Well I guess it had to happen. It’s been a while and I needed to get out the flashes and do something with them again. Of course the easiest model to use has always been myself unfortunately but until I get one of those heads they use at the beauty school I’ll have to do. Since I started reading the “Speedliters Handbook” by Syl Arena I’ve been itching to get out the lights so I finally did today. Forgot how one of the flashes test fire worked so I thought my batteries were dead and I needed to charge them up. I did need to charge but I ended up doing this way too late as usual but at least I have all 3 lights and how they work clear in my head now. Just wish I had cleaned my specs off first.

OK. I’ve tried to refrain from this but it has to be done occasionally. I got a 3rd strobe and need to start working with it to see what I can do. Unfortunately I didn’t write down the lighting info and now I don’t remember all but I did have the 430EX II and reflective umbrella high camera right and the Vivatar and shoot thru umbrella low camera left fired with the optical slave. I had my new (old) promaster flash as a hair light with the Honl grid. This was fired with a Promaster module as a slave. The Canon strobe was fired with the RadioPopper JrX and the main light.
And Oh yeah. I used some Topaz Adjust and PS filters to try and pretty the portrait up. (ha! ha!)

Bad lighting. The good thing about mistakes is if you can learn then they are not wasted. Got a shadow where I didn’t need or want one. Hopefully I’ll not make that mistake again.
The lighting info:
Canon 430EX II high camera right fired @ 1/2 bounced off an umbrella with the RadioPopper JrX and my Vivitar @ 1/4 power low camera left fired with the Sonia optical slave with the Honl snoot opened for a reflector.

Meet the Apex Guy. Local networking company’s new mascot. At least I’ve got another model to use and he is as ready as the other model though a might less flexible.
Made a nice little discovery last night. I have this bag from my dad that contains an old Canon film camera and some other stuff. One of the items I realized was a Promaster strobe. I found out today that for about $40 I can get a little module that will turn it into a slave unit. Nice. So I will have 3 lights to shoot with.
Tonight I used a single 430EX II fired with the RadioPopper JrX @ 1/16th power with the Honl 1/4″ Speed Grid.

I almost got it in the frame. Having myself as a model has the good points and bad. I am available when needed. That’s good, I guess. Sometimes though it seems to be hard to get centered horizontally in the frame. That’s bad. Unless of course that is what you are going for.
Tonight I wanted to be a little more centered because I was after the second strobe to be about a 180 degrees from the key light.
So here is the lighting:
Canon 430EX II high camera right fired @ 1/8 power through the shoot-thru umbrella with the RadioPopper JrX and my Vivitar @ 1/16 power fired with the Sonia optical slave through a Honl snoot.

First of all I am going back in time with the numbering here as I have some how gotten off track. Since most of these go to my blog it seems to be a bit messy changing the name later so now I am back to the right number of shots, 64.
After listening to an all about flash podcast by lensflare35 and the Digital Experience group I wanted to try my honl snoot for the back lighting. I guess it turned out OK (but not great).
So here is the lighting:
Canon 430EX II high camera right fired @ 1/8 power through the shoot-thru umbrella with the RadioPopper JrX.
Vivitar @ 1/4 power fired with the Sonia optical slave through a Honl snoot. Post processing is with Silver Efex Pro.

Here is a little plant I found today. I think it could be poison oak. I am working on a macro this week for the print competition.

I really need to get out tomorrow or have have something else to use as a model because I am getting tired of the same ole thing (me). At least my model is always nearby and it does give me the opportunity to see some of the effects of the Honl light modifiers. The lighting tonight was the Canon 430EX II fired @ 1/8 power with a RadioPopper JrX. I used the Honl system strap and snoot opened up as a reflector.

Roses for Valentine’s Day.
The lighting here was my Canon 430EX II high camera right fired with the RadioPopper JrX @ 1/4 power shot through an umbrella and the Vivitar 285HV @ 1/4″ low camera left fired with the Sonia optical slave using my Honl snoot opened up as a reflector.
Post-processing with Topaz Adjust.

Working on an idea I have for an upcoming portrait shoot that involves 2 strobes. It will be easier when I’m not the model though. I think that it’s an idea that will work.
The lighting here was my Canon 430EX II high camera right fired with the RadioPopper JrX @ 1/32 power shot through my Honl 1/4″ Speed grid and the Vivitar 285HV @ 1/16″ low camera left fired with the Sonia optical slave using my Honl snoot.