When I started shooting I didn't light much of anything at all. Basketball I shot with on-camera flash and the crappy quality that goes with it. Then I got a off-camera flash cord which allowed me to play around a little more on news and feature assignments, as long as I was willing to hold the light while shooting. After that I got a small lightstand which allowed me to put the strobe a little farther away, as long as I didn't stretch the cord too far, bringing the stand and strobe crashing down.
When I started shooting digital at a former paper, off-camera lighting was limited for the most part to using Norman strobes with Pocket Wizards for basketball. I could have taken it farther but there weren't any softboxes or other light modifiers, and it didn't seem practical. About 6 years ago, I decided to put together a lighting kit using a couple Nikon strobes. Even though I use Canon equipment at work, the Nikons are easier. They have pc connections built in which eliminates the need to buy expensive hotshoes with the connections.
Rotatech automotive engineer Bill Jeffers insidea car at his workshop, March 2004.
Image copyright Kokomo Tribune 2004
A lot of newspaper assignments tend to look like a turd to most photographers, something they don't really want to mess with but must to get that paycheck every two weeks. Some of the time, all I am doing I think is polishing that turd, elevating something crappy into something that doesn't stink quite as much. It's still a turd, but now it has a nice varnish on it. I am not really all that comfortable polishing the turd. I'd rather take the image and make it into something that needs to run because it's so good, rather than the image running because a hole needs to be filled whether the image is good or not.
The image of Bill Jeffers is one I was proud of. He has his own automotive engineering firm we did a story on. He's lit with a Dynalite off to the side. The light inside the engine is a Nikon strobe placed to shoot up into the air scoop. It's an image for a story that probably would run inside the paper, but if necessary, that image could run as a centerpiece on the front page. I think it's that good.
Calumet Rolling KitA. Pocket Wizard radio transmitters
B. Cords to connect PW's to flashes (Under the pouch are two Nikon strobes)
C. Various hot shoes to mount strobes to lightstand D. Lightmeter
E. Snoots made from corrugated plastic board
F. Tape, shims, poster tack, velcro strips
G. Strobe clamps H. Pony clamps
At the time I was still shoving the small amount of equipment I was using into an old camera bag. I slowly started accumulating more equipment and about 2 years ago I bought a rolling case from Calumet Photo. The rolling case allows me to walk into an assignment with much of what I need to shoot any photo I might need to for the newspaper. The rolling case makes it easier as I can carry a couple strobes, Pocket Wizards, clamps, various other things I might need.
Yet at times, even the rolling case can be a bit cumbersome. In crowds where it's tough to tow something behind me, situations where I don't want to have to worry about keeping track of the case while shooting.
It's in the past six months that I started considering getting an even smaller lighting kit. I would have liked to get two more Pocket Wizards, a transmitter and a receiver for the flash. It would have given me potential to use more lights if need be. Except two Pocket Wizards cost $380 which right now just isn't in the cards.
I could pull out the Wizards I keep in my kit but I'm always afraid that I will end up losing something. The potential for losing something seems to increase when I'm in a hurry, which lately seems like all the time.
The other couple options are the Tamrac Microsync system which runs about $220 and Alien Bees Cybersync system which runs about $140. Alien Bees came out with Cybersync system several months ago. Recently I have had several assignments that I went to and said to myself, "I wish I had that small lighting kit with me." I finally decided to do something about it and bought the Cybersync system. For $140 I got a transmitter and a receiver, plus the cords I would need to connect everything.
The quality is pretty good I think. It's not the quality of Pocket Wizards, but then there is a significant price difference. Overall, I think they're a good buy. And for someone just starting in photography who would like to start using remotes, it's definitely an easier way to start. I got the units 2 weeks before Thanksgiving, but Thanksgiving night was the first real opportunity I got to use them.
Alien Bees Cybersync receiver on left,transmitter on right,
included cord to trigger strobe.
All stored in a Pelican Micro Case 1010
Every year in Kokomo, there is a park that gets decorated with Christmas lights. People walk or drive thru to see the display, donating what money they can, with the money going to benefit a local charitable organization. The opening night is always on Thanksgiving night. I have worked the past 5 holidays so I always shoot it. Getting interesting art is difficult.
Shooting photos of the light displays is easy to do, but that does get kinda boring. Shooting people looking at the displays with on-camera lighting is okay, but it has that on-camera look to it. I decided this was an assignment perfect to use the new light kit. Using the light kit meant I had to pick my spot, as opposed to finding someone interesting in the crowd to focus on and following them. I looked at a couple spots in the park and finally settled on this area. I clamped the light to the other side of this little house, which allowed me to light the area without getting any flash showing in the photo.
Amber Barlow and her four-year-old daughter Victoria look at thelights display in We Care Park on Thanksgiving night.
Image copyright Kokomo Tribune 2008
When I got the image of mom and daughter walking thru, I knew I had the photo I wanted. I spent a little more time after this image, trying to get some other people, but this one just works. The light from the displays doesn't really help with focusing so some of my stuff was a little too soft, but this image is quite good I think. The lighting on them looks fairly natural, the only thing I would change I think is to gel the strobe to better match the Christmas lights. I like the fact that the daughter is framed by the window and mom is looking back at her.
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