If my flash isn't on my camera, what is it attached to?

[Sean Setters]

[i]Disclaimer: The comments contained within this post are not directly affiliated with David Hobby or the [url="http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/]Strobist[/url] blog--they are merely the thoughts of someone who has followed his instructions to great effect.[/i]


[b]Sections:[/b]


1. [url="/forums/p/2081/16041.aspx#16041]Interested in Strobism?[/url]


2. [i]I[/i][i]f my flash isn't on my camera, what is it attached to?[/i]


3. [url="/forums/p/2562/20083.aspx#20083]Bare flash still looks a little harsh...How can I make it look better? [Light Modifiers][/url]





So now you've got your flash off the camera's hotshoe and you've found a way to trigger it remotely--the only problem is that the flash looks rather helpless lying on the dining room table where you are testing the everything out. Now that your flash isn't on the hotshoe, it likely needs to fit onto something. Some more common examples include umbrella swivels (with or without hotshoe connection accessories), flash stands, tripods, boom poles, and clamps.
<h3>Umbrella Swivels</h3>


An umbrella swivel is a fantastic thing. Basically, an umbrella swivel is designed to fit on top of a stud (like a stud on top of a flash stand) and allows you to affix your flash so that it fires into the umbrella. An umbrella isn't required to use an umbrella swivel, but that [i]is [/i]what it's designed for. There are probably more varieties of umbrella swivels than there are cowboys at a rodeo. Many are designed very similarly. Almost all the basic umbrella swivels will get the job done--some just get the job done better than others. ;-)


So which umbrella swivel is right for you? Well, that may very well depend on how you plan on connecting your triggering device to your flash. If your triggering device plugs straight into your flash, then an umbrella swivel with a built-in shoe will be fine. However, sometimes you either can't plug your device straight into the flash (or else you simply don't want to). Under these conditions, you might want to use this [url="http://www.flashzebra.com/products/0128/index.shtml]Female Hotshoe with Miniphone Jack[/url] from flashzebra to connect your triggering to the flash. The hotshoe with miniphone jack allows you to connect just about any flash to your triggering receiver. You only need to buy the cord that connects the receiver to the hotshoe adapter. If you flashes that are different brands, then this system works out very well as you're able to standardize your equipment.


However, if you're using the Hotshoe with Miniphone Jack, then you might have to be pickier when choosing an umbrella swivel. I've found the plastic shoe on the bottom of the adapter won't necessarily fit into every run-of-the-mill umbrella adapter. It's better to use an umbrella adapter with a threaded stud on top (like the [url="http://www.mpex.com/browse.cfm/4,4722.html]LP634[/url] from MPEX) rather a built in shoe. Personally, I don't like the stud that comes with the LP634, so I purchased a similar [url="http://www.flashzebra.com/products/0085/index.shtml]stud[/url] from flashzebra that I'm very happy with. Else, an umbrella swivel with an adjustable shoe on top (like the [url="http://www.mpex.com/browse.cfm/4,11776.html]LP633[/url]) works well too. As I use the Hotshoe with Miniphone adapters, I use the LP634s with my primary light souces (generally used with a light modifier). The tilt adjustment on that swivel allows for finer control of the positioning of the light and the umbrella hole is angled so that your flash points into the center of your light modifier. I generally use the LP633s with fill and rim lights as fine control isn't usually necessary. [Note: Some umbrella swivels don't have angled umbrella shafts holes. The angled umbrella shaft hole enables the flash to fire directly into the center of the umbrella for the most even coverage. An angled umbrella hole isn't absolutely necessary, but it helps.]


So what are you supposed to do if you want more power than one flash can put out? Well, you need a multi-flash bracket. One interesting example is the [url="http://www.mpex.com/browse.cfm/4,12712.html]TriFlash[/url] from Lastolite. It is an umbrella swivel that allows you to connect three flashes to it at once. It's a great looking product, however, it's quite expensive (especially for an umbrella swivel). There are other ways to accomplish the same goal if you're good at DIY (do-it-yourself) projects, but the TriFlash is a good pre-made solution nonetheless. Another option is the new [url="http://www.lightwaredirect.com/]Lightware Direct FourSquare[/url]. The Foursquare is not an umbrella swivel--it fits on top of an umbrella swivel and allows you to connect 4 flashes to the swivel at once. On the plus side, using 4 flashes at once will give you two more stops of light than if you were using a single flash. The downside--price. To be fair, the FourSquare kit comes with a softbox too, but it's still very expensive. Think of it this way--if you put four 580EX IIs into the FourSquare, you'd have have almost $2000 invested in that light source. For that kind of money, you could get three [url="http://www.alienbees.com/b1600.html]AlienBee 1600 Flashes[/url] and a [url="http://www.alienbees.com/battery.html]Vagabond[/url] battery pack (to allow for a portable setup) and still have about $500 left over after shipping--and you'd be able to fire off much more light than you ever could with the FourSquare system.
<h3>Lightstands</h3>


Now that you've gotten your umbrella swivel, you need to put that umbrella swivel on something. One of the most common options is a lightstand. The type of lighstand you need will depend on 1) your shooting style and preferences, 2) the amount of weight you need the stand to be able to support, 3) how high you want the stand to reach, 4) if bells and whistles are important to you. Each different type of light stand has its advantages and disadvantages like everything else. If a lightstand is a heavy-duty variety and able to support a lot of weight, then it's likely very heavy. If a lightstand has a large maximum height, then it likely won't compact down to a small size.


