question about using a flash?

B

bah bah bah

New member
are there two situations when it comes to lighting a model?

1. you have a modeling light, key light, hair light and when you push the shutter, those lights turn off and the flash takes over?

2. you have a modeling light, key light, hair light and when you push the shutter, there is NO flash, and you use the light from these bulbs to get the shot?

what am i messing up here? when you take a picture, whats the point of a hair light, key light, etc if the flash negates them?
 
It sounds like you don't have your hotshoe wirelessly connected to your studio lighting.

Your on camera Flash is NOT supposed to be used unless it is radio slaved to the other strobes to fire them... I don't use on camera flash at all... a pc link to the master strobe fires all the lights from my hot shoe or I use what's called a Radio Link to create a wireless trigger.

If you don't have these things... don't use your on camera flash and move the lights closer to your model so you can shoot with the provided light as is (this is artificial light at it's worst because the studio lights alone do not cast nearly enough model light without firing to do a decent exposure).

By the way, the hair light... don't put it close... that thing is ripping hot and you'll do a Michael Jackson on your model with it.
 
One sample one, the modeling light shows you where your lights will fall. The duration of the flash is far too short for your eye to see. Therefore these modeling lights help you place your lighting properly.

In sample two..there is no "modeling light", they are continuous lights.
 
Perki is right. The modeling light is just like a guide to where the light is pointing. When I shoot, the key light, the fill light, the hair light and the background lights are all strobes and flash simultaneously. The only continuous light I use is to help focus the camera. Its not bright enough to show up at all if none of the strobes flash.

My hair light, key light and fill light all have modeling lamps. These lamps are always on except for the brief time the flash goes off. I believe they are called monolights when then have both the strobe and modeling light in one unit. So there is light on the model before I push the shutter, but then I push it and all the strobes go off and its a wild flood of light when the picture is actually taken. Then do it again like 200 more times and call it a day. Hope that gives you some perspective on the lighting.
 
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