Strobist Photography: Part 2 - Simple outdoor portrait

[thatnikonguy]

@GaryErtter I'm familiar with it. it still adds light, and requires line of sight between flashes.

[VannPhoto]

if you just used your pop up flash to trigger your SB-900 and not the wizards, you wouldn't have to run over and change the power on the flash..... the nikon system is brilliant for photogs who work alone.

[thatnikonguy]

@VannPhoto the pop up flash adds light to the scene

[VannPhoto]

@thatnikonguy true, although you can turn it down to 1/128 which doesn't add much, esp in this situation. for food and other still life it's a pain - a tissue helps. I want Wizards too, but trying to stay away from the endless stream of gadgets.

[GaryErtter]

@thatnikonguy Hmm, not if you set the pop up to commander mode . It really is a brilliant system. Might want to read up on it a bit.

[citiprince]

great video!! but try to get a model without A.D.D. next time.

[prmass1]

there is not much hair there to light heeee heeee

[nazmen040]

Question on flash compensation. Sounds like there are 2 ways to do it. First with the camera's flash compensation, secondly by making the adjustment on the flash.. Can you comment. Thx

[thatnikonguy]

@nazmen040 I shoot in manual, so it is all by choosing a power setting relative to my aperture and shutter speed.

[ourbloodykisses]

I lol'd so hard at your band joke @ 5:35

[alistairpayne87]

These videos are GREAT!! Really helping me lose the fear of flash photography. I use a Canon 7d and was wondering if you would recommend buying the dedicated canon speedlite or go for an aftermarket nissin or similar? Thanks Al

[thatnikonguy]

@alistairpayne87 thanks for the comment mate. It takes time, but you will realise there was no reason to fear flash, it is easy - it is a trick, not a difficult science.

if you want to use flash on camera - get canon. If you ONLY want to use off camera, then third party is probably ok.

[MrRgx521]

This is really useful to me as a beginner strobist.

Useful AND entertaning! I really enjoy your style, thanks for making these.

[thatnikonguy]

@MrRgx521 cheers - welcome to the channel, hope you find it useful.

[Uscbryan949]

@armansanie I agree with the backing up and zooming but I think the camera he is using 200 ISO is the native ISO. Unless he is using the d7000

[4EVERMYSERENITY]

funny, your model was kinda wiggling and moving weird. He seemed a bit horny you know.

[ArmanSanie]

why didn't you back up and zoom in to compress the background more and use a more wide open aperture at iso 100?

[xboxcrazee]

i think your model needs to go for a leak....

[complexprocess2]

"Photography doesn't steal my soul..?"

"

Primitive people, yes... So, yes."

[bmonroe1992]

"I'm pretty good, but I'm not magic."

[evanvideo]

great video. Just a question, how did you decide to use f/5.6 as opposed to doing 2.8 and blurring more background?

[thatnikonguy]

@evanvideo It comes down to A - how much depth of field you want and B - how much light there is and how bright you want the shot to be.

[evanvideo]

@thatnikonguy that's true, completely up to the artistic mind of the photographer. I just expected most people with a 70-200mm 2.8 shoot at 2.8. I usually set it to Manual, f/2.8, then the shutter speed (1/200 for minimal ambient, 1/50 for more ambient), then ISO to correct the exposure. Then i power up or down the flash. Its nice to see what other people are doing,

[syljeanm]

@evanvideo I like the video. I think it is very helpful and I for one appreciate your taking the time; however, I would like it more if you stayed on point instead of jumping back and forth to the personal stuff

[evanvideo]

@syljeanm ha what? Maybe by saying what I do, thatnikonguy might have a comment on an easier way (than I do it). Obviously he takes great photos and makes plenty of money off it. Or he could just ignore it, which is totally fine with me, who has time to spend replying to other people's useless comments? (like I am now)...

[captfilk]

is your mate GAY?

[JustThought]

Great tutorial, outdoor flash to make a great shot! First comment I have ever felt inclined to comment on, thanks for your effort to share.

[thatnikonguy]

@JustThought cool, glad it helps

[zuantuba]

Superb!! So helpful

[thatnikonguy]

@zuantuba glad to hear it.

[ooharloo]

Great tutorial! Is your friend drunk? Lol

[thatnikonguy]

@ooharloo since seeing this video, he has sobered up.

[steveschlange]

I'm confused about your metering technique in the beginning. Did you take a reading through the camera (without flash) and then turn on the flash and shoot using the same settings? Wouldn't you be overexposing the shot then since you're adding flash light to the ambient?

[thatnikonguy]

@steveschlange Remember the flash will only affect exposure of the very small area it hits. So measure the light of the rest of scene, then adjust to the level you like, down, then use the flash to bring the subject back up. Make sense?

[steveschlange]

@thatnikonguy I do see what you're saying about adjusting the level down but in the video (and this is what confused me) you took an ambient reading of the whole scene (including the subject) and got 1/100th f5.6. You then added the flash and kept the same settings. I don't see how that added light doesn't make your previous metering inaccurate? Not trying to argue, just want to understand because I've found the outdoor strobist stuff to be the most difficult personally.

[thatnikonguy]

@steveschlange of course depends on the scene. Here the sky is much brighter than subject and foreground - so I metered to get the sky right, trees under, and subject more under - then flash brings subjects up.

