Added: 2 years ago
From: dombower
Views: 42,697
Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:
see all

All Comments (173)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • Awesome video as usual now time to practise

  • Interesting video. Please, for the love of God, hire a model. Or keep your shirt on.

  • Mate you're a legend! Keep the vids coming. peace

  • interesting and..... creative!

  • Hey Dom. Cool video. What are good apertures and shutter speeds for this type of low key flash portraits? Thanks for your time!

  • What settings do you have ur camera on to get that effect?

  • wow, you are so hot. yummy! :)

  • silly question how did you make your sb900 menu blue?

  • @valentinwb crazy thing is i made one of these last week. got it in the line to put on youtube thisweek, but it will be on the new channel dombowerphoto.

  • Hello Dom.I love your vids.I have nikon D90 and SB 900,and I would like to make some pics to look like yours,but every time it's too bright.How can I get pic to be dark behind me?What should I change on my sb or nik? Help me.Thanks Dom.

  • So you just felt like not wearing a shirt?

  • Great videos really enjoyed and learned a lot. My question is what camera settings were you using to really get the "blank" or dark backgrounds. Clearly there was ambient light in the room so I am interested to know why that doesn't show in any of these examples.

  • @hurrikanesolutions You can kill the ambient indoors just by setting the camera to MANUAL mode and setting your shutter speed to 1/200 of a second or so. At 100ISO that should make it pretty much black, with the exception of any direct sunlight or windows in the shot.

  • real cool

  • I have a canon 50D and a 430ex speedlight, can i use this as a slave flash or do i need a trigger and a receiver?

  • @lucban2008 You would need either a set of radio triggers or a Canon ST-E2 flash controller if you wanted to keep E-TTL metering. Or you could even get a long E-TTL cable (flashzebra sell them up to 7 metres!).

  • I luv u mr.bower!

  • Hey Dom, loving your vids, many thanks, JR Motherwell.

  • Hi Dom, congratulations on your successful channels. Just started out myself and been mucking around with flash (D90/SB600/Bowens 400w) and having great fun. Keep them coming and thank you.

    JR

    Motherwell

  • This helped me tons, thanks man.

    Any idea what would be a good light stand to use with the canon EX580II and a decent wireless trigger? I've heard good things about the Cactus, what are your thoughts on it?

  • @UnDeadKnight1 no idea never used it

  • @UnDeadKnight1 Best radio triggers on a budget are probably the Young Nuo RF-602 triggers. I got mine from cotswoldphoto on ebay. As for stands you can pick up a cheap stand from Amazon for about a tenner (by konig) Not the best stand in the world but for a tenner you can't go wrong, certainly enough to start. Add a brolly adapter (cotswoldphoto again) and a couple of cheap brolly's from ebay and you're set.

  • dom, thanks for the tips. i'll start using flash after 2 to 3 weeks. and i am really excited and you make me more excited because of you ideas. cool. i enjoyed watching your videos. more power! and keep inspiring people like you do in mine. :)

  • Hi dom, I enjoyed this tutorial, Im gonna buy a flash stand and an umbrella soon, any suggestions what and where to buy. Thanks.

  • @wint3rz head to the blog for links

  • Hi Dom – I'm trying to educate myself on the use of the Nikon Creative Lighting System but I'm having trouble getting consistent results. I'm using an SB-900 on-camera as the master flash and have 2 SB-600's that I'm using as off camera slave flashes. What's happening is they don't consistently fire. I've been doing portraits outdoors and using these flashes as fill flashes most of the time. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong... I know my flash settings are right. What am I missing?

  • @KrispVisions check your camera and your flash have the most uptodate firmwared updates. google it for more advice

  • @KrispVisions Sounds like line of sight problems. Indoors this isn't so much of a problem as the signal from the controller bounces around off of the walls etc, but outside you can times when the slaves can;t see the signal. One tip is to make sure if you can that the slave "eye" on the flash is facing the controller flash. On Nikon flashes this is the small dark plastic "window" above the battery door, NOT on the front of the flash (like Canon flashes)/

  • dude, your awesom!! Im an amature film maker and youve given me loads of ideas!!! thanks man!!!

