Hi, I am about to build a photobooth (will cover the build on my website gadgetz.tv) I have a question for those of you that have already put one together.
My plan is to use a Canon 6D with a Canon 600ex flash, I have been mocking up some drawings and have a question regarding using the flashes ETTL
Is it possible (have any of you done this) to have the IR sensors on the front of the flash operating through a cut out in the front of the photobooth?
At present the only way I can see to make this happen is to have the lens protruding almost to the front of the camera body, also leaving the head of the flash protruding through the front of the case (not the cleanest looking solution), allowing the flashes IR sensor to be close enough to the back of the booth to be usable through another cutout.
The only other options I can see would be to set the flash on manual and hope that lighting conditions stay the same (I know that they probably wont change much but I would love to have the camera and flash properly working together).
The other option as I see it is to buy a flash like a 550ex (something I don't mind pulling apart) and extending the wires behind the IR sensor to allow me to separate it from the flash body and mount it on the front of the booth.
I would love to see what ideas people have come up with and what your booths look like.
Let me know what ideas/solutions you have in place
Cheers Shane
Questions regarding flash placement
Re: Questions regarding flash placement
Hi Shane,
Three thoughts to start you off:
1) have you thought about off-camera flash? It produces a much nicer look. You don't have to buy more expensive flashes, but moving them off camera so that the angle between your flash->subject->camera is getting close to 90 degrees will make your photos MUCH more professional looking. All the booth shots on https://wifibooth.com/ were photos I took with off-camera flash.
2) normally flash IR is used to *boost* camera's existing abilities, ie. for totally dark environments (which your booth is not: the people have to see where to stand!). I'm not that familiar with canon flash, but if it's like nikon flash, in a normal circumstance you do not need it. The camera will use its own facilities and do just fine. Nikon flashes have a setting to turn the IR off, perhaps canon does too.
3) I always operate the cameras + flashes of my photobooths on manual. That makes the post-processing much simpler, because all photos have the same lighting levels. I am assuming that you are making your flash powerful enough (and stopping down your lens) that ambient light is negated (the flash is the sole lighting source).
Three thoughts to start you off:
1) have you thought about off-camera flash? It produces a much nicer look. You don't have to buy more expensive flashes, but moving them off camera so that the angle between your flash->subject->camera is getting close to 90 degrees will make your photos MUCH more professional looking. All the booth shots on https://wifibooth.com/ were photos I took with off-camera flash.
2) normally flash IR is used to *boost* camera's existing abilities, ie. for totally dark environments (which your booth is not: the people have to see where to stand!). I'm not that familiar with canon flash, but if it's like nikon flash, in a normal circumstance you do not need it. The camera will use its own facilities and do just fine. Nikon flashes have a setting to turn the IR off, perhaps canon does too.
3) I always operate the cameras + flashes of my photobooths on manual. That makes the post-processing much simpler, because all photos have the same lighting levels. I am assuming that you are making your flash powerful enough (and stopping down your lens) that ambient light is negated (the flash is the sole lighting source).
Please write a review for Wifibooth on the Apple App store! Indie developers like me really need people like you to review their apps. Instructions on how to write a review: http://goo.gl/w8NsDI.
Re: Questions regarding flash placement
I guess what I am really trying to do is to make the both as compact as possible and have everything inside (if possible) whilst using my existing kit.
I have a set of studio lights that I could use but the 600ex flash is pretty powerful (I currently do a lot of nightclub/low light work), it will quite happily light larg(ish) groups.
Re stopping down the lens, this is something that I would prefer to do so that I can ensure that as much is in focus as possible, although I am using a sigma 35mm f1.4 lens I rarely ever go below f5.6 if I can help it (hate to see shots ruined by people on the perimeter being out of focus).
I will experiment with manually setting up the flash power, you are right that this will save me time should I need to edit in post etc, by the way do you normally set manual white balance in camera at the start of the session?
I will have a look at positioning the flash off camera to the side in the case but I worry that i will cast unwanted shadows on the opposing side of the subjects etc, perhaps have two flashes in the box (more complications but I guess its about getting it right rather than whats easy lol).
So many things to play with and soo much to do, hopefully my woodworking skills are as good as they used to be (well to be fair hopefully they will be better lol)
Shane
I have a set of studio lights that I could use but the 600ex flash is pretty powerful (I currently do a lot of nightclub/low light work), it will quite happily light larg(ish) groups.
Re stopping down the lens, this is something that I would prefer to do so that I can ensure that as much is in focus as possible, although I am using a sigma 35mm f1.4 lens I rarely ever go below f5.6 if I can help it (hate to see shots ruined by people on the perimeter being out of focus).
