Nikon CLS Tutorial Video

The headline pretty much says it. This three-minute video shows you the basics on quick-and-dirty wireless TTL operation with a Nikon SB-800 and a pop-up flash CLS-enabled camera. This guy uses a D200, but there are several other Nikons that work in a very similar way.And remember, you can use CLS to merely trigger the strobe in the manual mode, if you want to do your own driving.I'm just sayi...

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DIY Collapsible Soft Box, Part Deux

Strobist reader Marc Englund is is at it again. We reported on his first-generation DIY collapsible softbox back in October. That one was made out a bug shield.Version 2.0 (pictured) is made out of kite parts, which we think is pretty darn cool. Marc has detailed instructions (with lotsa pix) here. And there's also a discussion about it on the Strobist...

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Got Me Thinkin': Asymmetrical Strip Bank

Pop Photo's 2007 awards for lighting gear are out. Sadly, the Strobist $10 macro studio was left at the altar. (Was it the build quality? I promise I'll use more tape next time...)But among the things that did get noticed was the Westcott Bruce Dorn Asymmetrical Strip Bank. The lengthily named strip light is brighter up top than down below, offering...

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A Magic Disappearing Act

From your reports, I had assumed that the Light Science and Magic books were running in short supply. I talked to Moishe at MPEX today, and he confirmed that (a) they have pretty much dried up, and (b) are not expected back until early August.(D'oh!)Moishe scrounged about 25 of them by sleeping with the Focal Press marketing director working the phones...

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OT, But Cool: One Year of Esquire for Less Than a Gallon of Gas

Yeah, this is OT, but bear with me. It's too good to pass up. Esquire Magazine is one of my two absolute favorite magazines in the world. (My other favorite mag is Wired, which you have heard me yammer on about before in this post about photographer Dan Winters.)Esquire is consistently a great read. Good photography, used well. Funny, literate, alternately...

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Blog, Newspaper, Family. Pick any Two.

UPDATE: Thanks, guys, for all of the congratulatory notes, words of encouragement and the contributions. I do not know whether I am more touched or psyched for the future. Muchas gracias, y'all.As most of you guys know, I am also a staff photographer for The Baltimore Sun, a metro daily newspaper in the eastern US.Over the last year-and-change, Strobist...

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Kingston/MPEX Team Up for Special Strobist Memory Card Pricing

This is way cool. Kingston is reaching out to photogs, eager to show that they can run with the Big Dawgs. Midwest Photo Exchange says, "Hey, we know a lot of photographers."They sound interested.I says, "Yeah, and we could put a picture of me on the cards!"(Sounds of muffled laughter in the background.) Hey, no prob, 'cause I was, you know, obviously joking...Long story short, you guys end up with some really good deals on compact flash (and SD) cards. Unfortunately the rebates are U.S. only, there is a limit of two per household and they have...

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Video: Two-Speedlight Bikini Shoot

Jacob the Photographer has a neat li'l video up from a bikini shoot that really gives an idea of how easy it is to effectively overpower ambient with just a couple of speedlights.Try to reel your eyes in long enough to actually notice some of the lighting techniques going on here:• Using high-angle key (the stand flash) with the corded, hand-held flash as fill.• Using the corded hand-held off at an angle as a key light and the stand flash as back/separation light.• Direct flash key (but about 2 feet higher than the lens axis) with the camera back/left...

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Lighting 102: Brian Daly Gets the Distance Thing.

Over the top? Maybe. Anal retentive? Perhaps.But reader Brian Daly now clearly understands the concept of lighting control via distance. Check out his first-day effort for the L102: 1.2 exercise.That rocks, Brian. You own that control n...

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Lighting 102: 1.2 - Position | Distance

Summary: By the end of this discussion, you should completely understand the following two statements:1. Light has depth of field.2. With enough light, you can turn a white wall black.________________________________Leading Off: (1.1) Angle Exercise DiscussionOkay, the 1.1 section had what was admittedly a pretty rudimentary exercise. Which maybe explains...

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More Cheap and Easy Grid Spots

Are you frustrated with your lighting skills? Have your creative and/or mental blocks ever led you want to drink?Fear not. It might be a good thing. Just keep an eye out for a special little item that can frequently be found in bars - the black drinking straw. Why? Because when you cut them into pieces and glue them up in cardboard next to their little...

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On Assignment: On Vacation

I have gone through several gear transitions in 30 years as a photographer. By that, I do not mean upgrading from an F3 to an F4, or buying a 300/2.8. (Actually, I remember upgrading from a Nikon F to an F2. Which makes me feel older than dirt right about now.)Rather, I am talking about major changes in both the amount and type of gear that carry in...

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Video: Using Reflectors for Macro Shots

Here's a short little video clip that demonstrates how easy it is to use reflectors to flesh out a macro shot. Main point: They are lighting from the back/top, with a top/backlight-based exposure. So they use the reflectors to basically do everything else, except the additional background light.This video is a demo for a commercial product (the reflector system.) But I think, with some deviously clever engineering, it just might actually be possible to DIY these things out of cardboard, posterboard, aluminum foil, a guy wearing a white T-shirt...