  • Hi Dom,

    I was wondering if i could have an Sb-900 set up to remote but could i use my non nikon flash to set it off? I am using the Vivitar 550FD? my camera has been drop so the on camera flash does not work. PLEASE HELP

  • @TheNikonGuys sure can. i have done a video where even my girlfriends point and shoot camera can set off your nikon flash. ill add the video above

  • Dom Bower he rulzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!­!!!!

  • Hi Dom, did you set the flash up in manual mode for this shoot as you mentioned in your reply? Still having problems gettting the same effect, its just not really dramatic at all :-( looked more on the web and you are the only one who touches on these techniques using speeslights, Problem is no-one goes through the setting up of the flash before the shoot so its all very vague.

  • @TeeJaye74 make a video of what you are doing and show me what you are struggling with

  • @dombower Hi Dom, after trying a few more times I managed to sort the lighting to work, so thanks for the help.

  • Thanks for sharing your tips. This is a great tutorial. I have to buy me some flash light !!!

  • Really great videos.

  • Hi Dom. I'm Using Canon 1000D, I Don't Have The Spot Metering. I Only Got Evaluative, Partial & Center-Weighted.. So Which One SHould I Use? Nice Tutorial Anyway!

  • @Swayzani1102 if you were to guess what do you think you should use?

  • @Swayzani1102

    Center Weighted. 

  • @Swayzani1102

    Center Weighted. 

  • I think I know what you mean. Even though its a long time ago, can you remember how you set up the camera for this shoot?

  • Hey Dom, thanks for offering to make another video. I might be wrong but I dont know if the cls system is compensating to produce a 'balanced' shot. I have tried with the settings you mentioned like spot metering although I was wondering if using the timer like you, meant it was exposing for the wall behind before I got in front of it. Good job on the cancer book!!! I will try and spread the word.

  • @TeeJaye74 what about using the flash on manual power. its still cls but you have decided the power output,

    if you have it on ttl then it will not expose for the background unless you want it to make sure you dont have any exposure compensation dialed in.

  • @TeeJaye74 So, in this video did you do as you mentioned in this reply? Or did you do it manually, I'm just trying to find out the most effective way of doing these type of shots. Still having problems really with it :-( you also seem to be the only one on the web who even touches on these techniques. Cheers

  • Hey Dom

    I cannot for the life of me get my flash/camera to do this!!! I cannot increase the shutter speed more than 1/250 when there is a flash involved. I have the Canon 7d. I have tried it on camera and it still will not. Off camera, forget about it. Do you have any tips on a setting I need to tweak to get the shutter speed to increase? I am going nuts about it! GRRR! Thanks

  • @jazziedesigns that cos your using canon. this is part of the nikon cls. canon doesnt have this skill.

    i dont think... it might but every canon user i know has the same issues, they all get frustrated when they see how easily i can work my nikon flashes.

  • Great videos Dom, but I am having problems as well. I have Nikon d300 with an sb800 on a stand with umbrella, I set the flash to CLS and adjust shutter speed up and down, but I always get 'balanced' lighting and not dramatic lighting like yourself.

    It would be great if you could do a video that explains from scratch, how you set the camera up before you started to make this video. I am presuming the sb800 has enough power in a one window room to overpower the ambient.

    Thanks

  • @TeeJaye74 ok ill make a new video from scratch. but deffo check my other flash videos for any help. and leave a comment if they do. so iknow what is the helping factor

  • how much are your images? Are they signed? and how many is an edition? I have a gallery in Memphis, TN.

  • yeah, skateboarders are ripped lol!

  • is the nikon sb600 compatible with the nikon d80?

  • @rafire34

    yes it is , ive seen a video of someone using it.

    they say the sb600 has been made for being used with the d70

  • how do you focus?

  • How did you darken the background? I have tried a lot but I can't get that dark background.

  • @youngnewtonian seems like so many people still dont get it. maybe i should do another video.  just short shutterspeed small aperture and strong flash

  • dude you are so funny man...

  • Simple comms and easy techniques make for an informative vid. Thanks Dom.

    

  • really inspiring, thanks an keep the videos coming...

  • ur cute (:

  • hey man thanks for the video!!! good, oh, sorry, creative ideas ;-)

  • Thanks foe sharing your video... very informative.

  • hi can you do techniques about built in flash... it just only my choice.. i have only nikon p90...

  • Hi, was just wondering what settings you have your camera on?

    I usually shoot in AV mode you see but with the canon system the flash on acts as a fill with AV mode.

