks for sharing!


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## arcanej (Jul 18, 2014)

A single Einstein fitted with a gridded beauty dish. (I edited out the catch light from the crystal globe in Photoshop.)



Viktoria by Evan&#x27;s Pix, on Flickr


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## Viggo (Jul 19, 2014)

arcanej said:


> A single Einstein fitted with a gridded beauty dish. (I edited out the catch light from the crystal globe in Photoshop.)
> 
> 
> 
> Viktoria by Evan&#x27;s Pix, on Flickr



Cool shot! Like the background color for the subject, nicely done with one light, I would have almost thought you had one second one for the background. What size is the BD?


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## arcanej (Jul 19, 2014)

It is the 22 inch high output white beauty dish by Paul C. Buff fitted with the 30 degree grid. I turn my apartment into a "studio" by moving all the furniture out of my living room and into the hallway and setting up a continuous paper roll (fashion gray in this shot). While it may look like I lit the backdrop, it's just spill from the beauty dish -- I don't have enough space for the model and the lighting to be very far from the backdrop.

http://www.paulcbuff.com/22hobd-w.php
http://www.paulcbuff.com/22hg30.php


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## Viggo (Jul 19, 2014)

arcanej said:


> It is the 22 inch high output white beauty dish by Paul C. Buff fitted with the 30 degree grid. I turn my apartment into a "studio" by moving all the furniture out of my living room and into the hallway and setting up a continuous paper roll (fashion gray in this shot). While it may look like I lit the backdrop, it's just spill from the beauty dish -- I don't have enough space for the model and the lighting to be very far from the backdrop.
> 
> http://www.paulcbuff.com/22hobd-w.php
> http://www.paulcbuff.com/22hg30.php



Sweet, thanks for the info!


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## Viggo (Jul 19, 2014)

Here's a shot from earlier today, I have rediscovered hard light, and I love it!

Two Canon 600 RT bare bulb to the back left at 1/1 power, zoomed to 50mm. Triggered by the Canon ST-E3. Sigma 50 Art at f1.4, iso 100, 1/8000s.


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 19, 2014)

Viggo said:


> Here's a shot from earlier today, I have rediscovered hard light, and I love it!
> 
> Two Canon 600 RT bare bulb to the back left at 1/1 power, zoomed to 50mm. Triggered by the Canon ST-E3. Sigma 50 Art at f1.4, iso 100, 1/8000s.



How did you bare-bulb your 600s? Just Sto-fen or some mod?
Also, is there any advantage to bare-bulbing your Speedlites in the open instead of using them as-is?


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## Viggo (Jul 19, 2014)

sagittariansrock said:


> Viggo said:
> 
> 
> > Here's a shot from earlier today, I have rediscovered hard light, and I love it!
> ...



Well, I have read and learned that "bare bulb" is as is, no modifier when it comes to speedlites. Which means they are used as out of the box. Only zoomed to 50mm.


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 19, 2014)

Viggo said:


> Well, I have read and learned that "bare bulb" is as is, no modifier when it comes to speedlites. Which means they are used as out of the box. Only zoomed to 50mm.



Ok, I now know what you meant, and it makes sense, of course.
However, AFAIK 'bare bulb' is when the light is non-directional as in monolights or the Sunpak 120J. They allow the light to spread in all directions instead of being directional as a speedlite is. There are some permanent mods online for speedlites (unlike the quick DIY below), all quite complicated- so I asked.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-bare-tube-style-lighting.html


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 19, 2014)

*Bare bulb mod*

@Viggo: This might be quite coincidental, but this thread was posted just today (a thanks and a shout-out, Hannes!)

Bare bulb mod of YN-560 III (with pictures)
http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=21859.msg416144#msg416144


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## Viggo (Jul 19, 2014)

*Re: Bare bulb mod*



sagittariansrock said:


> @Viggo: This might be quite coincidental, but this thread was posted just today (a thanks and a shout-out, Hannes!)
> 
> Bare bulb mod of YN-560 III (with pictures)
> http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=21859.msg416144#msg416144



Thanks! I didn't even know people "bare bulbed" their speedlites, see I learned something from this thread today as well, good stuff.


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## Hannes (Jul 20, 2014)

*Re: Bare bulb mod*



sagittariansrock said:


> @Viggo: This might be quite coincidental, but this thread was posted just today (a thanks and a shout-out, Hannes!)



I was going to post it a week or two ago but forgot, this thread actually reminded me to do it


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## Viggo (Jul 20, 2014)

*Re: Bare bulb mod*



Hannes said:


> sagittariansrock said:
> 
> 
> > @Viggo: This might be quite coincidental, but this thread was posted just today (a thanks and a shout-out, Hannes!)
> ...



