Portable lighting setup

[P1505]

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Hi.

Wasnt sure where to post, feel free to move.

I have an unpaid piece of work coming up in a few months. Unpaid for valid reasons not because I’m being fleeced - to quell that discussion.

Im going to be photographing people who are considered vulnerable, in their homes. They won’t want a load of flash gear going off, and I need to work fast and quiet.

I want to ensure I’m prepared so will spend the time from now to then using any gear you all decide I need so on the days I’m not fumbling around.

I need to sort lights. They need to be battery powered, allow for portraits but also situational/documentary photographs within rooms. I was thinking of LED lights that are always on, accompanied by a flash gun or several of essential.

Ill be shooting with the SL and a variety of lenses, and maybe the Q for candid work during discussions. Because it’s quiet.

So the brief is:

- simple lighting set up

- that is battery powered

- that isn’t huge and overbearing - that I can get to now so I can use it daily between now and then

I get one shot at this, and although I’d always suggest hiring a pro in this instance that isn’t possible, for complex reasons.

Help!

[LocalHero1953]

My smallest and lightest lighting setup is designed for carrying in/on a backpack on a bike:

- 1-3 lighting stands: Manfrotto 1051BAC Mini Compact stands (a pack of three can be clipped together), each with an angle bracket+brollie socket
- Brollies for each stand, about 600-800 mm diameter
- Godox AD200 strobe lights, set up so the strobe shoots through the white brollie (less intimidating/noticeable than bouncing out of the brollie). You can use any old manual flash - I used to use Nikon SB24 from ebay, but flashes designed for a hotshoe need an adaptor for mounting on a stand.
- Godox Xpro trigger
- Leica SL, set up in Manual mode. No flash on camera.

And if you haven't done it before, practice a lot so you have some idea what flash power you are likely to need for a typical interior.

IMO continuous lighting is more noticeable by the subject than a flash behind a brollie.

Edited February 3, 2021 by LocalHero1953

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[wda]

With a fast lens on your Q, why not do a test run using available lighting? Your pictures would look much more authentic and the whole operation would be less of a hassle to the vulnerable people you wish to portray.

[LocalHero1953]

I agree about using available light where possible, but that shouldn't (IMO) mean just relying on a camera's low light capabilities; it also means working out where the light is coming from, and how to get it onto your subjects' faces. Sitting them in the light of a window is a good move.

[wda]

15 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I agree about using available light where possible, but that shouldn't (IMO) mean just relying on a camera's low light capabilities; it also means working out where the light is coming from, and how to get it onto your subjects' faces. Sitting them in the light of a window is a good move.

And I would also take with me one or two collapsible reflectors to help fill important dark areas.  I accept it is more challenging, but unless auxiliary lighting is used subtly, available lighting always looks more authentic, often important in a project such as our OP is undertaking.

[P1505]

Available lighting is the ideal. I fear with the time available I’ll be shooting in evenings as well as early mornings.

Bit reflectors and modelling lights could work.

[Luke_Miller]

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As Neil Van Niekerk likes to say "Any light you have with you is available light."  His is the best site I've found for flash photography.

• Flash Photography Techniques - Tangents (neilvn.com)

Using what he demonstrates I've had excellent results using bounced on-camera flash.  Natural looking and no blinkies.

[250swb]

I think the reliance alone on available light might mean sometimes it is great, or sometimes poor, leading to an unfair disparity in the portraits which may or may not be a problem for vulnerable people and/or the audience. A question of fairness if you like.

I think Luke's idea is best, a simple but effective flash setup, maybe with a slave flash on a stand, and experiment first to find the sweet spot.

[tommonego@gmail.com]

Are you photographing one person, a couple or a group? I find that I use my old Metz 45 CT-1 into an umbrella, I use 6 AA alkalines but I do have a Quantum 2 battery I can use. The umbrella I use is a small Photec, just set the camera to what the flash says, maybe a half a stop opened. I keep this about an arms distance away from me and modify the flash with a white reflector on the oposite side of the subject, works well for 1-3 people. I also have some LED screens I can use, Neewer, that I got on Amazon for around $100 a piece. I havemostly used them for copy work, can be battery powered.

Edited February 21, 2021 by tommonego@gmail.com

[dkCambridgeshire]

For events I use a Leica SL 601 fitted with a Leica SF 58 Mk II flashgun ... its TTL with the SL 601 whereas the Mk I isn't ... However, I use a small portable softbox over the flash (attached with Velcro) with the flash angled at 45º which enables some of the light to bounce off the ceiling ... it's a soft-ish light and more than adequate  to illuminate groups of people and the backgrounds when working at ISO 400 ... flash set to Auto .. camera on Aperture priority ... camera 'speaks' to flashgun which also operates at chosen aperture ... Pics are OK for magazine publication. purposes . The SL 24-90 lens covers all situations in all room sizes so only need one lens .  I would not bother with LED lamps ... too cumbersome.  I might increase ISO to 800 if using lens at a wider focal length ... thus conserving battery power. The SL 601 is a high-ish ISO capable camera ... as are most digital cameras nowadays 

Edited February 22, 2021 by dkCambridgeshire

[P1505]

Cheers all. Forgot about this thread. I ordered a couple of Godox units with umbrellas and stands. I have everything on manual and after a couple Of test shots just fire away.

I hope to share images once all the legals have been taken care of.

Thanks for your help on this. Hopefully I’ll do more in the summer which will be available light, M10 with 28mm lens.