Strobist Gallery- let's see your external flash MTB shots

[lelebebbel]

Post your best mountainbike shots taken with external / remote controlled flash.

Feel free to add details of the setup (position of strobes, trigger setup, camera and flash settings), so we can all learn something here.

[lelebebbel]

To get this going, here are a few of mine. I've played around with this stuff for a while but never really worked it all out. My goal for this season is to get a bit more gear (radio triggers and a second external unit) and get a bit better at this, so feel free to criticize.



Setup: One Nikon SB600 as visible in the background probably at about 1/4 power, on camera flash at 1/8 or something. 1/200 f/5.6 ISO400.


Older shot. Single SB600 just to the left of the frame (see shadows), set to Auto TTL. Natural light from the top. No on-camera flash. 1/200 f/4 ISO400.


As above. 1/200 f/4.5 ISO200.

And finally, one of my first attempts ever:

I think this was with a single manual strobe just to the left of the camera. 1/200 f/8 ISO400.

Hopefully I'll have more to post in a few weeks.

[HRP]

These are great. I just got my first MTB after over a decade of no riding (BMX) and I'm dying to get out there with my camera.
Fav shot is the second one.

[willymoe]

Nice shots. The second is my fav.

[Revolver1529]

0627100023

[zkid09]

some of the best shots ive seen! awesome work

[teamhaymaker]

yeah 2 and 4 are awesome, Just wish the rider was in focus more like the front wheel.
But all these shots are great guys, Im giving it a try this weekend for the first time.
I have 3 lights, stands and remote triggers. Lets see what i can do with my fisheye

[lelebebbel]

Thanks. Definitely post your results.

@Revolver: I'm guessing one strobe from the right of the photo, and natural light from the left?

Here's something different from last weekend - an attempt to get rid of a distracting background. Done by stopping down the camera (everything is black without flash), then using full flash power on the rider and jump.

Redlynch DJs by lelebebbel, on Flickr

1/200s (max synch speed), f/10, ISO200, shot late in the afternoon. One SB600 on a stand from the left, and the pop-up camera flash both at full power. A second strobe from the right would have helped i think.

Luckily I just received my new flash unit, a YN560II from china along with some radio triggers. Should perfect for this sort of stuff. Seems surprisingly high quality, definitely more sturdy than my SB600, although fully manual of course. Very high power. Having 2 external strobes should really open up some more options.

[teamhaymaker]

thats a nice looking shot, another light would have helped but its not always an option unfortunately.
Manual flash is the only way I know, I have a bunch of 285HVs and love them.

I must have lived on the strobist blog for months.....

[lelebebbel]

The strobist blog is awesome, really a must read for anybody who ever uses flash.
Link for those new to the subject: Strobist

First time out with the new ebay radio triggers (YN603) today. Big step forward from the ones I had years ago, so far 100% reliable.

I was racing and shooting, so not much time to set things up before I had to get back in the shuttle vehicle. Using the sun as a rimlight and a strobe on the right to light up the faces:

DH2 - 20 by lelebebbel, on Flickr


DH2 - 22 by lelebebbel, on Flickr

[hogprint]

Took a crack at some shots with the flash today. Lots of deletes. This was a reasonable shot. Not the best but not too terrible for the first try.


Untitled by hogprint, on Flickr

[lelebebbel]

was your flash mounted on the camera for this? The exposure looks good, nice use of the wide angle as well. Flash will really improve shots though once you move the flash unit away from the camera with a cable, optical or radio remote. On camera flash tends to "flatten" the photo.

[hogprint]

Yes it was. This was the first time I've brought the flash along and I can now see that the remote actuation gives that dimensional look. Now to get more kit...

[Lawson Raider]

I recently purchased a Sony NEX-5n but took it back a few days ago as I thought it was way too much camera for what I use it for but one of the questions I have is how do you get those pictures if you are by yourself? Most cameras give you a 10 second timer and that is very difficult to get in good shots with that little time.

I know the GoPro will shoot continuosly every 2 seconds (hero 2 i think is faster than that) but for a P&S and even the NEX-5n didn't offer continous shots only 10 shots after 10 second timer.

[lelebebbel]

there is a thread in the "passion" forum about self-timer shots.
These here are taken with a remote controlled flash, but with a person operating the camera. It would be quite difficult to take a self-timer-remote-flash shot, especially since most flash units will only fire once every few seconds at the higher power settings.

For self timer shots, have a look here:
Self timer passion! Post 'em up!

[lax30]

Here's a few of my strobist fun. mostly 2 flashes
First few are shot with my d200, 2x sb600's triggers by paul buff cyber syncs.

2nd, 3rd and 5th are shot with my d700 2x sb600s and trigger by my pw's

Also this first shot is actually me. setup the lights and cam and had my buddy click it for me.

In case anyone was wondering, len's used were 10.5 2.8 fish, 70-200 2.8, 14-24 2.8

[El Salt]

Man, great stuff lax!

[lax30]

Man, great stuff lax!

thanks man i really appreciate that. ive got a ton more, i will post up a few more this evening.