Thanks a bunch, I'm an old electronics repair nerdy head, so this sort of stuff is candy to me, lol.


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 20, 2014)

Viggo, you are utilizing the Art wide open beautifully. Love your B/Ws. 
How strong was the sun? I am impressed that 2 Speedlites at 1/4 are able to overpower it so well.


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## Viggo (Jul 20, 2014)

sagittariansrock said:


> Viggo, you are utilizing the Art wide open beautifully. Love your B/Ws.
> How strong was the sun? I am impressed that 2 Speedlites at 1/4 are able to overpower it so well.



It was around 5 pm, so not midday, but the one of my daughter on the swing was midday. They are packing some real punch for sure, at least without a softbox. The 50 Art wide open is perfect for what I shoot, the complete no distortion and the corner sharpness is tailor made for me.

Thanks for your comment. I used a IR-type preset for that shot, crushed the blacks a bit and it turned out better in BW in color, which I find seldom.


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 20, 2014)

Viggo said:


> Thanks for your comment. I used a IR-type preset for that shot, crushed the blacks a bit and it turned out better in BW in color, which I find seldom.



They have an B&W movie look that looks beautiful. Keep doing what you are doing, don't change a thing. Looking forward to seeing more.


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## Viggo (Jul 20, 2014)

sagittariansrock said:


> Viggo said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for your comment. I used a IR-type preset for that shot, crushed the blacks a bit and it turned out better in BW in color, which I find seldom.
> ...



Too kind man! Thanks!


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## vulie504 (Jul 24, 2014)

This thread is such a good idea! I've recently decided to take the plunge and purchased a flash/trigger and everyone's pictures and explanations are so helpful. Hopefully I'll get the hang of off camera flash and will be able to contribute to this thread.


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## Viggo (Jul 24, 2014)

vulie504 said:


> This thread is such a good idea! I've recently decided to take the plunge and purchased a flash/trigger and everyone's pictures and explanations are so helpful. Hopefully I'll get the hang of off camera flash and will be able to contribute to this thread.



That's great to hear! We're looking forward to your shots and inputs. Welcome to CR also


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## wickidwombat (Jul 24, 2014)

Viggo looks like you new fiddy is golden and seems to be absolutely nailing it 

are you finding you still get misses wide open though?


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## Jamesy (Jul 24, 2014)

Viggo said:


> Here's a shot from earlier today, I have rediscovered hard light, and I love it!
> 
> Two Canon 600 RT bare bulb to the back left at 1/1 power, zoomed to 50mm. Triggered by the Canon ST-E3. Sigma 50 Art at f1.4, iso 100, 1/8000s.


Nailed it at 1.4! Great shot!


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## Viggo (Jul 24, 2014)

Jamesy said:


> Viggo said:
> 
> 
> > Here's a shot from earlier today, I have rediscovered hard light, and I love it!
> ...



Thanks Jamsey! It was the only shot I took also. 50 Art is such a killer lens.


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## Viggo (Jul 24, 2014)

I just bought the Witstro (Godox) 360w flash, if anyone has any experience, please share. I won't be getting it for a couple of weeks, but will share my experiences and thoughts about it here when I have tested it.


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## Jamesy (Jul 24, 2014)

Viggo said:


> Nailed it at 1.4! Great shot!



Thanks Jamsey! It was the only shot I took also. 50 Art is such a killer lens.
[/quote]
I tested the 50 Art over a weekend but not with a moving subject moving toward or away from me at 1.4 - again you totally nailed the focus!


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## yokaew (Jul 24, 2014)

Couple of speedlitesรฺ with amber gel
One with DIY grid pointing to model 's face.
white balance set to tungsten.


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## yokaew (Jul 24, 2014)

One speedlite on floor behind glasses
ambient dialed down
tungsten white balance


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## yokaew (Jul 24, 2014)

One Godox 360 with small softbox
heavily post-processed


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## yokaew (Jul 24, 2014)

Shot for school play
3 speedIites
One will small sotbox overhead
one rim light camera right
one with DIY grid for hilight on pump


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## RLPhoto (Jul 24, 2014)

yokaew said:


> Couple of speedlitesรฺ with amber gel
> One with DIY grid pointing to model 's face.
> white balance set to tungsten.



Digg this shot. Very nicely done.


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## Viggo (Jul 24, 2014)

Yokaew: Awesome shots, and a superb way to show off what skills and modest gear can do, absolutely spot on all four if your shots.

What's is your take on the Godox 360ws?


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## yokaew (Jul 24, 2014)

I really like the Godox 360. It is very easy to use. With 360W/S and the ability to do HSS, make it a great choice for outdoor shoots.


