bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Sorry for the harsh language in the topic.

This is why I can't have nice things...

I was doing a "follow up" family shoot for after a wedding. The bride had a 100% blind father, and a 100% blind brother who is also Autistic. They "really appreciated" how I interacted with her brother, Justin.

They asked me if I would do a photo shoot with all the brothers and sisters, as well as their children, to make a nice family photo for her father, because they haven't had a family photo with all the siblings since they were in grade school (yes, this photo is for the blind father. Tim Stapp shot this wedding with me, and will tell you, the guy can't see anything.........I'm still not 100% sure I "get it" but hey, why not?)

We went to a beautiful bridge in a nearby small town. I had no idea there was even a small river there, and the bridge was really cute but narrow. Not easy to do 12 people on a 6' bridge. My lovely bride volunteered to by my voice activated light stand.

Immediately, after getting them posed, I try all my tricks to get a cute little 2 year old devil girl (oops, I mean cute 2 year old girl) to smile. She who must be obeyed (my voice activated light stand) is also a "baby whisperer" especially when it comes to little girls. She immediately walked away from my light stand with my 2 new Yongnuo 685 speedlights attached to start doing her thing.

Splash........... My first concern was that none of the kids had somehow fallen in. Nope, just my favorite speedlights, the ones that have built in receivers. The ones that I had planned on selling all my other flashes and just getting a fleet of identical flashes......are now at the bottom of the St. Mary's river.

I honestly didn't say a thing, I just stared at where my lights, and my voice activated light stand USED to be standing. Immediately, I started getting yelled at. Somehow, this is my fault, and "She who must be obeyed" says "I'd better never hear one word about this......I was helping YOU, and this is YOUR fault.

So, I guess I need to figure out if I'm going to invest in 2 more Yongnuo speedlights, or maybe bite the bullet and get the Vagabond Mini to power my white lightning strobes. THEN, I can lose some REAL MONEY, when I do whatever I did to make the light stand fall off the bridge.

sigh...

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

So, did you get the shot??? Just messing with you.

You might want to take a look at the Godox. AD200 if you are starting over.

More power and very inexpensive. Everyone seems to be rushing to them in other forums. Personally I am invested in the Photix Oden system and not ready to switch.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Actually, I did get the shot, but it was with flat natural lighting. Storm clouds all day, we shot between raindrops. I like an overcast day, but this was just F L A T. (of course, they love the photos, it's only the "artist in me" that gets bothered)

I've seen the AD200 posts everywhere, I'm just not so sure that it wouldn't take 2 of them anyway at only 200 w/s.

I'm either "going big" or going back to the Yongnuos. At least they "play nice" with my Yongnuo triggering system. I'm invested pretty heavily in that 2 tx units, and 6 transceivers. Pretty sure I read that the Godox only plays with the Godox transmitter. If I want to use multiple OCF's, then it would be stuck buying more of the Godox lights.

Now, if you are talking about the AD 600, that would be a possibility, but after the year I've had, and hemorrhaging money this entire year, I will probably hold off on all of it, and go back to my hodge podge of various speedlights and the transceivers.

bk

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

Yep, that is what I am sticking with. I do have the mini to power my Bowens strobes, but keep in mind the refresh time is slow. I don't drag them out on location very often. Speed light in my Wescott Rapid box is my go to.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

I just need to ask .... did you use the braille filter when you did your PP on this set?

HE HE HE HE

crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

Hopefully the voice activated light stand was unconditionally forgiven. I find that the voice activated light stands dont function very well without lots of confessions and forgiveness liberally applied to them as a matter of maintenance.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

No, but until I got used to no flash at all, I had enough grain that a few had to be "artistically" made into black and whites.

Since 99% of what I do is with OCF, I sometimes get lazy and try just bumping up ISO, instead of finessing the shutter speed etc.

(rolling my eyes.......I know better, just get lazy sometimes)

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Actually, I was never mad at her for leaving the light stand. Accidents happen. Now my rear end is a little chapped from her snapping at me immediately, in front of the clients. She and I have 2 different styles, and sometimes she forgets that if something breaks, my attitude is "well, I guess it's an excuse to get something new" With her, if something breaks, she gets angry. She snapped at me, thinking I was going to get angry. As soon as I figured it out, I did a quick mental rundown of what I may get to replace it......and then the yelling started.

I've been "married to my light stand" for 32 years, it takes a lot more than this to cause a real issue.

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

You handled it brilliantly. You got your rear end chapped, but in the end you get something new. Plus maybe there is a lesson learned about light stand placement in the wind or maybe insurance.

Tim Stapp Loc: Mid Mitten

The one thing that I kept forgetting at the wedding was to state "Over Here" so that he would know where to look. Toward the end of the day, I was finally getting it.

re. the Voice Activated Light Stand (yes, capitalized), what happened at that moment can sometimes be forgotten if we recall everything else that they do on a regular basis.

Also, maybe you could dry them out and use them only for baptisms??? Sorry, someone had to say it:)

BermBuster Loc: Hi Desert S.Cal

Oh boy! I feel your pain! (I've been hemorrhaging money the last couple years, & I have a voice activated light stand that points out my blunders before I know I made one!)
I also am fond of my Yongnuo lights- and one of the main reasons is the cost. When accidents like this happen thank goodness it wasn't a couple canon speed lights (but when your hemorrhaging money, it hurts just as bad!).

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Interrestingly I dropped a Canon 600EX-RT last Saturday from the stand. Though still working there was a piece that broke. I bought another flash this morning from B&H ...... a Yongnou 600EX-RT II. Just for hte reason you stated. Going to use my two Yongnou on the stands, save my 3 Canons for on-camera or on a mono-pod with my talking stand holding it where I want it.

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

Do you guys carry insurance and at what point would you file a claim?

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Nope

Tim Stapp Loc: Mid Mitten

Given the cost of the Yonguo strobes and what the deductible would be, it's less costly to just replace the strobes.