If you're trying to pack light (as in everything in a backpack or small bag), then you probably need to stick with one of the more compact variety of lighstands. The <span class="bodyTextBold"]Manfrotto 5001b Nano Light Stand (3373/001b) has been a favorite of strobists for quite some time. It compacts down to less than 20", yet has a maximum height of around 6'. It's also very convenient to carry an umbrella attached to the compact lighstand using a ball bungee. A less expensive version of the Nano is the LumoPro LP604. In fact, David Hobby noted that the LumoPro version seemed a bit sturdier than the Nano. The maximum height of about 6' can be an annoying limiting factor in many situations as well as the relatively low maximum load the lightstand can bear. It's a great option when your packing light--and you'll be paying a premium for that portability.


A step up from the compact lightstands are the normal 8 - 13' varieties. These lightstands are sturdier and have higher maximum loads. On the down side, they're bigger when compacted down. I've owned several different lighstands in this category purchased from ebay and other photography equipment manufacturers. The best lightstand I've found for the money is the LumoPro 8' Black A/C (LP606) Lighstand. I live and die by these stands. They're cheaper yet better made than any other stands I've tried. They're even air-cushioned--which means that when you release the tension lever, your flash won't drop like a hammer to the next tensioning joint. I highly recommend these lightstands. One fairly special lightstand in this category is the Denny EZ Stand. The Denny EZ Stand's legs open automatically when you set the stand down--and the legs automatically fold up when you pick the stand up. This would be a handy feature if you're constantly moving your lighstands or else trying to negotiate your way through crowds. As with the compact lightstand, you'll be paying a substantial premium for this feature of portability.


One more type of lightstand I must mention is the C-stand. C-stands are great for supporting heavy loads as they are very sturdy. They come in a variety of sizes and can be used in conjunction with a boom and a counterweight to position your shoe-mount flash in places you just can't get to otherwise (like, for instance, directly above your subject). Unfortunately, C-stands are usually very heavy, bulky, and expensive (especially for casual use). If you're setting up a home studio, C-stands are the way to go. Otherwise, I'd rather stick with my LP606s.


No matter which type of stand you get, you're likely going to need some way to anchor your stand to a particular spot. The problem is that when you attach an umbrella to the stand using an umbrella swivel, almost any amount of wind will cause your umbrella, flash, and receiver unit to come crashing to the ground. There are several ways to provide the necessary stability to the stand. The most common solution involves using sandbags to weigh down your stands. Sandbags are great, but are bulky and heavy to transport. Another solution is to anchor your stand to the ground using a jug full of water that is bungeed to your lighstand. Water is available in most places. If you don't have access to water, you could fill the jug with gravel or dirt or whatever else is immediately available. Again, the jugs are bulky, but are much lighter when not being used. Yet another solution is to use tent stakes. Aluminum tent stakes are light, strong, small, and work very well on dirt. However, tent stakes won't help you on pavement. Better keep the jugs around just in case. ;-)
<h3>Justin Clamps</h3>


So right now you're asking, "What in the hell is a Justin Clamp and why is it called that?" Don't worry, you're not the first to ask. The Justin Clamp is a spring clamp that has a ballhead with a coldshoe attached. Years ago, famed photographer Joe McNally was trying to do an assignment for National Geographic and the gear he had just wasn't cutting the mustard. He complained to Justin Stailey (who worked at Bogen Corporation). Justin created the clamp using some Bogen off the shelf parts. Joe ordered 10 of the nifty little gadgets and then wrote about them in American Photo calling them the "Justin Clamp." The Justin Clamp is darn useful at attaching your flash to doors, poles, and just about anything else that will fit in the clamp. The OEM version isn't cheap, but you can build your own for roughly half the price. For the DIY version, just buy a spring clamp without the ballhead, buy a mini ballhead from ebay, and then put the two together. You will have to drill a hole and find the right size screw, but the savings is worth the effort. If you want to forgo the cost of the mini ballhead, and you happen to have an extra umbrella swivel (like the LP633) lying around, then you can simply attach your swivel to the stud on the spring clamp. It's really that easy...
<h3>Studio Clamps</h3>


