2nd strobe, AB800 or a ABR800?

[te1221]

Hey guys,

It's been a while since i've posted but I've been very busy with work and school. I'm getting hired for a portrait shoot for a sweet 16 of just family shots. I am planning on using a backdrop but I am also looking to get a second light.

Should I spring for the ABR800 Ring flash and then use my current AB800 as a backdrop light? Or should I get a second AB800 to get more fill?

[adam75south]

how large is the family? you could possibly need two key lights. although i have done a few group shots with just one key and a huge softbox directly in front of them and up high and a fill light directly in front, but just below camera axis.

[te1221]

It's a family of 4. I've been using the AB800 as a keylight and also my Sunpack flash as secondary fill for the shadows, but i figured it's probably best to replace it.

[adam75south]

oh haha, in that case i'd say that ring light would work pretty well. i've seen some AMAZING portraits shot with those ring lights.

[adam75south]

and i have no idea how well the ring light would fill, but who cares. it's a ring light and they're freakin cool.

[24Peter]

...it's a ring light and they're freakin cool.

Adam is right about that: they are cool. But I've never seen a family portrait shot with one. I definitely would suggest NOT getting the ringflash for this genre of portrait (though if you aspire to any fashion or other cutting edge work, you might want to consider one in the future.) My suggestion is master traditional three point lighting setups before branching out with a specialty light like a ringflash.

The AB800 you have is a fine key light. But at a minimum, I'd use a second light (could be a AB400) as a backlight - NOT a background light. This light would be positioned behind your subjects roughly opposite your key light. (The back light is used to light the hair/torso of your subjects from behind creating a rim of light around them that separates them from the background.) Then you could use an on-camera Speelite (in manual mode since in auto/ttl mode it will fire a pre-flash which confuse the optical sensors on the AB's) as fill light if you don't want to use a third strobe. THEN I would get some blackwrap, create a snoot for the Sunpak flash and use that as the background light. Place it low and behind your subjects pointed at the backdrop.

[24Peter]

Another alternative is to use a butterfly/clamshell set up which Adam describes. This is more a fashion/beauty type setup, but I've found it works well for more traditional portraits too. Here you'd need only one strobe with a large (preferably rectangular) softbox. Place it high above, in front of your subjects pointed down. Then place a large silver reflector (again oval or rectangular is preferred for groups, circular is OK for one or two people) below the light and camera axis tilted towards your subjects. Then use the Sunpak as your background light. I've found that I can get away without using a back light/rim light on my subjects with this setup, esp if my mainlight is very high above and some light spills on their hair.

[te1221]

Thanks guys. I think I'm going to get a second AB800. I bought a 35" octobox from them originally but it seems as if the price has gone up since i last bought it.

I already have a shoot through umbrella and silver umbrella, but I'm thinking I should get a grid to use as a backlight and then use a foamcore board as reflector opposite of the key light, which is typically what I do as it is. What doyou guys thinK?

[GaryS]

I think I need more lights... you are making me jealous!

[24Peter]

Thanks guys. I think I'm going to get a second AB800. I bought a 35" octobox from them originally but it seems as if the price has gone up since i last bought it.

I already have a shoot through umbrella and silver umbrella, but I'm thinking I should get a grid to use as a backlight and then use a foamcore board as reflector opposite of the key light, which is typically what I do as it is. What doyou guys thinK?

Grid is a good idea for the backlight (or background light) 20 or 30 or 40% should work. In my experience foamcore is hard to use for more than one person. You need to get it fairly close to the subject to get an effect. You're better off with another light for fill.

[adam75south]

i agree, i hate reflectors and it's not easy to measure your output anyway. better off with sometime you can have more control over.

[te1221]

Thanks for the input everyone :).

I ended up ordering a second AB800, this time with a 32" shoot thru umbrella, carrying case and light stand.

I also had another very positive experience with Alienbees again. A few months ago I was doing an outdoor shoot when the wind blew over my AB800 and bent the minijack connector for my wireless receiver.

I told the that, then asked if they had a spare minijack converter, when instead he sent me another receiver free of charge so I can have 2 to play with. :D