Comments on Strobist: Freeze Frame: Lighting Night Snowboarding

Funny to see that you talk about global warming bu...

2008-03-31T10:21:00.000-04:00

Funny to see that you talk about global warming but you say that you took your gas gusslin hummer to drive 200 miles to get there.

Nice work tough

Northern UK ?? That'll be Scotland then ...lolGrea...

2008-03-25T14:53:00.000-04:00

Northern UK ?? That'll be Scotland then ...lol

Great idea and pretty cool to see the video of it all

Nevermind the negative comments good stuff considering the conditions

Thanks for showcasing us.Well I enjoyed myself eme...

2008-03-24T15:51:00.000-04:00

Thanks for showcasing us.

Well I enjoyed myself emensly (apart from all the crap on my lens!) and think I got a few good shots, maybe not great in some peoples eyes but I've never shot anything like this before and was just happy I got some in focus.

Colin

bring your hummer and your equipment down to Mexic...

2008-03-23T18:08:00.000-04:00

bring your hummer and your equipment down to Mexico, you can give me some leassons and in return I'll make every gas station charge you only about $2.2 per gallon, it wont matter where you are, the price for you will be the same!!!

Thanks for all the great advise, they should make the SB-800 as weather resistant as the nikon D300 that way we would not have to worry.

We went to hillend to get away from the standard s...

2008-03-22T14:18:00.000-04:00

We went to hillend to get away from the standard strobist portrait shootin' meetup. It was something very different for most people there and I think they did a good job. We'll be going again when folks are done with exams.

I'll be calling the meet a success, we got pictures in adverse conditions, you can't change lenses in snow, focus is tricky. We got familiar with techniques and setups. We also got in a brew afterwards. Next time we head out on a dry sunny day, we'll probably be hauling freezerbags.

Wether or not you think the images we made are "worthy" of the Strobist page, is'nt it good that this community shows its diversity in range of subjects? Its flexibility in application? We don't all see the same things and we don't all shoot the same way.

The head on shots were made with a 364mm lens, shooting 35mm or wider forced you to include a strobe or lose the ground entirely. Getting closer put you in real danger of being landed on or sliding helplessly onto the landing area. In an earlier shoot in this location I had a snowboarder land on my SB800 which was placed well off the run-out matt. Apart from some scratches, it was fine.

We'll see what we get next time.

In my oppinion, many of the pictures are not worth...

2008-03-22T08:24:00.000-04:00

In my oppinion, many of the pictures are not worth showing here... flashes in the shot adding a white ball and illuminated snowflakes? Rider in the air without any idea how high or low he is? Thats a big nogo in sport photography.

All this talk of tasers...Is this part of the reas...

2008-03-21T19:33:00.000-04:00

All this talk of tasers...

Is this part of the reason Canon upgraded the speedlite range with the 580 II being... "water resistant"? but given it is not water proof; does this mean it can still fell an Ox; when stuck in the cloven hoof; in a rain storm?

Has anyone expereince of getting zapped with one of these? should I still be loading up with freezer bags if I go out in the wet then ?

I know how difficult it must have been to achieve ...

2008-03-21T17:30:00.000-04:00

I know how difficult it must have been to achieve those shots, but I have to be honest: I did not see one good frame.

Thanks for the cool write-up and the advice, poly ...

2008-03-21T15:43:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the cool write-up and the advice, poly bags will be used in future. Although some of us were using Canon 580EX II, so some water resistance there. There was also a notable Skyport contingent. Now they really do need a bag. =)

On the composition comment - not all the photos are in Neil's great wee video up there, he did it before a lot of maybe have a look at some of those involved's streams on Flickr. But also, this was a few folks first time shooting sports/snow jumpers.

The lighting stand was attached by gaffer tape to the centre column of a large, medium duty tripod with spikes into the ground, weighed down with unused equipment in heavy kitbag tied to legs.

$13.00 a gallon and $1200.00 for an SB800 and Pock...

2008-03-21T15:09:00.000-04:00

$13.00 a gallon and $1200.00 for an SB800 and Pocket Wizard kit in the UK. Just returned from the US with a load of gear, the money I saved almost paid for the trip. That's what you get when your Gov. still think we rule the world.

I dunno if it is global warming or what, but I had...