A studio clamp is a multi-purpose tool that is especially suited for attaching lights to round poles up to 2 1/4" in diameter. You need an umbrella swivel (like the LP633) to attach your flash to the studio clamp. Personally, I haven't found it necessary to buy one of these little devices. I've found that my spring clamp (and later DIY Justin Clamp) filled my needs just fine.
<h3>Tripods</h3>


The simple truth is that you can fit your umbrella swivel onto a camera tripod using the right kind of stud. However, it's just doesn't make much sense to me to put a flash on an expensive tripod when a much cheaper lighstand will do the job just fine. The only exception I've found is the flexible tripod I found at Maxsaver (it's an off-brand version of the Gorillapod). With a stud and an umbrella swivel, this cheap little wonder becomes an indispensable tool. It's especially useful to attach your flashes to tree limbs or otherwise prop your flash up on an elevated surface. Check these photos to see how I've used the flexible tripod.
<h3>Booms and VALS
</h3>


Ok, so you can use a boom (basically a long rod) with a lightstand to position your flashes in ways that you simply can't with a traditional lightstand alone. As I'm a fan of cheap thrills...oops, I mean cheap frills...take a look at Kacey Pole Adapter. The adapter will allow you to attach an umbrella swivel and flash to any paint pole (or broom handle?) with a threaded end. It's actually a pretty good idea if you happen to have an assistant working with you. You can use an assistant holding the Kacey boom as a Voice Activated Lighstand, or VAL. I've never tried it, but I imagine the Kacey Pole Adapter would work well when using a telescoping paint pole, a small softbox (or very small umbrella), and a VAL. On the subject of VALS, they can be very useful in dynamic situations where subjects are constantly on the move. I've personally used my girlfriend as a VAL when photographing children at play--being able to adjust the position of your light source in the blink of an eye can make the difference between a ho-hum shot and a 20x30 print that is the focal point of a room.


Of course, if you want something that doesn't require an assistant, a traditional boom may be the best answer. You typically need some sort of pivot clamp to attach the boom to your [heavy duty] lightstand as well as a counter weight to balance the boom load. When it's all said and done, it'll look something like this:









Up next, Bare flash still looks a little harsh...How can I make it look better? [Light Modifiers]

[Maleko]

Another awesome post!


I love my 60cm umbrella that I can hold in my handwhen I do weddings

[Sean Setters]

I started looking at very small umbrellas and I think that's probably a better idea for use with the Kacey Pole Adapter. Especially at wedding receptions, the light spillage of the small umbrella would be an advantage as it would light up more area yet would still remain quite portable and easy to handle.

[Maleko]

Yeh, I use the Kaiser Bounce Shoe with an Umbrella Slot, then mount that on a flash bracket with an ETTL Cable and my 580


Works wonders for weddings, very portable and brillaint results, especially useful for those places with high ceilings when a bounce flash just isn't enough. It's even brilliant for those outdoor bride and groom shots when you want that little bit of soft fill light.
I just need an easier way of quick releasing the flash from my bracket, seen a few on the market.


This way, all my equipment is with me and hand held, which is never a problem. I just want to get a nice flash remote to replace the cable I use, cable is very restrictive!

[Sean Setters]

Added some more info to the Lighstands section (included a paragraph on stability).

[shutr]

Another great job. Now I have an idea of what to get started with.

[jnort002]

Hi Sean


Thanks for your posts, they have opened up a whole new world of opportunities. I am slowly acquiring the bits and pieces I need to fire 2x KF36's through umbrellas and just had a question on umbrella swivels.


Do you know of any other swivels (other than LumoPro) that have angled shaft holes? Importing into the UK is a painwithcustoms and the processing fees that the shipping companies charge. I have a friend coming to visit later this year from US who could bring them but I would prefer not to wait.


All the other ones I have looked at are parallel holes including the Manfrotto MN026 and ones on ebay.I have seen some pics of the slight difference it can make and would like to make the extra effort to find angled ones but am having no luck in the UK.


Help anyone

[Sean Setters]

The best advice I can give you is to contact the distrutors of the swivels to find out for sure. That type of design feature isn't usually listed in the details on the swivel. Most of the larger swivels (like this from flashzebra) have the angled shaft. However, as I don't actually own that particular swivel, I can'ttell you thatit has the angled shaft with 100% certainty. Many of thecompactswivels forgo the angled shaft in order to make the swivel smaller.


As for a specific UK retailer, I'm woefully ignorant. I'd try searching through theFlickr Strobist Group Discussionthreads to see where other UK citizens are buying their gear (ebay is one option).

[jnort002]

Great, thanks Sean thats really helpful


No flickr access at work so will start researching now.

[Dan Fleming]

Awesome, thanks!


Do you know when you are going to be able to get the last section up? I only ask because they are so darn awesome and I want the rest of the information!





Thanks


DF