| Lots of people get really worried if asked to do a | | | | socket. Another method is to use some form of |
| Studio Portrait of someone. They are really | | | | Infrared flash trigger which fits onto the hotshoe on |
| intimidated by all the flash equipment and what | | | | top of the camera, this then picks up the signal from |
| diffuser or light modifier to use. WELL it can be as | | | | the camera and triggers the flash instantly via the |
| simple or as complicated as you wish, I knew of one | | | | Infrared receiver in the studio flash A normal |
| very famous portrait photographer who used up to | | | | hot-shoe mounted on-camera flash can be used in |
| 10 lights when doing a portrait, that was a bit too | | | | two ways, one is to cover the flash head with a |
| much even for me. So what do we need to do great | | | | deep red gel filter which will trigger the flash but will |
| photographic portraits using flash | | | | not affect the exposure of the the subject, or you |
| First off we really need to look at your camera. If | | | | could bounce the normal light from the flash onto the |
| you have a compact camera with a pop up flash | | | | ceiling, that will trigger the studio flash. |
| then it is almost impossible to do good studio | | | | My favoured method when using a shoe mounted |
| portraits. The problem is the inbuilt flash in the | | | | flashgun is to turn the power of the flash way down, |
| camera. That would most likely be the only way of | | | | on my Nikon SB800 it goes down to 1/128 power. Or |
| triggering the main studio lights, as they work by | | | | again if your camera can do it, change the power of |
| being fired either by an Infra red trigger or the light | | | | the internal flash as low as possible and that should |
| from your flash And your camera flash will most likely | | | | also trigger the studio flash Again my camera will go |
| do a pre- flash to make sure the exposure will be | | | | down to 1/128 power. There is another method using |
| correct, that will trigger off the main studio light and | | | | Radio triggers but that can get expensive although |
| when you take the picture a few milli-seconds later it | | | | units can be bought for as little as £60. This |
| will not fire. Also your camera will only take its | | | | method is used mostly by professionals as it is |
| reading from the inbuilt flash therefore any extra light | | | | generally very reliable. Also if working at an outdoor |
| from the studio flash will over-expose your image | | | | shoot with Studio type flash ie, wedding,or groups |
| anyway. | | | | etc. then the flash from other peoples cameras will |
| Most Studio flash units incorporate a slave cell, which | | | | not trigger the lights. And one other thing, you |
| sees the light from another flash and fires the head | | | | cannot use your camera on an automatic setting, it |
| instantaneously, so only one flash unit needs to be | | | | has to be set to manual. So far I have only written |
| connected to the camera via a lead, but with some | | | | about the problems that can arise with the the flash |
| makes this is an optional extra. The standard method | | | | triggering. In later articles I will write about exposure, |
| is a synch lead. One end plugs into the flash and the | | | | placing of lights etc. |
| other end goes to the camera, usually into a PC | | | | |