DIY – Ray Flash and PW miniTT1 Setup

[Inspiration for my setup came from a Photozo post here.]

You cannot use the Ray Flash as intended when you also have a Pocket Wizard miniTT1 on the hotshoe.  DIY fix:

• Camera on tripod
• PW miniTT1 on the camera hotshoe
• GI transmitter on the PW miniTT1 hotshoe – which now works thanks to the recent miniTT1 firmware update
• Sturdy light stand with mini-boom (fully collapsed and parallel to the ground)
• An old metal umbrella bracket attached to the mini-boom
• A new, common umbrella bracket attached to the metal umbrella bracket (this gives me lots of adjustment flexibility without relying on the mini-boom which wants to rotate due to the weight)
• GI trigger attached with a stud to the common umbrella bracket
• 580 EX II in the GI trigger hotshoe
• Ray Flash mounted upside down to the 580 EX II

A little troublesome to move around!.

DIY – Tri Flash Bracket

NOTE: Not claiming to be the inventor of this idea!

I do not recommend using this with an inexpensive, hollow tube umbrella.  Although having a flash on each side does provide nice balance, you still have to tighten it down a little hard.  Second, it is a little unwieldy to get set up, but I will admit that it never budged during the hour long session.

Details:

• Umbrella bracket #1 – set up normally, with one flash on top.
• Umbrella bracket #2 – a flash on each end.
• The umbrella goes through its normal hole in the dual flash bracket, then continues on to through the hole in the bracket mounted on the light stand.  Adjust the angle of the dual flash bracket as needed to get the best full coverage you can.

Balancing Flash and Ambient Light

[1/200 sec., f/11, ISO-200, (5) manual off-camera flashes]

Getting it figured out...

 

Maternity and Newborn

 

 

 

Seamless black … of course

 

Set Up - (on location.)
• Background stand w/ black background
• Black velvet placed on the floor, under the girls
• A little ambient fluorescent light – (not by choice)
• Two speedlights placed at 30-45 degrees left and right with a 2:1 ratio

Seamless white … sort of

 

.