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Tandem SB800 Speedlight Set Up

Workshop at the Ranch
September, 2006 Edition

 

Hi and welcome to this edition of Workshop at the Ranch. I have been using the Nikon SB800 Speedlight system for over two years now and I have written several articles illustrating their usefulness in the field (NOTE: see previous editions of WATR and OTR for SB800 instruction.) I have written about how I use two SB800s ( TANDEM ) banded together to form one easy handheld unit at sports events and location feature assignments. I have received more emails regarding the "Tandem" SB800s and "how to put them together" than any other technique question. So, for those who have asked, here is what I do ...........

Image #1 TANDEM SB800 Speedlights ... Simply take two SB800s and place them one on top of the other. I place a small foam pad in between the two units to prevent them from being scratched. I use two thick rubber bands to hold the two SB800s together. The two SB800s are not electrically connected in any way. They work independently performance wise and are placed on top of each other to form an easier unit that I can hold in my left hand while shooting with the camera in my right hand. I like to use two SB800s in Tandem instead of one because I get twice the power and half the recycle time. Make sure the sensors are on the same side. Make sure that you do not cover up the sensors and that the sensors are facing the Master SB800 or the SU800 on the hotshoe while you are hand holding the Tandem Speedlights. If I want to use the Warming Gels (orange gels) that come standard with each SB800, I usually select a WB of 3600K, a very cool blue WB setting (NOTE: 2006 FebruaryWATR ... My Moody Blue Location Lighting Formula.) In this Image notice the color of my hand is a cool blue because of the 3600K WB. The Warming Gels will counter the cool blue WB and warm up my subject to a beautiful skin tone as illustrated in image #2. I set the Tandem SB800s on the i-TTL mode. The Tandem SB800s are in the Remote setting. I set the zoom of the Speedlight according to how much spread of light I want. Sometimes I zoom the Speedlights to 85mm or 105mm and sometimes I set the zoom wider at 50mm or 24mm. When setting my exposure for this stylized lighting situation I like to underexpose my background, usually by 1 stop. This usually will cause my subject to be in shadow or a Silhouette. The light from the SB800s will reveal the subject from shadow or silhouette and give me a dramatically lit subject. Use the LED screen on back of your camera and the Flashing Highlights setting and "Take a Shot, Take a Look" to determine your background exposure. Then turn on your SB800s, Take a Shot, Take a Look and determine the power output settings of the Tandem SB800s that you need to reveal your subject by dialing the power output up or down depending on what looks good to you. I cannot emphasis the concept of trial and error and experimentation more then when learning lighting.

Image #2 Hand Held Tandem SB800 ... I'm holding the Tandem SB800s with warming Gels in my left hand. I make sure I do not cover up or block the sensors which are faced towards the camera with the Master SB800 or an SU800 Commander. I hold the tandem unit high enough to illuminate my subject through the face mask while I hold my camera in my right hand. The WB setting of 3600K blues the background while the warming gels on the tandem SB800s counters the blue and warms my subject to a pleasing skin tone. Nikon D2X, ISO100, 1/15 at f11, Nikon 12-24mm Lens, WB 3600K, Rear Curtain Sync, Two SB800s Tandem with Warming Gels power output +1.7, one SB800 as the Master, Lexar 4G Flash Card.
Image #3 Keep'em Close ... I like to keep the SB800s close to my subject for a dramatic lighting effect. Too often, photographers tend to place their lights far away from their subject which creates a flatter light. I like the Nikon SB800s because they are so portable and easily hand held.. As with this image, my assistant followed the subject with the Speedlights on the fly. This mobility is especially useful when shooting a pre-game sport feature. The i-TTL keeps the power output perfect even though the distance from the Speedlights to my subject varies. These two sets of Tandem SB800s are only 5 feet away from my subject and are hand held by my assistant. Nikon D2X, ISO100, 1/3200 at f5, Nikon 12-24mm Lens, WB 3600K, Four SB800s (2 sets of 2 Tandems) with Warming Gels power output +1.7, One SB800 as the Master, Two Bogen 175F Clamps attached to a Bogen Lightstand, Lexar 4G Flash Card.
Image #4 Bogen 175F Clamps ... It can be helpful to mount the SB800s on a Bogen 175F clamp. This insures that the sensors will be in clear view of the Master on the hotshoe of the camera whether attached to a lightstand or, as in this image, handheld by an assistant. Nikon D2X, ISO100, 1/1600 at f5.6, Nikon 17-55mm Lens, WB 5600K, Four SB800s (2 sets of 2 Tandems) power output +1.3, Two Bogen 175F Clamps, One SU800 Comander, Lexar 4G Flash Card. For this image I did not use any warming gels and chose a WB of 5600K which is a daylight setting with a slight touch of coolness.

 The Nikon SB800 Speedlight is one of the most useful pieces of equipment to come along in years. I take them on every assignment and find new and exciting applications for them each time I shoot. The tandem use of two SB800s provides twice the power which in turn provides half the recycle time. I use the Energizer e2 Lithium Batteries. I bring a couple of Bogen 175F clamps with me to secure the SB800s to a lightstand, a fence, a railing, a chair etc. or to have an assistant handhold them.

SPECIAL NOTE:

Many of you have asked what workshops I will be teaching at this fall. If you are interested in attending a workshop that I will be teaching at, here are a few choices ...........