    Thanks

  • @pokerjk what?  what do you mean it acts like a fill?

  • @dombower By fill I mean fill in flash, the reading for the exposure is taken from the ambient light and nothing to do with the flash. Manual mode is of course best for situations where you are not in a rush but other times when you are what is best. Or the Nikon system may be different in AV mode I am unsure.

  • Dom, Fantastic bit of video with some superb tips on creative stuff!! Ive tried some of these now and surprised myself with the results.

    I agree with an earlier comment, you should have your own TV show!!!!

    Nice one buddy

    Patrick

  • thank you

  • You're great. Thanks for the tutorial. :)

  • Simple yet great tips! Thanks for sharing....

  • Hi Dom, very informative and funny t'boot - you should have your own TV show. Could I ask one question.. Do you leave your flash mode in 'front curtain', 'slow sync' or 'rear curtain'.. blah blah..? Are any of these settings relevent when using the CLS system and TTL? Many thanks :-)

  • wow wired coincidence, just emailed someone about that. usually on front curtain and fastest sync speed to keep out as much ambiet light as possible, slow/rear for brining in more ambiet and having shutterspeeds slower than 1/60th but cls flash from camer will affect image.

  • Hey Dom. Really like your video's. Fun and educational.  Good job.

  • First time I've seen your videos. Excellent teaching!! I can't wait to try some of the techniques you used. I have lots more of your stuff to check out.  :)

  • ohh sorry i didnt see ! but thanks !

  • how do you make this black background ?

  • @pomexable omg did you not read the comments below?

  • when i have my extern flash (two) i will do also a respond ;)

    nice ideas thanks

  • how did you get the background so dark? (without photoshop)

  • @ErDerErIs its a pretty dark room. not much light to get in the camera just totally underexpose and then adding flash means background stuff becomes black

  • oh okay i wasnt sure abaut that because its very bright in the video but okay thanks

    ahm i know you are nikon user but im going to buy 2 canon speedlight 430exII and a st-e2 plus two umbrella. what do you thing abaut that?

    greetings from austria (vienna) ;D

  • Your videos are so easy to learn from. thanks

  • Hi Dom,

    I am quite new to portrait photography but is there a way to shoot a self portrait but so the camera focuses on you when you are out of reach of the shutter button?

    I do not have a remote yet, but already looking at getting one.

    Loving the vids keep it up!!!

    Cheers

  • @robifis pre focus and stand in the same position each time or have camera at arms length

  • Hey dom, I have been trying to do some of these similar techniques. i was just curious what camera settings do you use? Aperture, Shutter speed ISO? I just can't seem to get them with my camera. thanks for the help

  • use manual mode and play around with the settings.

  • Interesting poses, Dom. Thanks for the advice.

  • i love all your videos there a huge help! :]

    i just quit my photography class after the 2nd day university really has way of make photography boring =P

    <3

  • @risacottoncandy hahahaha brilliant!  Can i use that as a quote in my book?

  • @dombower hahaha please do! :D

  • haha ur too cool dombower! i'd love to use this creative portrait trick. i'm pretty new to the industry, but i'm learning... what i have is a canon t1i rebel, diffuser & 580EX II. how should i set it to make it look just like the "god" shot. haha loved that pic!

    best regards,

    shane

  • Hy Dom, I have a Nikon D3000 and the SB600 I would like to know if you can take the black photos with the flash mounted on the camera, can I bounce it to the wall to get the effect?

  • What kind of syncing do you use for your flash? If it's radio triggers, what brand and model do you use?

  • check my other videos you will see i only use the commander flash on the camera. type in nikon cls rocks and my videos will explain

  • I noticed that minutes after asking. My 450D doesn't have that feature. Damn you Nikon users! :C

  • Hi Dom,

    Great vids....fantastic!!!!!

    Can you please let me know how to achieve the black backgrounds you have in your images.

    Look forward to your reply.

  • Hi Dom. Great stuff. What flash are you using and what portrait and wide angle lens do you recommend. Cheers.

  • Very Informative! Thanks!

  • Excellent informative and creative video. Got some ideas on this...

  • Hey i love all your videos! this one is very awesome and funny =)

    one thing i'm not so sure is, when is the time to use umbrellas and when is not =/

    Can you please tell me or us when is the right time to use umbrella(s) and when is not?

