What! Using Flash For Nature Photography!

I'm slowly coming to grips with using a flash for Nature Shots. I generally prefer natural light, but there are situations that call for additional light. Here's one example on a foggy morning along the coast in the Redwoods. There wasn't much light and the wind wouldn't stop blowing.

Now, I just wanted a small piece of this web to really show off the dewdrops, but I couldn't resist trying to get the entire web at 2.8. (ISO 400.) The background is too bright in comparison to the web and too close to the web for the background to blur out. Even at ISO 400 and f2.8 it's still too windy to keep the web tack sharp.




Pumping it up to ISO 800 helps the freeze the motion and moving in a little closer helps separate the background. (The more you magnify the less depth of field you'll have.) It's still not tack sharp.

Now my flash comes to the rescue! With a Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2 you can get the flash off the camera. Once it's off you can try it in different positions until you get the correct balance between the foreground and the background. At 2.8, only part of the web is in focus. Since I wanted all of the dewdrops on the web to be sharp I set the camera to f16. Not a problem since I'm using a flash and it will freeze the motion. You just have to set your camera up so it's not letting in the ambient light. Nice shot, I like it, but I'll try ISO 100. Nope, the background went black. (Just like I thought not enough power.) I'll stick with ISO 800 at f16.

So I was able to freeze the web and still pick up a little of the background at ISO 800 with one flash. With 2 flashes I would have been able to light them both up properly at ISO 100. Of course I left the 2nd flash at home. (What good was it doing there? Guarding the house?) I did run into some poison oak and picked up some rubbing alcohol to clean off my tripod. (And me!) Anyway, I like the shot, the dewdrops look like a pearls on a necklace.

Tech info: Canon 5d, Canon 580EX Flash, Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2, Canon 100mm Macro Lens, Gitzo Tripod, Kirk Ball Head and L-Bracket (No spiders were harmed in the making of this photograph.)

For more on flash photography go to strobist.com - a "Must See Website"

Shooting Ducks…

…or should I say shooting Peacocks? This was a fun little project. Awards are handed out by Promax each year for the very best in television promotion and NBC had many nominees. At the last minute they asked for a photo of each nominee so they couuld project each winner at the show. Well since I work in the promotion department and I work cheap (read nothing) I got the job. Some people were out of town others were camera shy and some were up for multiple awards, so what started out as 30 photos was whittled down to just 9. (Whew, close one!)


I scouted NBC for peacock backgrounds and just to play it safe I did a trial shoot with my friend Calvin. The indoor shots were done with one flash and a shoot through umbrella. Outside I used fill flash and in both cases I used a white reflector to bounce some light in. I’m an avid reader of the “Strobist” and picked up the small stand that David suggests. I differ in that I really like the Stroboframe Flash Mount Adapter and I already had a Canon Speedlite Transmitter to trigger the flash. I also prefer a shoot through umbrella so I can place it closer to my subject. I lowered a projection screen and used it for a background for a couple of shots. "Bill the Promo Guy" wanted to remain anonymous so I just fired a light on the background leaving him silhouetted. The "Radio" type was comped in using PhotoShop. It really had "Must See TV" there. I painted out the old and used arc in warp text. I used motion blur around a couple just to kick it up a little. The old Peacock in the the monitor is comped in as well.


This is out of my comfort zone of usual Landscape Photography. I keep trying to widen my horizons. I feel that controlling artificial lights helps me to see the many nuances of natural light. Many thanks to all involved. I had lotso fun and continue to learn. You can see all the pix here at craigwolf.com.

Tech Notes: Canon 5d, Canon 580EX Flash, Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2, Bogen/Manfrotto 3373 - 5 Section Light Stand with Retractable Legs,Bogen/Manfrotto Swivel Umbrella Adapter, Stroboframe Flash Mount Adapter, Westcott Umbrella - Collapsible, Optical White Satin - 43" (This all fits in a small gym bag and is very light and portable.)

What A Wild Ride!

When my good friend Jesse asked me to photograph his daughter Breanne before her prom I said sure. Then came, “Well it’s actually 28 kids”. Photograph 28 kids and one big limo in less than an hour. The actual head count with all the parents and siblings turned out to be about 50. I didn’t have to photograph all the parents, but I squeezed in more than I expected. I bought myself some time by photographing Breanne and her date Preston before everyone arrived. I also had my friend Calvin stop by and stand in so I could get some test shots in. Even though I’ve seen the house many times I still scouted it and took test shots. (I’m not sure if the shots came out any better, but it helps my heart condition.) I found that the driveway would be in shade for the group shot. The living room and hallway would be providing great backgrounds for full-length couple shots and still have room left over for the guests.

As for the technical details I used 2 umbrellas for cross lighting in the Living Room and Gary Fong’s Lightsphere in the Bedroom. Outside I used 2 direct flashes for the group shot and an on camera flash for the Limo Shots to give them that paparazzi look. I used a Canon 5D, 580EX and 430EX flashes. I setup 2 Westcott 43” Umbrellas on stands inside and triggered them with a Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2, and I used Showit Web for the slideshow. If you ever need lighting help just check out strobist.com. You’ll find tons of great advice.


All the kids were great and I made a nice keepsake book out of the photos with Kodak Gallery. I think in the end I did the majority of dancing. 28 kids…Wow!

Flowers for Mom

After buying these flowers I couldn't resist taking a quick snap before giving them to Mom. I already had a large softbox that was still set up from a portrait shoot. I grabbed an antique table I inherited from my Aunt Mary and a Westcott collapsible background. I didn't use a meter, I just eyeballed it. Then I shot for about ten minutes. For this main image I darkened the edges in PhotoShop. I printed an 8x10 for Mom. Total time about 20 minutes. Mom loved the flowers and the photo. Even my beer drinking buddies that rib me for taking pictures of flowers approve. At least for Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Days to all you Mom's out there!

Tech Details: Hensel Lights, 48x72 Photoflex softbox, Westcott Collapsible Background (Bracken Brown), Canon 5d, Tamron 28-75 @ 67mm (Main Image), F8 @ 125th, hand held.
All other images Canon 100 Macro lens.
Spin Flowers f4 @ one third of a second - no flash just modeling lights.