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## Viggo (Jul 24, 2014)

yokaew said:


> I really like the Godox 360. It is very easy to use. With 360W/S and the ability to do HSS, make it a great choice for outdoor shoots.



That's all the reasons I sold my Quadra and bought the 360. Great to hear you like it. Any recommendations for 70-90 cm Octa where I can place the flash inside and not outside pointing in? I have bought countless eBay cheapo's, but they brake for nothing. In fact, my most recent 80cm stood on a light stand in my living room and I suddenly heard a pop! And sure enough it broke one of the rods, from standing still inside! Wow..


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## IMG_0001 (Jul 24, 2014)

Good thread,

I particularly like the swing photo from Viggo and the Kendoist images. I have a few light modifiers in the mail in order to set my feet into the strobist arena. 

Thanks for the inspiration.


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## Knut Skywalker (Jul 24, 2014)

#1 is from a club night. I shoot their parties every month or so. One 430EX with orange gel, one YN565EX with green gel. 

#2 is Roundflash with a gorgeous girl

#3 is a photo montage inspired by FightClub ("Everything is just a copy, of a copy, of a copy..."). Again the 430EX and the 565EX, using the Roundflash as a softbox with orange gel.

#4 is a self portrait with my new SMDV Diffusor-60 I bought yesterday on a Manfrotto-boom. Took it literally like 10 minutes ago, just for funzies.


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## Viggo (Jul 24, 2014)

Thanks for sharing Knut! Awesome stuff. Really nice black and white converting on the last one there.

I was JUST looking at the SMDV boxes and they look great, I was hoping that someone somewhere would make a box that quality, and like the Elinchrom boxes that can take ANY abuse, but for mounting the flash inside, not on the outside. Where I live it's just a matter of hours between the flash tipping over, and I would rather have the box bounce and that's it, than landing directly on the flash. Or if it's a drizzle outside..


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## yokaew (Jul 25, 2014)

Viggo: Phottix makes several softboxes that you can place your lights inside. They are ok. I've not had any issue with them yet. The only thing I don't like about those boxes is that you are limited in tilting movement.


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## yokaew (Jul 25, 2014)

#1 3 back lights with color in post
#2 one stage light on drapes, one strobe with DIY snoot on model 's back & guitar, one strobe for mic, two strobes with blue gels for ambient
#3 same as #2 but with different colorin post
#4 one front light with large umbrella for ambient, two rim lights, one speedlite with orange gel in bag bouncing white crumbled paper


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## Click (Jul 25, 2014)

Well done yokaew. I really like your work.


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 25, 2014)

Nice Yokaew! All of your shots. Hoping for more.


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## climber (Jul 25, 2014)

I really like them too, Yokaew! Nice work.


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## Viggo (Jul 25, 2014)

Click said:


> Well done yokaew. I really like your work.



+1, I think you are very very talented. I don't not know just how to put it, but you use light extremely right! It looks great


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## Viggo (Jul 25, 2014)

yokaew said:


> Viggo: Phottix makes several softboxes that you can place your lights inside. They are ok. I've not had any issue with them yet. The only thing I don't like about those boxes is that you are limited in tilting movement.



Thanks! My Swedish friend also uses them, but can't get them in Norway, and I wonder, are the rods inside the umbrella boxes any better than the "eBay stuff" ?

I'm aware of the limited tilt action, and it's a large drawback, but it's either that or not taking it with me due to needing heavy sand bags. I just take the chance with the inside mount boxes, lol.

Any one have a link to where I can buy this bracket?


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## yokaew (Jul 25, 2014)

Thanks everyone for your kind words.
Viggo: Godox is coming out with a new version of the flash holder.

http://www.godox.com/EN/Products_S_type_Speedlite_Bracket.html

It might be better. I have not used it myself though.


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## Viggo (Jul 25, 2014)

yokaew said:


> Thanks everyone for your kind words.
> Viggo: Godox is coming out with a new version of the flash holder.
> 
> http://www.godox.com/EN/Products_S_type_Speedlite_Bracket.html
> ...



Soo, wait what, it just hangs there tightened with a screw on top? Lol, but I guess it works since they make it that way. I have a simple bracket myself I might use.


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## yokaew (Jul 27, 2014)

#1 one speedlite with Obis ring as back light
#2 two strobes with medium soft box on left and right
#3 two strobes camera left, one with medium softbox in front the other as rim light, Sun on camera right
#4 three strobes, one with large umbrella for ambient, one with grid camera left, one for backgroud + flare effect


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## Viggo (Jul 27, 2014)

Wow! Fantastic shots. I really like your style. An inspiration. Makes me want to go out and shoot. I sold my wife's 5d and my camera is being fixed so I'm without a camera for a month! But when it gets back I've got my new flash and perhaps a new soft box .


