Strobe Positioning

[TexasMike]

Any tips for a new u/w photog on where to position and angle the strobe head?

I got an Ikelite Auto35 with strobe before Wreckmania. Unfortunately, I didn't use it as much as anticipated and the few times that I did use it, I still got some significant backscatter when using the strobe (it was positioned more "above" the camera like a dry land strobe might be).

So in relation to the lens, what "o'clock" and distance is best for subjects between 2-4 feet away?

What angle should the stobe head be pointed at?

Any other good tips?

 

[diveaway]

Mike

For normal and wide range you should get as far away from the lens as possible. Preffered position is the 2/10 o'clock position of the lens. Again as far away as possible. (e.g. sea&sea strobe arms - the long flexible ones. Not the short ones - they are convenient but useless).

Only problem: Of you don't take care using a flexible strobe arm you may aim the flash in the wrong direction, away center of the object. Using a guidelight on top of the flash may help a lot. Another trick is to aim the camera at arms lenght at yourself and check this way if the flash looks right (normal range - aim at your head, wide angle range- aim slightly above your head)

Macro is a different story. Here you need to get the flash as close as possible to to object.

Other tips: avoid totally dark backgrounds and use more ambient light, reduce the power of you flash (only to work out the colors) ...

Practice alot, be critical with your own work and you will avoid backscatter.

Ray

 

[Dee]

I highly recommend flexible strobe arms. You'll have more versatility and ease in placement. If your strobe is on your left, place it at 10 o'clock and aim it strobe head about 45º to center and slightly behind your subject at 3ft. For macro, I bend the strobe over the top of the camera (almost touching it) and shoot down and slightly to the right.

I'm not that familiar with the Auto35 and the strobe strength and/or settings. This is where the experimentation comes in. Too strong and your subject will be over exposed and washed out. Too weak and it's underexposed and dark.