Two flash portrait setup

S

sbryan

Well-known member
I'm kind of limited to two flashes right now. I have the ability to trigger a 580 EX II and 430 EX II via the Canon ST-E2 Transmitter. I have two stands and umbrellas, as well a simple flash bracket.

I was hoping there was some tutorial online for this subject. I haven't found one on vimeo or Youtube. If I use one as a front light and one to separate the subject from background, I get some pretty dark shadows.

If I use both as front lights and use a longer focal length to flatten the background, I get two sparkling glimmers in the eyes of my subjects.

How can I avoid harsh shadows, while bringing out the subject's eyes naturally?

P.S. My stands aren't great. I can change the angle of the hot shoe mount, but not the angle of the umbrella, which is what I think matters most.

Thanks,
Sean B
 
First, stop looking up tutorials for these things. Reliance on that ruins your lighting, especially since everything is situational.

Where do you get shadows? Are you setting your lights at different levels, turning down exposure compensation on the non-key? Is there fill in the room? You should obviously not use both up front, for reasons you discovered. Have you tried going at this in an addition way? I recommend setting up just one flash- of side front or whatever else- and trying that. Examine the photo and see what's missing. Then you know what to do with your other light, if anything. Personally, I do most things with a single flash and some reflectors and cutters. The only time I want a second flash is if I need to expose something completely seperate from the subject.
 
Let me give you a quick tutorial on how you will want to light with two flashes...JK there is no subtitution for practicing and playing around but here are some tips of what I like to do:

Unless you are going for a blackened out background look, you need to use one flash as a key at 45-90 degrees and use either your second flash reflector or ambient light as your fill (to use ambient light you have to balance the flash output power with the ambient light..ETTL is great for this) If you are using a reflector you will want to to angle your key flash so that it hits your subjects face but also falls off so that the reflector can pick up on some of that light. I like using a reflector and key light and then use the second flash without an umbrella as a back or hair light from high out of the frame or subject level from the far side.

If I am using two flashes from front I will bring them up high and aim low (especially good for large groups of people with multiple rows).

If your subject is ugly bring the key light high so shadows are more natural like a room light or the sun. If you have a pretty subject you can put the flash more face level.

You need to get a bracket that holds your flash and umbrella. They sell for 15 dollars or less on amazon. This will allow you to angle your flash and umbrella together.
 
Last edited:
Looks like I'll spend the weekend working in the studio, aka the garage.

"If your subject is ugly bring the key light high so shadows are more natural like a room light or the sun."

That was so matter of fact it was funny. Most of us fit into that category by comparison, I'm sure.
 
bounce card....

use one as a backlight, and flag most of it off the subject so they one get the "edge" of the beam of light so it isnt too intense, then bounce the majority of that backlight off a bounce card, as a fill.

Use the key as normal.
 
Didn't want to start a new thread for this:

Can you guys recommend some good Flash tutorials, keeping in mind that I have those two speedlites and the ST-E2 trigger? I found a tutorial which indirectly explained Rear Curtain Sync, and as a result, I feel much more comfortable using it.

I guess I don't understand the technical back end of flash use.

Example:

Two flash portrait setup with reflector, shooting in ETTL.

What am I actually telling the flash to do by setting the zoom to 70mm and +1 if the flash is stand mounted? According to the 5D's internal meter, I'm 2 stops underexposed or more, but the flash delivers a proper exposure... most of the time. Obviously the extremes are the exception, but it's hard to know the extremes in a new environment.

I've read the EOS 5D manual and the Speedlite manuals, but it doesn't quite explain ETTL and metering to the point where I feel knowledgeable.

Is there a way to get an accurate reading with two flashes which doesn't involve me guessing and checking the results of taking a photo?

Long post. I'll shut up now. :lipsrseal
 
Hey guys, didn't get a response on the last post.

YouTube actually failed me for my questions, and that's rare.

Yes, youtube, I know I can diffuse light in a number of ways. Now tell me about flash settings, metering, and exposure.

I wonder: is there a flash in a photo like this? I know it's a Canon EOS 1Ds mkIII. If that's just higher ISO... that's impressive quality.
 
Last edited:
I'm doubtful there was any flash used in that shot it looks like the light is natural from the window. It probably wasn't even too high of an ISO. Even if it was, at that resolution you aren't going to see much grain if any. Are you sure it's the quality you are impressed by? :)
 
It looks like a standard hotel room, so if it's anything like every other hotel, there's one set of windows. I'm suspicious of the way the bride is lit.

I've never been so fortunate to shoot at 1/160, f/5.6, and ISO 400 and get exposure like that.

But maybe that's the difference between my 5D and slow glass and the mark III with a fast prime.

Yes, they bride and her entourage make pleasing eye candy as well.
 
ok, ETTL is E.valuative T.hrough T.he L.ens

When you set up the 5D, it will always meter as if youre not using a flash. What ETTL does is, the camera talks to the flashes when you pull the shutter, it fires a weak 1/64 power, preflash. The 5D reads that, and says to the Flash within a couple micro seconds, "ok i need you to fire at XYZ amount of power to get a balanced exposure". this is why it doesnt matter if you bounce off a ceiling, or through an umbrella, or a small soft box, the camera will compensate for the diffusion and just tell the flash unit to burn brighter. When you set the +1 stop exposure on the Flash unit itself, it will take what the camera tells it to fire at and fire one stop brighter.

It works INCREDIBLY well. But like all automatic things, it can be fooled. reflective objects, where the actual reflection of the flash is visible, will cause it to under expose, because it will think the reflection fo the flash (in lets say a chrome bumper) means its reaching proper exposure, and it will shut the flash down early.

Setting the 17-105mm setting is a different function, and a VERY useful tool to have. inside the flash head theres a fresnel like lens that focuses the flash from wide angle to zoomed in like a spot light. its designed to be utilized when the flash in on the hotshoe of the camera, so that lets say you zoom in to 105mm on a 24-105mm zoom lens, it will "zoom" the flash to a tighter spotlight so that the light is more intense in a small patch that covers the 105mm visual frame through the viewfinder. what this means is it can use less power to light up a subject 30 feet away, ( that you presumably zoomed into @105mm to shoot) because its not scattering the light everywhere. its putting it like a spotlight only where you need it.

What this means for you when youre using the flash off camera, is that you can set the flash to 24mm and make the beam of light VERY wide and bounce it off a big reflector for a very soft light. Also, you can set it to 105mm and shoot a VERY narrow, powerful beam, to light up something from far away. It will look almost like a spotlight. In addition, you can reflect it off a bounce card, but in a small area, so the shadows are sharper, and clearer. Very useful tool.
 
Keep an eye for anything white.

My main rule of thumb..... if it's white... it's a diffuser.
Light is an art. You either have to naturally be good at finding it, finding ways to manipulate it... or just go out and find out how through experience or seeing someone do it.

Most of the flash photography I shoot, if there is white around.. I will bounce off the wall or ceiling or a piece of paper if I have to.
 
Timur, I'm going to print that off and keep it with me! This is the no-nonsense explanation I was looking for.

Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top