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## Hannes (Jul 28, 2014)

Viggo said:


> yokaew said:
> 
> 
> > Viggo: Phottix makes several softboxes that you can place your lights inside. They are ok. I've not had any issue with them yet. The only thing I don't like about those boxes is that you are limited in tilting movement.
> ...



I have two of these and they work brilliantly. No wobble at the mount even with a 120 octabox http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151181673856?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

This seller has decent softboxes. The essentialphoto/pixapro ones are well made (for the price) and don't feel super cheap. Yes they aren't profoto but then what do you really expect for £50? http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/tsl-2009?_trksid=p2047675.l2559


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## Click (Jul 28, 2014)

Great shots yokaew. Well done.


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## Viggo (Jul 28, 2014)

Hannes said:


> Viggo said:
> 
> 
> > yokaew said:
> ...



Thanks for the links. I guess I can't see how it can be mounted horizontally and have no support except the hot shoe. I saw that the Godox one had a screw on the horizontal rail that supported the flash under also, it's also a heavy flash making the load on the hot shoe even worse. It's 642 dollars for the ProFoto plus speedring, but in the end, that enables the use if all ProFoto boxes also.. And investment, at least that's whatni have to
Convince myself of, lol.


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## eninja (Jul 30, 2014)

Knut Skywalker said:


> #1 is from a club night. I shoot their parties every month or so. One 430EX with orange gel, one YN565EX with green gel.
> 
> #2 is Roundflash with a gorgeous girl
> 
> ...



Hi Knut,

How do you wireless trigger those flashes?

Thanks.


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## Viggo (Sep 12, 2014)

Finally got my camera back after 36 days away on repair and got to test my new Godox+Profoto octa.

They managed to send me the old trigger even though I bought the new one, so no HSS yet, it sucks...

But here's one of the first shots I did. I LOVE the light output from this combo!







And a grey, rainy and cloudy day suddenly looks interesting (to me at least)


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## ChristopherMarkPerez (Sep 12, 2014)

Ninja ~ out of the Age of Steam by Christopher Mark Perez, on Flickr

Ninja ~ out of the Age of Steam
Warrior from the Edge of Time and Beyond the Seam of Space. Powered by an unknowable source. Animated by Spirits Great. Guided by the Hand of Fate.

{This is a photo I _had_ to make. I looked at a couple other photographer's work and wished I'd done what they'd done. This image is my response to their work.}

----
Photographer: C'est moi
Photographer's Assistant: Judith Turano
Model/Couture/MUA: Tithann Thanh
----
_Strobist Info: Elinchrom BX500Ri into bounce umbrella over camera_

BTW, some of my work with M. Thann will be shown shortly here in Paris, France. The details in French are... from friend and colleague, http://arthurmorgan.fr/post/89344176723/un-portfolio-steampunk-dans-le-numero-19-de-fiction -

Expo photo steampunk : Le Paris des Mystères !

Je vous avais parlé il y a quelques temps d’une série de photos pour le magazine Fiction.

L’idée étaient de représenter des personnages célèbres de l’Histoire ou de la Littérature, version Steampunk, dans Paris (Fantomas, Mata Hari, Mina Murray etc).

Il a été difficile de choisir quelle photo devait être publiée tant le travail du photographe Christopher Perez était magnifique. Mais il n’en fallait que 10.

Nous avons donc décidé de faire une expo avec les autres photos.
Retrouvez les 10 portraits du magazine ainsi qu’une vingtaine de photos inédites dès novembre au Salon du Fantastique, du 31 octobre au 2 novembre 2014, Porte de Champerret à Paris.

Autres dates :

De janvier 2015 à Mars 2015 : Librairie Les Quatre Chemins à Lille.

In short, the images published in Fiction #19 ~ Ete will be on display. If you're not able to see the show in Paris, we'll be in Lille for three months at the first of the year.


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## Viggo (Sep 12, 2014)

Thanks for sharing ChristopherMarkPerez, great stuff!


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## ChristopherMarkPerez (Sep 12, 2014)

Thank you, Viggo! 



Viggo said:


> Thanks for sharing ChristopherMarkPerez, great stuff!


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## Click (Sep 12, 2014)

ChristopherMarkPerez said:


> Ninja ~ out of the Age of Steam



Great portrait. Well done ChristopherMarkPerez.


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## ChristopherMarkPerez (Sep 12, 2014)

Thank you, Click. It's all about the light, isn't it? 



Click said:


> ChristopherMarkPerez said:
> 
> 
> > Ninja ~ out of the Age of Steam
> ...


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