So guys, this week i went to a client (a big school here in São Paulo) of the advertising agency i work for.
I did a two days photoshoot of their environment, classrooms, people and so on.
The purpose was to get to know them, to feel how they work. And to come back with some images to illustrate the campaign i was working on.
Turns out they loved my pictures. And loved it so much that they are considering doing a full commissioned photoshoot with me and a make-up crew. Let alone buying some of the images i already did.
Know i am shocked and worried. I do not have experience in this kind of work. How to work with people and helping them pose, how do better adjust the lighting...
The people i will shoot are not models, they are teachers, students and office crew. Mostly ashamed of being photographed.
I have a Canon T3i, and a 580 EX II flash unit i can fire externally (but misfires as hell!). I also have two tripods and an white umbrella to soften the light.
I am thinking in buying a Radio transmitter to fire the flash, since i do not want to be embarrassed in from of the client if my flash misfires.
Should i bring a softbox as well?
Why/how does your 580 misfire? Do you use it on the hot shoe? Or do you trigger it off-camera?
I am almost 100% positive the T3i body can trigger the 580 remotely when it's in slave mode, which could save you from buying a radio transmitter. I think it uses IR signals, plus the on-camera flash. No matter what, the on-camera flash will fire, but you can disable it so it's only a pre-flash that won't affect the exposure of the shot.
I didn't watch the whole thing, but I'm assuming it will tell you how to set it up. However, because you want to use a softbox (which could block the communication between the camera and the flash), it might be better to go with a hot shoe extension cable.
I use this one everyday, and I have never had a misfire unless my batteries are dying. The best thing is that it lets you continue to use the ETTL function even though it's off camera. It's my favorite camera accessory, other than my cats.
As for mods, I would recommend either a softbox, or a shoot-through umbrella, or a bounce umbrella. I don't have a softbox, but I do use umbrellas a lot. This one specifically, but any would do:
It works as a shoot through and a bounce, and is very, very compact. It might be a little wobbly compared to some umbrellas, but for 30 bucks, it'll get the job done.
Lastly, get a big bounce board to use as a fill. You don't want one side of their face to be dark. You'll need an assistant to hold it, or a stand or a clamp or some creative way to get it to stay where you need it without looking all weird.
Oh, and get a light stand for your flash. Changed my world!
Hope this helps :)
EDIT: Sorry, I had to go back and edit the hell out of this because it wouldn't let me post due to the amount of links I had originally added...
@gurry i already use the flash externally as slave. But what i found out is that external flash with IR signals fail A LOT. I mean: one misfire in each 5 attempts. It's frustrating. You move around, you get out of the flash range or something blocks the IR signal and boom. Sometimes i don't even know why it misfires. Even with a charged battery.
And i can place my flash in a tripod with the umbrella attached.
What i want to figure out is what am i doing wrong to the flash misfire so much.
@gabrielklee Got it. Sorry for the overload of information then! I'm a bit garrulous today, and dimwitted.
It's probably just interference with the IR like you said, which will be even worse with a softbox attached to the speedlite. Do you find it misfires more when you're using an umbrella? That would be a good way to gauge the issue.
I definitely recommend getting an ETTL extension. That should completely eliminate the issue. Either that, or a hot shoe to PC adapter with a long sync cable, but that will disable ETTL.
Sorry for the late reply, I have been really busy and havnt had time to check in.
If you really want to use your 580 from a distance, either get a cord or get a wireless trigger and one that handles the ability to modify the output. Most do not allow this.
Posing them is easy... Just make them feel at home... Relax them, take some music, talk with them. tell them jokes and just get the to relax.
They dont need to be looking at the camera so you can get them to relax a bit more if they are looking away, but get both shots.
When photographing women get them to turn their bodies into the light and never have them straight on to the camera, where guys get them to be face on as it makes them look tougher.
Get the women to tilt their heads a little as it makes them look like the are not standing waiting for their photo.
It also helps to get the people to stand with one foot in front of the other as it makes the body seem natural and not like they are standing really stiff.
I think I would suggest that you only use your flash in needed and try and use natural light as much as possible. The problem you will have with your camera is that if you go over ISO 400 you will start to see noise, so keep checking that this is not the case... If it is you need to open you lens or introduce flash.
Shoot in AV mode 99% of the time and only worry about your depth and let the camera do the rest. If you get under 1/60 then you will have to increase your ISO.
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@scrivna -- Ross, any idea?
I am almost 100% positive the T3i body can trigger the 580 remotely when it's in slave mode, which could save you from buying a radio transmitter. I think it uses IR signals, plus the on-camera flash. No matter what, the on-camera flash will fire, but you can disable it so it's only a pre-flash that won't affect the exposure of the shot.
Aha, yes, here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqOhJ0EUiP8
I didn't watch the whole thing, but I'm assuming it will tell you how to set it up. However, because you want to use a softbox (which could block the communication between the camera and the flash), it might be better to go with a hot shoe extension cable.
I use this one everyday, and I have never had a misfire unless my batteries are dying. The best thing is that it lets you continue to use the ETTL function even though it's off camera. It's my favorite camera accessory, other than my cats.
http://ocfgear.com/cords-for-canon-ettl/ettl-cord-extra-long/
As for mods, I would recommend either a softbox, or a shoot-through umbrella, or a bounce umbrella. I don't have a softbox, but I do use umbrellas a lot. This one specifically, but any would do:
http://mpex.com/westcott-43-quot-collapsible-umbrella-with-removable-cover-15-quot-folded.html
It works as a shoot through and a bounce, and is very, very compact. It might be a little wobbly compared to some umbrellas, but for 30 bucks, it'll get the job done.
This is how it looks as a shoot through:
http://365project.org/gurry/365/2011-11-16
http://365project.org/gurry/365/2012-04-24
Lastly, get a big bounce board to use as a fill. You don't want one side of their face to be dark. You'll need an assistant to hold it, or a stand or a clamp or some creative way to get it to stay where you need it without looking all weird.
Oh, and get a light stand for your flash. Changed my world!
Hope this helps :)
EDIT: Sorry, I had to go back and edit the hell out of this because it wouldn't let me post due to the amount of links I had originally added...
And i can place my flash in a tripod with the umbrella attached.
What i want to figure out is what am i doing wrong to the flash misfire so much.
It's probably just interference with the IR like you said, which will be even worse with a softbox attached to the speedlite. Do you find it misfires more when you're using an umbrella? That would be a good way to gauge the issue.
I definitely recommend getting an ETTL extension. That should completely eliminate the issue. Either that, or a hot shoe to PC adapter with a long sync cable, but that will disable ETTL.
If you really want to use your 580 from a distance, either get a cord or get a wireless trigger and one that handles the ability to modify the output. Most do not allow this.
Posing them is easy... Just make them feel at home... Relax them, take some music, talk with them. tell them jokes and just get the to relax.
They dont need to be looking at the camera so you can get them to relax a bit more if they are looking away, but get both shots.
When photographing women get them to turn their bodies into the light and never have them straight on to the camera, where guys get them to be face on as it makes them look tougher.
Get the women to tilt their heads a little as it makes them look like the are not standing waiting for their photo.
It also helps to get the people to stand with one foot in front of the other as it makes the body seem natural and not like they are standing really stiff.
I think I would suggest that you only use your flash in needed and try and use natural light as much as possible. The problem you will have with your camera is that if you go over ISO 400 you will start to see noise, so keep checking that this is not the case... If it is you need to open you lens or introduce flash.
Shoot in AV mode 99% of the time and only worry about your depth and let the camera do the rest. If you get under 1/60 then you will have to increase your ISO.
Does that help?