smally

I photograph society meetings. I *try* to use existing light as many flash units have a "deer in headlights" for subjects closest to the camera and cast shadows on those subjects further back. The camera I use is a Sony A77 Model 2. Are there suitable portable battery powered lights which can be used under 3300° Kevin lights?

smally

I photograph society meetings. I *try* to use existing light as many flash units have a "deer in headlights" for subjects closest to the camera and cast shadows on those subjects further back. The camera I use is a Sony A77 Model 2. Are there suitable portable battery powered lights which can be used under 3300° Kevin lights?

crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

If it is in a room, you can use multiple flashes on lightstands and bounce light off the ceiling.
If the "society" is away from the wall by several feet, you can avoid shadows as the light will come down on the subjects but also go behind the subjects and eliminate the shadows.

The ceiling acts as a big softbox.
Requires a little research but for under $500, you can have a very competent setup.

crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

At 3300 kelvin, you may need to gel the lights but the ceiling color will cast also so some research is in order.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

You have a hot shoe attachable strobe? Try pointing the head almost straight up and attach a #10 business envelope (white) with a rubber band to the back of the strobe. You get fill and bounce which will result in a warmer image without the flat image that a direct strobe will produce. Google flash diffusers; I prefer Gary Fong's Lightsphere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UFGy3F2Suc

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

I agree with the use of the Gary Fong diffuser. Did a superbowl event at a casino in Vegas and it worked great. Prior to that I used it for smaller venues.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Consider a MagMod MagBounce or MagSphere on each Speedlite. Two of these setups can do a good job of lighting a large group with a powerful Speedlite. You could also use several large reflective umbrellas with Speedlites but they are more trouble to set up and use. But a 7' parabolic umbrella can throw a good bit of light. You can also get into battery powered moonlights but they are larger and more costly in general.

Perhaps you can also do a better job of balancing the ambient light with the flash light and reduce the Flash Photo look. The MagMod system also makes it easy to use filters to correct for different types of light.

Best,
Todd Ferguson

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I assume you mean 3200K lights... Yes, you can get LED panels that are powered by battery or AC. They are made for professional video and still photographers. The TV networks and local TV stations use them. Movie producers use them. They tend to be expensive.

Some of these LED panels have two sets of LEDs... a blue set and an amber set. You can dial in a specific Kelvin temperature reasonably well with some of them. The typical range is 2700K to 5600K.

Alternatively, you can use flicker-free, high CRI, compact fluorescent lamps SPECIFICALLY MADE for photography. They come in several color temperatures, usually 3200K, 5000K, 5500K, or 5600K.

Here is a GREAT resource list: http://indiecinemaacademy.com/complete-led-color-database-cri-tlci-cqs-tm30-15/

If you just want better flash, check out portable monolights from Paul C. Buff, Inc. or Photogenic, Dynalite, Norman, etc. Also look at Westcott's light modifiers, and Alzo.com.

BOUNCE flash can help reduce the "fall off" effect of flash from front row to back, but you need a white ceiling. GELS are available from Rosco and Lee Filters that can match the output of your strobes to the ambient lighting color temperature (within reason). To take a daylight balanced strobe down to 3200K, normally you would need an 85B amber gel on the flash, but get the whole 85 series if you can.

An 85B will reduce your strobe's light output by half. Bouncing off an 8' to 10' white ceiling will cost you two to three f/stops. So if you're going to filter and bounce flash, to match strobe and ambient color temperatures and raise overall light level, you may need one hell of a powerful flash!

Hal81 Loc: Bucks County, Pa.

I almost never use flash for any of my photographs. Back in the film days I would have used flash for all of them.

No flash. Room lights only

(Download)

Room lights only.

(Download)

Room lights out. Light from side room.

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CO

Adorama Camera has their Flashpoint series of battery powered monolights that are economical. Their R2 transmitter is available for Sony. I use a Paul C. Buff DigiBee DB-800 strobe. It's very compact.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

You can adjust speed lights that way too!!