Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
Main Photography Discussion
Seven flashes lighting setup
Page 1 of 2 next>
Jan 29, 2019 22:24:36   #
jwoj69
 
Hello, I was able to gather between my Canon 430EX III RT, two Youngnuo 600EX RT, one Neweer 585EX with a ETTL trigger and three Bower flashes with ETTL triggers. I'm trying to figure out the best lighting studio setup. I have six flashes stands with diffuser boxes, one of them is a over the head boom light. I know seven flashes is a excess, but I have so I should be able to use it. I'm verey open to any suggestions. Thank you. Jack.

Reply
Jan 29, 2019 22:43:45   #
GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City
 
7 is a huge mistake for a beginner. Start simple: one light then maybe two. Assuming you’re doing portraits. I’ve only used 7 lights one time just because I could. I rarely use more than 3.

Strobist blog is excellent
https://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html?m=1

There are some great Facebook sites concentrating on off camera flash. You have to request to join but it’s not hard at all. This is one of my favorites:



Reply
Jan 29, 2019 22:49:38   #
PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago
 
jwoj69 wrote:
Hello, I was able to gather between my Canon 430EX III RT, two Youngnuo 600EX RT, one Neweer 585EX with a ETTL trigger and three Bower flashes with ETTL triggers. I'm trying to figure out the best lighting studio setup. I have six flashes stands with diffuser boxes, one of them is a over the head boom light. I know seven flashes is a excess, but I have so I should be able to use it. I'm verey open to any suggestions. Thank you. Jack.
What are you photographing? People, Products, Things?

Reply
 
 
Jan 29, 2019 22:51:16   #
Designdweeb Loc: Metro NYC & East Stroudsburg, PA
 
Six flashes for architecture is very theatrical, and a dramatic style. And in studio product photography is no big deal, if you fill light the flat surfaces with four lights, as well as light the three vertices of the product, then the background. Shooting products splashing in a water tank needs lighting from below, as well. I’m sure the others will have more product and portrait session suggestions. You can have some fun!

Reply
Jan 29, 2019 22:53:24   #
Haydon
 
jwoj69 wrote:
Hello, I was able to gather between my Canon 430EX III RT, two Youngnuo 600EX RT, one Neweer 585EX with a ETTL trigger and three Bower flashes with ETTL triggers. I'm trying to figure out the best lighting studio setup. I have six flashes stands with diffuser boxes, one of them is a over the head boom light. I know seven flashes is a excess, but I have so I should be able to use it. I'm verey open to any suggestions. Thank you. Jack.


Start with one and add a bounce card until you understand how light falls. Find out what lighting patterns flatter both male/female. Over complicating with extra lights will make your path more tenuous. Learn how to walk before you run. GoofieNewfie is spot on.

The Slanted Lens has a good starter here.

https://youtu.be/lAbSn7VkhmY

At the 3:00 he touches on lighting using a checkerboard going from dark to light back to dark and then to light. This offers great dimension. Lindsay Adler is a huge advocate of lighting this way.

Reply
Jan 29, 2019 23:30:26   #
jwoj69
 
What happened was that I got super deal on the flashes, so I both 7. Triggers I was getting for several months, little I know I end up with this setup.

Reply
Jan 29, 2019 23:45:48   #
E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada
 
I can offer any number of suggestions- a few examples and diagrams, however, I need to know what you are shooting or intending to shoot. What kid of space to you have to set up in- background gear, stands etc.

Diagram and instructions can help as starting points but you need to grasp a few imperative theories and practice the play of ligh on objects and people. Understanding the principles off angle of incidence, the inverse square, lighting ratio, softness and hardness of light, lighting direction and unity, exposure elements as well as certain specific techniques. Without some insight into many of theses basics and practice in "SEEING" light, diagrams and placement procedures are relatively meaningless.

There are certain basic setups that will "work' in a manner of speaking but the artistry is in the fine applications.

Hope to hear from you as to what you aspire to. it takes a bit of doing and study, but if you are serious, it's worth the time. It's lie a great trip- geting there is half the fun! Its' well worth the effort.

Reply
 
 
Jan 29, 2019 23:52:30   #
jwoj69
 
I'm shooting mostly portraits. Thank you. Jack.

Reply
Jan 30, 2019 04:01:07   #
jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA
 
Generally speaking, if you employ all your lighting without specific knowledge as to why you are placing it in that position you will have no idea what light is affecting the shot positively or negatively.
So the suggestion to start with none or one light is so you can see how that light actually works creating illumination AND shadow. Add another light and build from there. If your lighting becomes flat, you added too many lights.

Ed is correct in that you must be knowledgeable in the principles of light as it pertains to photography. More light sources are not always better.

Reply
Jan 30, 2019 04:09:25   #
Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.
 
The most I have ever used for portraits, is 4 lights..Main..Fill-in..Hair...Background..
You will only over complicate things trying to use 7 lights. Unless you know what you are doing...and you do not appear to know, or you would NOT have posted your question. The first reply, and others have given sound advice.

Reply
Jan 30, 2019 05:49:19   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
jwoj69 wrote:
Hello, I was able to gather between my Canon 430EX III RT, two Youngnuo 600EX RT, one Neweer 585EX with a ETTL trigger and three Bower flashes with ETTL triggers. I'm trying to figure out the best lighting studio setup. I have six flashes stands with diffuser boxes, one of them is a over the head boom light. I know seven flashes is a excess, but I have so I should be able to use it. I'm verey open to any suggestions. Thank you. Jack.


A good approach is to start with one light - your "key" light. Examine the image and see where additional light will help. Often it will be a fill light on the shadow side, but that could be a reflector. It could also be a hair light tightly focused on the head. It could be a background light and so on.

Some lighting scenarios use a pair of "kickers" to add light to the sides of a face. or a pair of lights (or light and a reflector) vertically arranged with the camera in between them - clamshell or butterfly lighting.

The biggest issue you are likely to have with all these dissimilar lights is color. most speedlights change color as you dial back the color. Even studio strobes suffer from this. Paul C Buff lights compensate for different power levels and are generally more consistent.

Start simple, keep it simple.

Reply
 
 
Jan 30, 2019 07:31:55   #
Bigmike1 Loc: I am from Gaffney, S.C. but live in Utah.
 
I'm not into studio photography but a close friend, a professional and now deceased never used more than three lights. I can't imagine using seven. What must you be thinking? I imagine an overhead light and a back light would work fine.

Reply
Jan 30, 2019 07:52:38   #
kdogg Loc: Gallipolis Ferry WV
 
Years ago during my film days I used an egg as the subject to learn studio lighting. Start with a single light,then ad a light modifier such as a bounce card . From there is is easy to add one light at a time and experiment with different types of light modifiers. Back then it was slow and tedious work because it was film. Now days it is much less time consuming because we now have instant feed back. The trick is to explore what one light will do, vary distance and power output and angle of light. Then slowly build up from there. It takes time but you will learn to see the light and it's effects on the subject, and then you can apply that knowledge in future shoots. It worked well for me though I rarely shoot any studio type lighting anymore. I primarily like to shoot nature and wildlife these days. Have fun learning and post some pics in the future for us to see.

Reply
Jan 30, 2019 10:00:19   #
A10 Loc: Southern Indiana
 
Please post some of your images from your studio. I too find that more than 3 or 4 is too many.

Reply
Jan 30, 2019 11:27:10   #
Haydon
 
This guy is one of the few that uses a lot of lights that I respect.

http://jakehicksphotography.com/

Reply
Page 1 of 2 next>
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
Main Photography Discussion
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.