[bozwellox]

Another brilliant tutorial. Thanks Matt!

[thatnikonguy]

@bozwellox cheers

[DietAndRecipes]

I didn't like the results personally..

[dudeman313]

Another excellent video. Is the second light pointed to the back of the subject or at the background?

[thatnikonguy]

@dudeman313 Good question. I believe here we had it at the back of his head - you could do it either way though, creating different effects. Both with separate the subject from background in different ways.

[RainnMakerr]

Instead of the Umbrella, would the diffuser which comes with the sb800 work just as well? Thanx for the video btw.

[thatnikonguy]

@RainnMakerr no it won't, that is pointless outdoors. Will be posting a video in the next week that touches on this issue.

[frolic63]

I think that the model have vodka in his cup

[thatnikonguy]

@frolic63 Whisky...

[bobbyt2012]

Is it better to use speedlites for the portability and weather sealing, or would using an Elinchrom strobe achieve the same results? Obviously battery powered stuff is easier to move around, but I would think that using a Skyport might be easier than going to the speedlite for adjustments.

[thatnikonguy]

@bobbyt2012 Really depends what you want. Yes portable and no cables - and I can fit 6 speedlights in a bag easily. They are not totally weather sealed. Also depends how much power you need - as any studio light is more powerful than a strobe.

Outdoors, generally I use strobes. Indoors, probably 50/50.

[bobbyt2012]

@thatnikonguy Hey, thanks for getting back to me. I just purchased the Elinchrom D-Lite 4's and was using these tutorials as a guideline. They are really useful, I appreciate the time you took to make them.

[thatnikonguy]

@bobbyt2012 glad you like them. Any specific video requests - let me know.

[thatnikonguy]

@bobbyt2012 glad you like them. Any specific video requests - let me know.

[bobbyt2012]

@thatnikonguy Haha, alright. I think the principles you are displaying here will carry over when I start using my strobes, as all I have done so far has been with an on or off camera 580 or 430EX speedlite.

[hanzeln]

at firts you miss to plug the pockey wizar lol happens bro happens even you

[thatnikonguy]

@hanzeln I forget to connect things ofte.... yep happens to us all I guess :)

[whanauli]

Hi thenikonguy,

Very good tutorial video. When you sett up the second flash behind the model , which way the flash face to? Thanks

[thatnikonguy]

@whanauli thanks - at the back of his head.

[LanistaStrobista]

how would you know that 1/64 power is all you need for your flash? do you just estimate or trial and error?

[thatnikonguy]

@LanistaStrobista Is trial and error - but with experience you can get it close or right first time.

[thatnikonguy]

@LanistaStrobista Is trial and error - but with experience you can get it close or right first time.

[babarghias]

Great video

[MrYcontrol]

thank you! very helpful!!

[Bemap30]

is the pocket wizard a must? can't i just trigger the flash by using commander mode? If so, what's the purpose of the PW. BTW, grest vids, i'm wlaking through most of them

[thatnikonguy]

@Bemap30 keep watching - i cover this. essentially -for this shoot, sure can use commander. But commander needs line of site - and that is not always possible on more complex shoots. PW is bullet proof reliable.

[erasser1996]

hey mate,can i ask you about a lens, the nikon 18-105 f 3.5-5.6 , i think to buy my first DSLR like the nikon d7000 with this kit lens, can you tell me is it going to work for me,i know that it is cheap,but i don't have much money to spend...i mean is it going to be sharp enough and what is going to be at low light, the aperture is 3.5 to 5.6 and its not fast,but i want to know what performance will i get from it ?

nice video :) keep up the good work

[thatnikonguy]

@erasser1996 Hey mate, thanks for the comment. Have you seen my video on cheap vs pro gear? That shows my thoughts on buying options.

Are you new to photography? If so, the D7000 may be overkill - maybe better to get a cheaper body and a good used quality lens, like the 18-200?

I have not used that particular combo. It is a cheapy lens, the 18-55 is better. But if you need that zoom range, and that price range - not many other options!

[erasser1996]

@thatnikonguy

yes i am new to photography,but if i have the nikon d7000 i will use it for at least 1 and a half years,and if i have it in a month that will be great, and for christmas i will want to have a prime lens like the nikon 50mm 1.8g , and on a DX body like the nikon d7000 it will be 75mm , great for portraits... and that 1.8 fast aperture will give me good low light performance and good bokeh :D ...so hoppefully i get it,but i don't know for sure,it depends on my parents :)

[thatnikonguy]

@erasser1996 Righto.

I suggest you try out the 50mm. I personally always found 50mm on a crop body (75mm) an awkward focal length. Not really long enough for dedicated portraits (but OK), and too long for general indoor use. You might consider a 35mm f2, or the sigma 30mm

[bwinn10]

ya i would spot meter like thatnikonguy said. awsome vid once again

[kauxkaux]

When you make your first measuring in shutter priority... what metering mode are you using?

Great video! Thanks!

[thatnikonguy]

@kauxkaux Thanks! I am trying to get the background correctly exposed. So either take a reading of the full scene, or spot meter the sky/tress or whatever it is you want 'correct' before adding the light.

[DavidHeatonPhoto]

great video, love to see more of that banter :)

[thatnikonguy]

@DavidHeatonPhoto Thanks David. I am normally a bit more formal and supportive - but he is a mate since childhood, so a bit of teasing is required.