Speedlights + Iphone = Easy

Usually I just wing it when it comes to shooting with my speedlights. Power up, scoot 'em back, adjust my aperture a tad......Hold on one more shot. I can get pretty close in around 3-5 shots.

But sometimes you want to nail it. you don't want to dork around with all that. This is where most will say, "get a flippin light meter!" I know, there is just other gear I would rather have.

Anyway, Emmet Photography did some great research where he tested the actuall guide numbers for the Canon 580ex, and 430 ex seperate and firing together and made handy little charts with guide numbers for different flash zooms and powers.

Days Later.......

I find the neat little Iphone app called PhotoCalc.

So I plugged in a few numbers, Aperture, ISO, distance to subject, and the guide number for the appropriate zoom on my speedlight and it spit out Flash power = 1/16.

I shot a variety of test shots from different distances up to 20 feet and different subjects, and they all came out perfectly exposed. I even used a shoot thru, and a stofen, and used the numbers from his deductions page and they were perfect.

Good Luck!

The 50-50-50 slump buster

Ok, so you've hit it the dreaded slump, that place where no photographer likes to be. You're creative juices are at an all time low. What used to look like a great photo-op now is just the dog you have to feed, or the apple you are saving for tomorrow. Light is just something hindering your vision, the world has gone "blah". Do not fear the 50-50-50 is here. I ran across this photographer in a group I moderate called S.U.M (setups mandatory) over on flickr.

He just completed  this little project where he took 50 photos, for 50 days, with a 50mm lens.

He had to use flash for each photo and he had to photograph the setup shot for each.

So for all you Strobist out there looking for a little spark, besides the one that come from your speedlight, this might just be what the Dr. ordered.

Another (Super Cheap) Shoe adapter

For those of you wanting to experiment with off camera flash. Here is an affordable way to hep get you there.

I ran across US Camera while I was looking for cheap sync cords. At $7.95 this has to be the cheapest shoe adapter I have seen. Turns out this guy is right down the mountain from me in Centennial, CO. 

I think he has all the parts to make your own flash as well!

It is constructed of metal for years of use. Has test button and two PC outlets.

 Lets any camera, digital or film, with a standard hot shoe have a  PC terminal to connect external flash via cord.  

Great for testing of flash shoe operation for technicians.