Eric & Parrots
captured by D5 / 24-70VR / SB-5000 / Impact QuickBox
Having been to O’Reilly’s before, I knew the opportunity was here for some really fun portraits. Now I could have done these with just a straight camera shot, but that’s just not right to do to folks. I could have gone with the flash on the camera, but those portraits never look all that great. So I went with a little panache thinking, I wanted some real studio lighting for folks but I was traveling half way around the world. Luckily for me, B&H had just delivered their Impact DLSR lighting gear to me which made my decision real simple. I talked about all the gear on my last Podcast, here’s the whole list:
Vello Ringbox Ringflash
Hexi 24 Speedlight Softbox
Quikbox Softbox with Shoe Mount Flash Bracket (24 x 24″)
Fabric Grid for 24 x 24″ Quikbox
Quikbox Softbox with Shoe Mount Flash Bracket (15 x 15″)
Fabric Grid for 15 x 15″ Quikbox
Air-Cushioned Light Stand (Black, 8′)
Eric was a great sport about this (a great photographer too!) What I shot with was the D5, 24-70VR, SB-5000 AF Speedlight (radio controlled with the WR-R10/WR-T10/WR-A10 Wireless Remote Adapter Set) in the Impact QuickBox 15×15 w/Grid (on the Air-Cushioned Light Stand (Black, 8′)). This great little studio all came in my luggage easily adding only 2lbs (the studio)!
Studio BTS
captured by Nikon 1 V3
Studio BTS
captured by Nikon 1 V3
As you can see from the Before shot (no flash), the light was simply not going to work for a portrait. It especially wouldn’t stop the action of Eric and his response to being descended upon by the Australian King Parrots or the Crimson Rosellas. Needed flash as a light and a freezing tool. The shot was pretty straight forward, -1.7 was dialed in the camera for the ambient light exposure and 0 compensation was dialed in the flash. Using the WR-R10/WR-T10/WR-A10 Wireless Remote Adapter Set was essential for speed, placement of flash (didn’t have to be line of sight) and one less thing for the birds to use as a perch. As it was, I had to keep a foot on the light stand to keep the birds from knocking it over as they took off after perching on it. But the best part was the fun this brought for all of us. Because of the ease and speed of the entire system, everybody had their portrait taken being mobbed by the birds and the expressions on their faces was simply brilliant. It was so easy, Kevin took over at the camera so I could have some fun! And that’s what photography and our gear should be all about, making things easy so we have fun which is why I so love the Impact lighting gear!
.
Moose & Parrots
captured by D5 / 24-70VR / SB-5000 / Impact QuickBox