Toronto Photography Meetup Group

I rarely see any posts related to off-camera flash photography here.

Just curious to see how many fellow TPMG'ers are off-camera/axis flash photography converts? or in the process of becoming a strobist?

If not, why?

As for myself , I think it's like Heroin, once you try it, there's no going back (j/k)

And it makes your photography improve by leaps and bounds (by giving you the power to control the lighting - if you're willing to go through the painful but rewarding learning curve).

So let's hear it.

I haven't gone full blown strobist yet, but I HAVE picked up an umbrella and velcroed up my Flash. I go back and forth between manual and TTL though, so I guess I'm not a pure strobist yet. Awesome site though! Lots of great information and tips on it.

I've got a couple of stands and a few umbrellas (cheaper if you buy more than one) and starting quite the collection of flashes.

I don't do a whole lot of non-nature photography, so that does limit my opportunities, but I'm trying to get some practice.

With even 580EX II cheap ($350 from the states!), and poverty wizards, I'm good to go. I'm considering a stand/umbrella set (the Impact kit from B&H), but I don't do on-location formal shooting enough yet.

I guess I have the bug, by default. The Minolta/Sony flashes are wireless out of the box... slap on a $0.50 bounce card, and I'm all set.

just recently put together a very simple setup, and i'm having lots of fun experimenting with it

an old vivitar from my dad, an ebay radio trigger, a flash/umbrella mount for an extra tripod, a 46" umbrella and a small reflector

i'm already looking for more flashes

For large objects, (i.e. human beings) I'll use monolights, but for small objects I'll use my flash attached via a cord on a tripod with a Metz slave flash (34CS2) for fill light, and I've been doing this for years.

I did recently check out the Strobist website and while it is full of useful information, personally there was nothing new for me there and probably won't visit it again unless I'm referring to it in a reply.

For lighting education I refer people (especially Olympus users) to this site:
http://olympusdigitalschool.com/photo_l ... index.html
(it uses Olympus cameras for taking the pictures, but the lighting info can be used by anybody)

I read the blog on my rss .. but since I don't take pictures of people, I don't have much use for his advice.

Actually, almost all of it can be applied to non-people pictures. There's quite a few articles on product lighting too.

I find between the Strobist blogs, the flickr group, links to other blogs and resources and blogs of strobist members, strobism is this expanding world offering a great deal of knowledge and direction on off-camera lighting.

I'm still putting together all the bits and pieces. I love the idea of creating a lighting kit that's quite portable with modifiers to achieve a wide variety of qualities of light.

Sean, have you seen James Balog's work? He shoots Icebergs with 12 SB-800s?
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/10/james-balog-icebergs-with-speedlights.html

As for the downside of flash photography, you feel the irresistible urge to buy more flashes

And there's a reason I posted this here. just gauging the interest of having Mr. Strobist do a Toronto workshop.

Some nice shots there. Nice budget.

http://www.onelightworkshop.com

I was thinking of going to the Detroit one in spring but it's already sold out.

I have a SB600 which I use off camera with my D70s. Looking at getting a SB800 to add on as a commander and work with the SB600.

Looking at making some DIY softboxes and came across this site, http://exno.blogspot.com/2007/11/diy-so ... oject.html has anyone had much success with DIY softboxes? I like what this guy did because it's so portable and everything will fit in a med size duffle bag.

I'd love to attend if you can get something going.

I was looking at some shoot through umbrellas and I imagine they'd be just as compact with very little setup time.

So what do you make of this new Ring Flash project using PVC pipe and concrete footer tube? Add 2 speedlites and it'll need a fairly solid lightstand underneath it.

I am hoping to attend one some time in the future, too. I think if someone have time to manage the logistics here, he'll host a workshop here.

Well, with one body and 2 speedlites in my bag, I'm bitten

I just can't get enough of that site. I try and make my self stay away from it for a few days, because if click on the site, I read there for hours. I have picked up two flashes, a couple of stands, and have been practicing when I get a chance. I'm sort of a newbie, so tend to be slow. But I would jump at the chance to go to one of Dave Hobby's seminars. I have definitely been bitten buy the bug!!

Ronzo