    Thanks a lot!!

  • its personal choice, umbrellas give a softer light (less harsh shadows) but sometimes you may want harshlight.

  • Thanks for your reply and info =)

    just to let you know even i don't comment in all your videos but i look at most of them if not all yet ;-)

    thanks for posting all the wonderful videos

  • Hi, love the vid. Its funny and informative :) Could you tell me if your wireless flash trigger supports TTL? What make is it? Thanks mate.

  • Funny stuff.

    Fun watch.

  • "a knife.

    not to be used outside. only used for cooking, and photography"

    haha so funny!

  • Cheers then Dom. Just got my first flash (430EX II) and radio transmitter is on the way. I don't have the joys of optical trigger like on your nikon. Will have a big play around once it has all arrived and try link you up to some via flickr

  • thanks a lot very helpful

  • great video man!

    you got a sense of humor with it which makes it better!

    I never thought about using the speedlight overhead the person. I will have to try it out!

    please keep the videos coming, they are educational!

  • hi Dom, I have a D50, as you probably know, the built in flash isnt a "smart" one, what is the best way for me to explore this kind of stuff while spending the least amount of coin? im a college student so budget is pretty tight ! thanks

  • SB-600 is the lowest I would go personally... I just bought an SB-900 and it's fantastic. Of course you'll pay through the nose for it since it is top of the line.

  • @kenw30 you can still get the nikon sb lilghts but you use them on su4 mode (check my other flash videos) you just have to change the power manually which is fine as it is just like in a studio!

  • hey dom

    I'm fairly new to slr photography and I'm still learning the "do this to get that" stuff... I love the look of 4:17, what do you in order to have the background be black?

    -

    I'd like to try some of these, but I only have a D40 (pop-up part of the flash is broken to boot) and I'd rather save for a D700 than buy an SU-800...

  • all you need is for the flash power to be a lot stronger than the background/ambient light. expose for the flash and everthing else looks dark.

  • sorry, I'm still not understanding fully

    how do you 'expose for the flash' and how much stronger should the flash be?

  • You need to take the exposure down (EV). Take couple of test shot and keep taking EV down until desired effect appears Flash light will compensate the lack of light coming from the ambient :)

  • Cheers Dom!!

    Zeno

  • wow! great video,

    I'm a 16 year old, i'm new to photography,

    would you think the canon 430EX/580EX would be a good external flash to start off with, seriously thank you, if you reply!!

    -Ryan :D

  • cool stuff dude,I'm learning from your vids,salute from Sarajevo.

  • awesome vids man, you make it really interesting and keep me wanting to learn more about photography.

    I have a question, it may sound stupid. Can I do the double flash in this video with 2 sb-600s?

  • @MASCOMMANDO yes you sure can

  • thanks, and I was reading some articles online and it mentioned that the sb-600 can't act as a master. Not really sure what that means, is it a big deal?

  • @MASCOMMANDO that means .... oh to complicated to put in this reply. just get out there take some photos and if you want more control of flash stuff get the sb900

  • Dom

    what was the setting on your camera when you took the shot on idea 2 unusual lighting? cant get the background dark enough like you photos

    thanks

  • @kemkemross just keep trying different settings

  • awesome!!! thanks a ton!

  • luv this video!!

    thanks for sharing your knowledge!

  • Dom

    I have a question.

    When you have the speed light pointed towards the umbrella, what zoom setting (of the speed light) should you have it at? Does the final output change when you change the zoom on the strobe? thank you!

  • @JD95 the zoom should not be zooomed in, you want the light to hit all the umbrella, (dont put the difusion dome on either as that takes about a stop of light out. the effective output will be different (the actual output is controled by the power) but the amount that hits the location that you are wanting the light to hit

  • I love your approach to photography and thanks for sharing your ideas. Keep it up. Cheers.

  • What were your camera settings for those shots, also how does f-stop and shutter speed influence the results?

  • wow! great shots thanks for sharing your knowledge.

  • dom...enjoyed watching your simple and to the point examples. Well done!!

    ...next time wear a shirt though! :)

  • so glad i found this on here, awesome. just wat i needed to see to get my act together

  • Thanks for the great ideas! I just got my SB-900 tonight and cant' wait to try it out.