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Lighting 102: Unit 1.1 - Position (Angle)

Summary: Lighting angle reveals form in a three-dimensional object. To see how light from a particular angle will affect your subject, view the subject from the position of the light._______________________We live in a world of off-axis light. The sun does not stay right behind us. Our lighting fixtures at home illuminate us from above and other various...

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DIY Engineer Lamp Macro Light Stand

Frankly, given this photo, words aren't really necessary. But I guess I have to write something or it is not a real post.In that case: "Blah, blah, blah. Yadda, yadda, yadda..."(Cheapskate Inspired thinking by New Zealand-based photographer/designer Mike Gannaway. Click on the pic for more inf...

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Basics, on Video: Connect Any Speedlight to Any Camera

Just in time for the first lighting control discussions (#1, "Position," which is due up Monday) Strobist reader David James has put up a very helpful video tutorial for those of you still hazy on exactly how to sync a camera and a remote flash.It covers both flashes and cameras with and without PC jacks, hitting on both PC cords and the inexpensive Gadget Infinity remotes.This will be very helpful to many of the newer readers. It's also helpful to me, as a post while I am recovering from a long day at Disney World and still trying to squeeze as...

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On Assignment: Parking Lot Ambush

This photo, which was previously posted on Monday and shot during the DINFOS Advanced Lighting Team workshop last Friday, got a lot of interest up on the Flickr comment threads. So I thought I would do a little tutorial on exactly how it was done.If you are looking for a setup shot, you already have it. The photo is the setup shot. We used everyone's...

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Pocket Wizard Tutorial Video

Are you lusting after a set of PW's? Or do you already have them and want to learn how to use the relay mode? Either way, this clip ought to hook you up just fi...

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L102: You Got Questions, We Got Answers

Thanks for the questions, guys. It is the most efficient way I know to hit all of the things I forgot to explain in the first place. Let's get them out of the way so we can get this L102 party started.Regarding the suggestions as to (a) where to get the gels, and (b) the admonitions to actually buy them so as to not mooch off of the company, I totally...

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DINFOS Rocks.

Man, am I whupped. I just got back from teaching the back half of a week-long intensive lighting seminar at the Defense Information School (DINFOS) at Fort Meade in Maryland. Here's the deal. Photographers are chosen by portfolio from among the U.S. military shooters all over the world. They are sent to a one-week workshop, courtesy Uncle Sam, at DINFOS...

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Stellar by Starlight

Here's your scenario: You are assigned to shoot a wedding on a beach. Brief ceremony - about 10 minutes long. Oh, and did we mention it's at night? With no lights at all? And when we say 'no light' we mean that the bright part of the night sky reads (at ASA 400) f/2.8 at twenty seconds.The goal: General coverage of the event and one stunning photo. Matt Adcock gives us the rundown on how a couple of fellow Atlanta wedding photogs handled this nightmare assignment over at FlashFlavor.c...

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L102: Light Controls Overview

Today, we'll run through the various lighting controls to give you some context for later. If these are all old hat, you may be in for more than you think. While they may sound simple to some of the more seasoned readers, I am discovering new techniques all of the time simply by studying these controls on a one-by-one basis. And I expect to learn a...

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Take the Plunge with This DIY Background Stand

DIYPhotography.net is a site after my own heart. Their latest offering is a Home-Depot-sourced lightweight background stand modeled after the Bogen Autopole system. How do they safely and temporarily connect it to your ceiling? Well, let's just say that if things ever get really bad around your house, you'll be able to unstop two toilets at once.From...

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Sponsor Salad Toss, May '07

Just a quick shout out to to say thanks to the May sponsors, Midwest Photo Exchange, PhotoShelter and zenfolio, without whom this lighting blog thing would grind to a screeching halt. Show 'em some luv, y'all.And if you want to reach the 114,950 different photographers that visited Strobist 827,360 times last month, you can learn more about it here. 'Cause Strobist is, like, so cheap and ea...

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Lighting 102: Introduction

Welcome to Lighting 102.If you were around for last summer's Lighting Boot Camp, you will find this a completely different experience. Boot Camp went for the instant gratification of a quickie series of assignments. L102 is designed to be a comprehensive course that starts from square one and is designed to build a broader and organic understanding...

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What's Cooler than a Ninja? Lots of Ninjas.

Ok, how often do I get an excuse to put ninjas on a photo blog? Not very. So you know this one is going up.A little insight into how "A-list" photographers think. Of Chase's video, bear the following thoughts in mind:• This shoot was not assigned to him by anyone.• He conceived it, executed it and fronted the costs himself. (With his team, of course.)• The sole purpose of this job was to make some cool photos and keep the creative juices flowing.While there is no immediate monetary benefit to doing a shoot like this, consider the downstream benefits...

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Hacking Your Camera's Sync Speed, Pt. 2

NOTE: This is the second of a 2-part series. The first part, which was about exploiting electronic shutters, is here. Today's post is about gaining power through partial-frame syncing._______________________________________We recently lucked into a good deal on a used Trek MT60 mountain bike for my son Ben. We are big believers in buying better quality...

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