Jumping through light

I recently went for a surf with my friend and his family, after we finished surfing I set up my basic travel photography kit and started snapping some fun shots of the kids. The idea was to freeze them with strobes (flashes) and turn getting a picture taken from a dull pose fest to a game that ended with some cool results.

Here is what I used:

• light stand x2
• SB-900 Nikon Speedlight strobe x1
• SB-700 Nikon Speedlight strobe x1
• Blazzeo radio trigger and reciever
• 60x60cm softbox
• 1m white reflective umbrella
• Nikon 18-55mm stock lens
• Nikon d5000

I set the softbox with the SB-900 at about 2m high and angled down at 45degrees about 1m from the subject, for front/side fill light. power at 1/8th to 1/4

I then placed the white umbrella with SB-700 strobe on the opposite side and slightly to the rear of the subject. This was kept as low as possible with a slightly upward angle of attack. power at 1/2.

Now since 2 of the three Blazzeo receivers I brought were not firing (strongly don't recommend buying this pieces of junk) I made my SB-900 speedlight the master and the SB-700 the slave.

A few test shots to expose the background correctly and my shutter speed at 200, iso 250 and shooting in full manual at f9 here is what I got.

Mauie, my friends 11year old daughter.

Kai just in from a wave.

So as you can see you don't need thousands of dollars worth of camera gear or professional studios and models to take some interesting and fun photos. and next time you are looking to snap a pic of your kids and they give you a bored expression just turn it into a game.