I will experiment with manually setting up the flash power, you are right that this will save me time should I need to edit in post etc, by the way do you normally set manual white balance in camera at the start of the session?
I will have a look at positioning the flash off camera to the side in the case but I worry that i will cast unwanted shadows on the opposing side of the subjects etc, perhaps have two flashes in the box (more complications but I guess its about getting it right rather than whats easy lol).
So many things to play with and soo much to do, hopefully my woodworking skills are as good as they used to be (well to be fair hopefully they will be better lol)
Shane
Re: Questions regarding flash placement
I typically have my lens around f8 to f11 depending on which flashes I'm using.
White balance I leave alone because I shoot the photos in RAW, more shadow details to play with in post. I automate my post with a batch action in Adobe Camera RAW (in Bridge). I aim for a white-balance of about 5000, but the presets I use warm the photos somewhat also.
White balance I leave alone because I shoot the photos in RAW, more shadow details to play with in post. I automate my post with a batch action in Adobe Camera RAW (in Bridge). I aim for a white-balance of about 5000, but the presets I use warm the photos somewhat also.
Please write a review for Wifibooth on the Apple App store! Indie developers like me really need people like you to review their apps. Instructions on how to write a review: http://goo.gl/w8NsDI.
Re: Questions regarding flash placement
Do you do much post processing after the events? I am hoping that I can achieve results that will be good enough for sending out to the persons facebook or other social media (for those not wanting prints) without having to do much.
Really want to be able to setup, let them have their fun on the night and go home knowing that they have all the images already (the nightclub work requires editing before uploading and this is one of the things i am hoping to get away from).
Sorry for all the questions, I just want to try and get everything sorted at the beginning to make life easier in the future
Shane
p.s Tim thanks for all the quick replies, I really appreciate your efforts
Really want to be able to setup, let them have their fun on the night and go home knowing that they have all the images already (the nightclub work requires editing before uploading and this is one of the things i am hoping to get away from).
Sorry for all the questions, I just want to try and get everything sorted at the beginning to make life easier in the future
Shane
p.s Tim thanks for all the quick replies, I really appreciate your efforts
Re: Questions regarding flash placement
Hi Shane
You're very welcome! I'm really happy to discuss how to get the best results from using my app
So, I set up my camera to take JPGs and RAW files for each shot. WiFi Booth only downloads the JPGs, which guests can (instantly, or offline-mode-then-later) email to themselves -- these JPGs are of course unprocessed. But then when I get home, I run the RAW files through a preset in Bridge and spit out edited JPGs. This only takes me about 20 mins -- mostly just erasing the misfires / bad ones, making sure no one showed any nipple, and correcting cropping if/when someone bumped the camera so things got out of alignment. The preset does color, sharpening, levels etc all the same for all photos, which is why it takes me a total of 20 mins to be done.
The most important part: then I send the edited JPGs to the couple (assuming it's a wedding) the day after the wedding, which they REALLY appreciate... because normally they won't receive anything until all the photos are done, usually about 2 weeks.
It only costs me 20mins but makes a gigantic impact.
You're very welcome! I'm really happy to discuss how to get the best results from using my app
So, I set up my camera to take JPGs and RAW files for each shot. WiFi Booth only downloads the JPGs, which guests can (instantly, or offline-mode-then-later) email to themselves -- these JPGs are of course unprocessed. But then when I get home, I run the RAW files through a preset in Bridge and spit out edited JPGs. This only takes me about 20 mins -- mostly just erasing the misfires / bad ones, making sure no one showed any nipple, and correcting cropping if/when someone bumped the camera so things got out of alignment. The preset does color, sharpening, levels etc all the same for all photos, which is why it takes me a total of 20 mins to be done.
The most important part: then I send the edited JPGs to the couple (assuming it's a wedding) the day after the wedding, which they REALLY appreciate... because normally they won't receive anything until all the photos are done, usually about 2 weeks.
It only costs me 20mins but makes a gigantic impact.
Please write a review for Wifibooth on the Apple App store! Indie developers like me really need people like you to review their apps. Instructions on how to write a review: http://goo.gl/w8NsDI.
Re: Questions regarding flash placement
Thats a great idea, will have a play around with presets once I get it setup and running I had not thought about sending the organiser an edited set of images for them to keep.
Re: Questions regarding flash placement
Yeah do it! Almost all cams can shoot RAW+JPG. after the event you delete the jpgs and process the raws.
If you have camera raw (bridge, photoshop) im happy to share a preset with you
If you have camera raw (bridge, photoshop) im happy to share a preset with you
Please write a review for Wifibooth on the Apple App store! Indie developers like me really need people like you to review their apps. Instructions on how to write a review: http://goo.gl/w8NsDI.