Strobist 102 started

Strobist has started the Lighting 102 course. Why is it called 102, because the first one was called Lighting 101. Actually this week is already the second part and deals with distance. If you want to participate, you can still upload your assignment to Flickr. You can find more information on the Strobist Webpage. You might find this exercise less than exciting, but still do it. You learn by doing things more than just reading it. I did my assignment and encourage you to do the same.

David, the man behind Strobist just decided to take a leave of absence from work to concentrate for one year on the webpage and his family. As much as the strobist was worth the read and learning experience in the past, so much more is to be expected now.

That webpage is one of the best resources I know to learn about working with flashlights.

Do you really still need a tripod?

Some time ago, I read on a webpage that digital cameras replaced tripods. Somewhere else I read that the quality of a photographer is measured by how often he/she uses a tripod. What do I think about these statements? Though both of them have truth in them, they are also incorrect.

Why? Similar to computer technology, you find people who promote their way as the only right way. Apple users might say that only Apple computers are real computers, while Windows users say that Apple computers are overpriced and only for designers and rich people. I prefer my Mac to any Windows PC, but also know that some applications are only available for Windows or vice versa. Will I sell my Mac for that reason? For sure not, but I also know, where I might experience disadvantages. Skype, for example develops their software faster for Windows users and I have to be patient to be on par with my wife and her computer in that area.

Let's have a look at the issue with the tripod. What is my experience? I do use my tripod less since I work with my digital SLRs (Nikon D200 and D70s). It is amazing how little light I require to create beautiful pictures without using a flash or tripod. I don't use my tripod for weddings or portraits in general. (The exception just proves the rule.) I am more flexible and can move faster. There is less to carry around. Even for a lot of my landscape photography, I don't take my tripod with me. Hiking up Lion's Head with a tripod would be quiet tough. I still get some great images out of that.

But...

there are occasions, where I want to concentrate on composition, work with long exposure or simply wait for a cloud to disappear out of the picture frame. In those moments I love my tripod and very often these are landscape shots. If I head for maximum sharpness, focus, depth of field, my tripod will be my companion. Or, if I work in my studio, I do very often use my tripod. It is so much more convenient, though I unmount it for portraits. I need the flexibility of moving around. The tripod might still serve a valuable service as secure spot to park my camera.

As so often, it is not about either or, but to know when to use the right piece of equipment. I love available light photography, but is it the answer to everything? No, not at all. Working with flashlight can create images, absolutely impossible with available light alone. Would I always use the flash? No, sometimes you can capture the right atmosphere with available light alone.

Believe me, I was a hardcore believer in only taking pictures in available light for a while. I learnt my lessons! There are also photographers, who's work mostly consists of pictures taken in available light. Herni Cartier Bresson is one of the many examples. I don't think that Ansel Adams took many pictures without tripod. Most of his camera were far too big to just hold in your hand.

There are some good exercises that you can assign yourself. Try for a week to take pictures only without a tripod. The next week, take pictures only with a tripod. Do the same for working with available light and flash light. Use only one focal length and change to another the next week. Your skill as photographer will grow as a result of this.

Working with wireless flashes

My Nikon D200 is equipped with wireless flash control (Nikon calls it Creative Lighting System - CLS), which simply means that the built in flash can be set on commander control and with that can remotely trigger and adjust external system flashlights like the SB600 or SB800. Is it a great tool? For sure it is! You can use TTL mode, manual mode or A mode. With the built in setup, you can control two external flash groups (consisting of 1 or more flashlights each). If you use a SB800 or the controller unit SU800, you have the ability to work with 3 different flash groups. You can download this document from Nikon for more details of the setup.

Is there a downside to it? Yes, the flashlights need to be in visual contact to the control unit. Otherwise the infrared receivers cannot pick up the signal and won't trigger. In most setups that is easy to accomplish, though not always.

I have been using until recently mostly the TTL setup as it is easy to use. Most of the time I would get the result, I was after, but sometimes it seems the communication between me and my camera did not flow perfectly.

A while back, I found the the strobist webpage with some great advice about using flashlights in a wireless setup. Strobist is run by David Hobby, photographer for the Baltimore Sun. I used the articles as inspiration for flash setups, but continued to work with the TTL setup. This weekend I decided to explore David's advice to go manual. Honestly, I was a bit sceptical, but went for it anyway. David also uses radio triggers for his flashlights, which cancel out the problem of visual contact between controller and flash. As I didn't have those, I just went with what I had.

Man! I was surprised, on how easy it was just to go manual. For the first few shots, I used a flashmeter, but packed away quickly. It was not necessary. All the information, I need I saw on the little screen on the back of my camera after did the shot. I just adjusted the manual output of the lights according to what I saw. That made the process quick and easy. Actually, as easy, if not easier than using TTL. I had the feeling to gain 100% control over the process again. It was almost like standing in the darkroom and printing my own images. A great feeling.

The objects of my experiments weren't very sexy and I did not bother too much with composition. The technique was more important for me than anything else. I will post some images over the following days, where I will use the newly learnt techniques in an attractive context.