OddThinking

Here are the lessons I have learned from using my new remote flash configuration at a party (which I used for practice) and a theatre-based circus performance.

High Risk, High Gain

With this configuration, you will lose some potential photos due to bad lighting. You will also get some really interesting ones.

At the end of the day, my favourite shots from each shoot were taken flashless, f/1.8, at ISO 1600 – which is another photographic crap-shoot, but there were some people who were very happy with their portraits taken with with the remote flash.

There’s a lot of room for fun and interesting shots with the flashes in odd or unexpected positions.

Determining Exposure

Use manual mode, not aperture-priority.

Set the exposure through test shots and then forget it. This doesn’t make sense from an optics perspective, but there appears to be enough tolerance to get away with it.

Be wary of using the histogram to determine your exposure. The black parts of the shot which don’t receive the flash, and the white parts of the wall that are over-flashed dominate the histogram.

Avoiding Failures

Remember to turn off the auto-off feature on your flash if you can. I needed to read the manual to do that (It wasn’t at all obvious that I needed to set parameter 2 to 0, or whatever it was.)

Fresh batteries are key, especially for the flashes. This is an expensive proposition; you need to change batteries early, when you set-up the configuration, not later when it is actually required.

I learnt a lot during the Tech Rehearsal about where to be and what would work. Attend that if you can. I also spoke to each performer (as is my practice) and checked about their concerns. Some do not want to be distracted by flashes during key or dangerous parts of their act. Some are more concerned with tittilating images showing up on Facebook. I take notes on a running sheet. They generally seem to appreciate being asked first, even if they have no objections.

War Story #1

In the theatre, one flash was mounted on a tripod (with gaffer!), and was hidden in the wings, stage right. (I was fortunate that the stage manager gave the all-clear to use that area; I can’t rely on that.)

The other sat, stage left, on a very small stand hidden from the audience in front of a speaker.

Everything worked perfectly in the tech rehearsal. I turned off the equipment as the theatre doors were opened to conserve the batteries. Then, three minutes before the show started, as the audiences were settling in their seats, I turned them on again.

I did a quick test shot, and horror of horrors, one of the flashes would not fire. I began to slowly and methodically panic as I checked the flash and receiver were turned on, and in range. I couldn’t figure it out, and probably made an unprofessional first impression to the crowd, as I rushed back and forth, firing test flashes.

I fell back to mounting a flash directly to the camera, very annoyed that all my preparation was for nought. The only possibility I could think of was flat batteries in the receiver. I knew from experience it was hard to open the receiver case without a screwdriver or coin, so I took the receiver to a friend, and gave him the task of getting it open. While I was explaining what was required, the receiver flew open in my hands. I replaced the batteries. While I was doing it noticed that one of the dip switches was set wrongly. It was listening to channel 2 instead of channel 3. I must have bumped it while turning the device on or off. That had never happened before, and I didn’t know to look out for it. Now, I definitely do!

The flash was remounted back on the stand and I was back in business, just as the music wound up and the show began.

Phew!

War Story #2

The first act was fairly relaxing; the performer had gone through her entire piece, in costume, during the tech rehearsal, and I knew I had some photos in the bag, so I didn’t take many during the actual show. I was worried that the flash might be distracting to the audience, so I wanted to keep it within reason.

However, to my renewed horror, one of the flashes kept triggering even when I wasn’t touching the camera.

I wondered if another photographer was in the room, taking advantage of my set-up with their own transmitter, but only one of the flashes was affected. I wondered if there was some interference from theatre equipment on the radio-frequency it was receiving on. However, I think the most likely explanation is simpler. The act had a loud music track, with a strong beat, and the flash always seemed to be in time with it!

The flash gun was right in front of one of the speakers. There was probably a loose connection, and the deep bass Doof! from the speaker was enough to trigger it.

I was very concerned that a strobing flash throughout the entire first half of the show would annoy both the audience and also the performers.

I was also a little concerned about having no batteries left for the second half!

Fortunately, the worst case didn’t come about. The performer said later she didn’t even notice the flash. After the first act, the music was a little more demur, and flash apparatus behaved itself for the rest of the show.

Other Limitations

Set-up time is far more elaborate with the remote flashes.

The MC moved down into the audience during act change-overs to focus the audience away from the crew setting up. I couldn’t easily shoot him there, as the flashes were pointing up-stage. (I was aware that this was going to happen from the rehearsal, so I took more photos of him whenever he was on-stage to compensate.)

I was lucky that the acts I were most worried about being out-of-flash range (e.g. an aerial act mounted off-stage over the front of the house) were grouped into the second half, so I changed to a camera-mounted flash then.

Shadows were an issue in some shots. Rigging ropes that were across the stage cast shadows over faces. When two performers went for an intimate kiss, each of their heads cast the other’s face into shadow. (Maybe a fill-flash mounted on the camera would help?)

Bonus Benefit: Because the flashes are close to the performers, it is possible to take photos from the back of the room, and still have enough light.

I’ve now learnt that is important when photographing aerialists indoors to go to the back of the room, to get a more level shot. I took too many shots from near the front of the stage, pointing up, which means the backdrop to the action includes all the lighting, rigging and ducting of a modern theatre. I did a lot of burning-in during the photo editing to minimise the distraction. (When photographing aerialists outdoors, don’t forget to adjust the exposure to counter the sky.)

Conclusion

Still life or portrait photo-shoot with a patient subject: Go for it. You can get some funky effects.

Party in a room with a low ceiling: Don’t bother. Bounce flash is far more flexible and reliable. (For some reason, jugglers and aerialists refuse to perform in rooms with low ceilings. Go figure?)

Once-in-a-life action shots: Too risky – stick to something proven to work.

Theatre performance: It’s a lot of setting up and a bit of risk, but the results can be better, especially for the big and brassy, on-stage acts (rather than small and cosy or roaming acts) and when you need to move away from the stage to get all the action.