  • Awesome dom! Really, thanks a hell lot for all the creative lighting vids, i was looking at starting with lighting. About to get myself a strobe, so im still lost =X .Vid really helped me, thanks again dom! ~Yoko

  • hello dom. thanks again for an informative video. have been looking for one like this for ages as i am probably going to buy a flash but i was unsure about when is suitable for using them! they are very expensive things. as much as some lenses are! do you know why this is? is there much difference between a cheap flash and an expensive one? thanks again

  • differences?? well power output will be one. recycle time will be another, ease of use, size is another, zoom ability, build quality, there may be some other reasons, always go for best i say

  • HAHA I love this one Mr. Bower! Now I don't "feel so jiggly". But, I did get your message of the video. Definitely a thumbs up or two.

  • Respect for getting your MOOBS out lol

  • thanks Dom, helped a hell of alot. How do you get the camera to focus when your away from it?

  • Great video! Great ideas! Thanks!

  • hahah thanks Dom Bower....funny and Great Tutorial ...But i want to know what kind of Setting ,Shutter speed and Flash setting ... Thanks :D

  • check the other videos you will find out there

  • Hey what kind of settings are you using.. Small aperture, fast shutter, high power on the flash??

  • yes yes and yes

  • Hi Domincn Nice Photos on your web page, I would like to know what was your firs dslr camera, and also what lens do you recomend for upgrading mi kit lens, I inted to use it indoor for portraits.

    Best Regards

  • first dslr was nikon d80, never got myself a kit lens i went straight for the 18-200vr but for indoor portraits best thing is the 50mm f1.4 or get a nice wide angle like the tokina 11-16mm f2.8

  • thanks so much!!! i am chubby too LOL

  • have a quick question dom,

    if you have an all black background how do you focus your light on the subject without any light spilling on the background?

  • my stobe lights have a zoom function the nikon sb900 can zoom to 200mm so that makes it like it is coming out of a snoot, otherwise just make sure that you are using off camera and dont point the flash to the background

  • Great vid, I enjoy watching all yours they are fun and informative!

  • thanks for sharing!

  • Great job thank you for your tips!!! :) will post soon.

  • Comment removed

  • in these photos all i edited was with adobe lightroom enhancing the contrast a little and bringing the black slider along a bit.

    why are you telling me all the kit you have?

    how to go about it? watch my how to become a photographer video

  • 4:33  - amazing

  • This vid is very informative and funny at the same time! Thanks for posting this!

  • Dom... Your great..!!

    Has to be said...!

    I really enjoy your advice and inspiration.

    Keep them coming and I will have a go...!!

    (when everybody has gone out x-0 )

    Take Care.

    Simon.

  • Hey mate, nice video. You've got some good ideas there I'll have to try out when I pick up another flash, good work!

  • hey have you edited these shot s?

    and is the fastest you can sync your cameras shutter speed 1/320? i just bought the d300 today, with a sb900, and the fastest it seems to sync is 1/320th.

  • i have put the undedited ones then the edited ones, all the difference is a bit of cropping and ususally bending the tone curves so that the darks get a bit darker.

    Yes the fastest it can sync is 1/320th but if you use autoFP then you can effectively use any shutter speed but the flash actually becomes a continuous light (not a flash) (even if it is for 1/1000th of a second)

    Ill make a video to try and explain

  • hey dom, i'm completely new with flashes but you've really given me some great ideas for portrait photography!

    just wanted to ask, what tripod or stand is being used to hold the SB-900? thanks

  • no idea, i just went along to my local calumet shop asked for a stand that wasnt too expensive and for £40s that is what i got. dont know if it even has a name, but the good thing about it is that it is air filled so that when you put it down it doesnt slam down it glides down which is very good to stop damaging your flash

  • keep these vids coming, wicked... :)

  • Very inspirational, Well Done! 5/5

  • thank you

  • wow cool ideas. thanks. I will try some.

  • how would continuous lighting be? would it change the effect?

  • there was continuous lighting. but when shooting indoors you dont think about that as it will be black very quickly.

  • ohh no, i mean like instead of a strobe, what if you use a continuous lighting kit to light your subject, can you get similar results?

  • you get continuous lighting kits? they must get very hot! and use up a lot of power. never seen any, ill youtube to see if anyone has done any work with that though.

  • How did you get the back ground so dark? Is it by filling the foreground with flash?