October 1-6 ... Rich Clarkson's Photography at the Summit, Jackson Hole, Wyoming. www.richclarkson.com

October 20-22 ... American PHOTO Magazine's Mentor Series TREK in Kentucky. www.mentorseries.com

November 10-17 ... American PHOTO Magazine's Mentor Series TREK in Peru. www.mentorseries.com

I hope you all have enjoyed this edition of Workshop at the Ranch. .............. Adios, Dave

Past Workshop at the Ranch Issues

July, 2010
"Moto Light"

June, 2010
"West Coast Flash"

May, 2010
"Little Lights, BIG Arena - PART 2"

April, 2010
"Little Lights, BIG Arena - PART 1 "

March, 2010
"Workshop Wonders"

February, 2009
The D3s Advantage

January, 2010
"New Nikon D3s"

December, 2009
"Year in Review"

November, 2009
Return to Neverland

October, 2009
"Dramatic Gym Light"

September, 2009
"Saratoga Light"

August, 2009
"Graduation Class"

July, 2009
"FourSquare Sensation"

June, 2009
"Print On Demand publishing is for you"

May, 2009
"Sports Shooter Academy"

April, 2009
"My New Book is Available"

March, 2009
"The Nikon D3X...Part II "

February, 2009
"The Nikon D3X...Part I "

January, 2009
"Book Ideas Wanted"

December, 2008
Year in Review

November, 2008
Action with the SB-900 Speedlights

October, 2008
Lightpainting Under the Stars

September, 2008
Long Island Photo Workshop

August, 2008
"Best Buy Summit in San Francisco"

July, 2008
"Rich Clarkson's Sports Photography Workshop"

June, 2008
"Seven Photo Techniques"

May, 2008
"Learn Something New"

April, 2008
San Diego TREK

March, 2008
Joe McNally's book

February, 2008
The Nikon D300

January, 2008
Shoot From Where They Ain't (click here)

December, 2007
D3 Questions , Answers and Images

November, 2007
New Nikon D3

October, 2007
Football...A Retro Look

September, 2007
Get Out of the Box

August, 2007
Portrait Session with Frankie Herr


July, 2007
"Cowboy Up at the Double JJ Ranch"


June, 2007
"Light on the Run"


May, 2007
"SB800 Location Lighting in Mexico"


April, 2007
"Take it From the Top"


March, 2007
"Triple Play, Hat Trick, Trifecta" of Design


February, 2007
Principles of Success


January, 2007
Answers to Popular Questions


December , 2006
TREK to Peru and Machu Picchu



October, 2006
Creative Lightpainting (click here)


September, 2006
Tandem SB800 Speedlight Set Up (click here)


August, 2006
Get Pumped Up with Light (click here)


July, 2006
Sports Action SB800 Lighting on Location (click here)


June, 2006
An Artistic Look At Derby Week (click here)


May, 2006
Lightpainting....from the Beginning (click here)


April, 2006
Workshop 40: Arches Mentor Series TREK


March, 2006
Workshop 39: Let the Games Begin...


February, 2006
Workshop 38: My Moody Blue Location Lighting Formula


January, 2006
Workshop 37: Answers to Popular Questions


December, 2005
Workshop 36: Year in Review...
My Favorite Equipment of 2005


November, 2005
Workshop 35: Building a Portrait


October, 2005
Workshop 34: Game Coverage.....My Way


September, 2005
Workshop 33: Equipment...and How It Can Help A Career


August, 2005
Workshop 32, Fill Flash....It's not Just For Portraits


July, 2005
Workshop 31, Rock On!


June, 2005
Workshop 30, Remote Cameras at Churchill Downs


May, 2005
Workshop 29, Arena Sport Strobe Lighting 102


April, 2005
Workshop 28, Arena Sport Strobe Lighting 101


March, 2005
Workshop 27: Nikon's D2X Digital Camera


February, 2005
Workshop 26: Steps to Success


January, 2005
Workshop 25: Own Your Images!


December, 2004
Workshop 24: Step-by-Step Lightpainting


November, 2004
Workshop 23: The Importance of Recognizing Light



September, 2004
Workshop 21: Covering The 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens, Greece
(click here)


August, 2004
Workshop 20: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight
WIRELESS TTL LIGHTING
(click here)


July, 2004
Workshop 19: Location Portrait Lighting using
Nikon's NEW SB-800 Speedlights
(click here)


June, 2004
Workshop 18: Photography - Just Enjoy it!
(click here)


May, 2004
Workshop 17: Documenting the Masters
(click here)


April, 2004
Workshop 16:
Scene Setters

(click here)


March, 2004
Workshop 15: THE JOY of FILL FLASH
(click here)


February, 2004
Workshop 14: Sports Strobe Photography
(click here)



December, 2003
Workshop 12: "Product Review - The Nikon D2H Digital Camera

(click here)


November, 2003
Workshop 11: "Be More Than a Fan"


October, 2003
Workshop 10: "More Porrage, Please"


September, 2003
Workshop 9: The Nikon COOLPIX 5700


August, 2003
Workshop 8: Using Wireless Remotes


July, 2003
Workshop 7: Approaching The Event


June, 2003
Workshop 6: To be noticed, to be published, to the marketplace


May, 2003
Workshop 5: What Drives an Image Part Two,
Slow Shutter Speed & Pan, (click here)


April, 2003
Workshop 4: What Drives an Image? (click here)


March, 2003
Workshop 3: Fill Flash Techniques (click here)


February, 2003
Workshop 2: Sports Arena Lighting (click here)


January, 2003
Workshop 1: Lightpainting (click here)

 


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