[DurtGurl]

Great pics Lax!!! I would really like to get into this type of off-camera flash shooting and am looking into gear to work with my Canon T3i and 430EXII. Any tips on triggers or stands? Would love to be able to keep it light and take the camera, flash, stand, etc on the trail with me in the Clik.

[lax30]

Great pics Lax!!! I would really like to get into this type of off-camera flash shooting and am looking into gear to work with my Canon T3i and 430EXII. Any tips on triggers or stands? Would love to be able to keep it light and take the camera, flash, stand, etc on the trail with me in the Clik.

Thanks Alot!!

Triggers......Well, you could always go with Pocket wizards for triggers. They just released a Plus III, trigger and tranciever that is fairly reasonably priced. However for cost i dont think you can beat the Paul c. Buff cyber syncs. They are pretty small and very easy to use. With these your setting a manual flash value, same with the PW plus3's. The cyber sync stuff was what i started on

At the moment I am using the PW Flex system with Mini and a AC3 Zone Controller on top of that. With these i can shoot with TTL from the camera or i can mix and match with the zone controller. say group A i want TTL control and groups B and C i want to set manually, i can do all of trhat right from my hot shoe, instead or going to each flash and setting the flash output. The wireless TTL is kindda cool and you can adjust the output of that just the same from the Zone controller. This system also allows me to shot at stupid high shutter speeds.......im talkin 1/8000th with full flash sync with ZERO banding..they call it hyper sync, only down side is recycle time with flashes as its nuking whatever your shooting.

Stands.....Well most of the time when shooting in the woods i just bring tripods. Lightstands for the most part are only stable on flat ground, so when im in the woods on a hill or steep lander having the telescoping legs of the tripod are a must. Plus having a ball head on your tripod helps with getting the perfect angle. Antoher option you can use is to either get little bungie straps or those gorilla tripods and just use nearby trees to attach them too. People work pretty good for light stands too when you run out of other options, plus they are voice activated......."point it more to the right"

The options i mentioned for triggers will both work for you canon setup. Sorry for the Long ramble about that stuff but i must not lie i have a problem reguarding my photography addiction.......first step is to admit right??


Links:
Pocketwizard® - Wireless transmitters and receivers Pocketwizards product page, has plus 3's and the Flexx and Mini TTl stuff on there too

Paul C. Buff - CyberSync™Paul buff stuff, linked straight to their product page as well


Hope that helps!

[DurtGurl]

Thanks Alot!!

Triggers......Well, you could always go with Pocket wizards for triggers. They just released a Plus III, trigger and tranciever that is fairly reasonably priced. However for cost i dont think you can beat the Paul c. Buff cyber syncs. They are pretty small and very easy to use. With these your setting a manual flash value, same with the PW plus3's. The cyber sync stuff was what i started on

At the moment I am using the PW Flex system with Mini and a AC3 Zone Controller on top of that. With these i can shoot with TTL from the camera or i can mix and match with the zone controller. say group A i want TTL control and groups B and C i want to set manually, i can do all of trhat right from my hot shoe, instead or going to each flash and setting the flash output. The wireless TTL is kindda cool and you can adjust the output of that just the same from the Zone controller. This system also allows me to shot at stupid high shutter speeds.......im talkin 1/8000th with full flash sync with ZERO banding..they call it hyper sync, only down side is recycle time with flashes as its nuking whatever your shooting.

Stands.....Well most of the time when shooting in the woods i just bring tripods. Lightstands for the most part are only stable on flat ground, so when im in the woods on a hill or steep lander having the telescoping legs of the tripod are a must. Plus having a ball head on your tripod helps with getting the perfect angle. Antoher option you can use is to either get little bungie straps or those gorilla tripods and just use nearby trees to attach them too. People work pretty good for light stands too when you run out of other options, plus they are voice activated......."point it more to the right"

The options i mentioned for triggers will both work for you canon setup. Sorry for the Long ramble about that stuff but i must not lie i have a problem reguarding my photography addiction.......first step is to admit right??


Links:
Pocketwizard® - Wireless transmitters and receivers Pocketwizards product page, has plus 3's and the Flexx and Mini TTl stuff on there too

Paul C. Buff - CyberSync™Paul buff stuff, linked straight to their product page as well


Hope that helps!

I am such a novice at flash use. I absolutely hate on-camera flash so have only used natural lighting thus far in my short DSLR career (since last summer). Since I live in sunny Arizona natural light is plentiful, but I'm wanting more dramatic lighting for my trail shots to really snap. I've been in a perpetual state of healing for the last few years (hip replacement, neck injury, broken wrist) so the camera has become my escape. Thanks for the tips... I'll be doing some pre-shopping research and then let the experimentation begin! Feel free to add more pics to this thread and be sure to give details of the shot if you can.

[ronbo613]

July, 1989







Not that rad by today's standards, kind of a different thing twenty three years ago

[Wherewolf]

Fill flash should be so subtle you don't notice it. I use it to show the eyes and bring up the shadows.

[Kailas]

oh man, I love the old school photo's with the big ol Giro helmets

[miatagal96]

DurtGurl:

What do you use to mount your flash onto your tripod?

Also, I notice that a lot of people use radio triggers. Are these better than using your on-board flash to trigger the external flash?