2008-03-21T13:23:00.000-04:00

I dunno if it is global warming or what, but I had to hop in the Hummer and drive 200 miles -- that's 17 gallons of gas at $3.25 per gallon -- just to find some good snow last week.

snip

Kidding on the Hummer, folks. I drive a dinky li'l Scion XA - gets high 30's MPG...

good to hear 'twas a joke. i was about to leave you a nastygram for the seemingly ignorant first statement (took it as fact due to lack of emoticon).

America is so different from the UK- do you not ha...

2008-03-21T13:22:00.001-04:00

America is so different from the UK- do you not have eco warriors spray-painting Humvees and knifing the tyres?

Come to England - $8.50USG a gallon and you'll sell your gas guzzler faster that you can say "carbon footprint"

You'll also notice that the price of flash guns, guitars, apple products, cameras, music, etc means that it's often cheaper to fly to america, go shopping and come back.

Seriously, if you're looking at flash gear, you can expect to pay the same numbers despite it being $2/£1.

I'm with adam- the flash lighting is nice, but the composition sometimes feels a bit flat. Nice set though, and it looks like you guys had fun, which is the main thing.

I kinda figured the Hummer thing was a joke. lol ...

2008-03-21T13:22:00.000-04:00

I kinda figured the Hummer thing was a joke. lol Cute.

$3.25 a gal is about what we have here too, thank goodness for Speedy Rewards cards! lol

I think the video is great. I love seeing videos of the setups and picture taking in action. It is easier for me to understand than just diagrams or a single pix of a setup. That's just me though.

Great post as always DH!

I love the discrimination between the light source...

2008-03-21T12:53:00.000-04:00

I love the discrimination between the light sources that the NaVapors provide. Isolates the boarder in a very 2d way. Look at the others and the backgrounds lit by the fall off of the speed-lights are distracting. Glad you don't drive a Hummer Dave, I'll take back the things I said about you this morning at breakfast to the good lady wife. Speaking of road trips, have you been to the Corning Museum? About 7 hours from Balmer, well worth it.

I wouldn't be too jealous of the weather here in t...

2008-03-21T12:21:00.000-04:00

I wouldn't be too jealous of the weather here in the UK since they were on a dry slope. The actual Scottish ski season doesn't last very long at all. Better to go to the Alps or Rockies unless you live there.

Did ya really think the guy who teaches how to sho...

2008-03-21T11:45:00.000-04:00

Did ya really think the guy who teaches how to shoot with small strobes would be driving a Hummer???? Really???
I knew he was joking.
Speedlights aren't much of a threat to your health unless you take them apart. Notwithstanding Rockhammers comment. Speedlites do use the same technology as the heart shockers. But getting part of your body across the proper terminals would usually require disassembly!
If you require slightly difuse light you might want to try some of the clear tupperwear type containers available at the market. Hummer. heheheheheh I bet the Euro guys who hang here think we all drive them. Remember the guy who made them popular came from Europe!

Dave, its time you get a more fuel efficient car. ...

2008-03-21T11:43:00.000-04:00

Dave, its time you get a more fuel efficient car. Great article and thanks for sharing; ice on those speedlights made me cringe too! ;)

Phew! I'm much relieved to hear the Strobist doesn...

2008-03-21T11:41:00.000-04:00

Phew! I'm much relieved to hear the Strobist doesn't actually roll in a Hummer (more gear, less bra- well I better be careful I suppose!).

Very cool little vid today.

Even in a 30mpg box, $3.25 a gallon? I'm jelous (...

2008-03-21T10:56:00.000-04:00

Even in a 30mpg box, $3.25 a gallon? I'm jelous (~$.40 more in the wild wild West)

haha, snow? in edinburgh? :D im not much to south ...

2008-03-21T10:52:00.000-04:00

haha, snow? in edinburgh? :D im not much to south of Edinburgh ( Newcastle ) and theres not a bit of snow here. in fact, i just drove past the skiing slopes they have and they indeed had some snow... but thats the only place. that was a couple of weeks ago though :)

nice David, I knew you were a nice guy :P

2008-03-21T10:49:00.000-04:00

nice David, I knew you were a nice guy :P

Kidding on the Hummer, folks. I drive a dinky li'l...

2008-03-21T10:36:00.000-04:00

Kidding on the Hummer, folks. I drive a dinky li'l Scion XA - gets high 30's MPG...

I have never had one overheat or heat anything up ...

2008-03-21T10:05:00.000-04:00

I have never had one overheat or heat anything up that much, and I do shoot lots in damp places, I put nylon/ziploc bags on all the time, or a few when I forget the diffuser

think that video got taken down fast enough ? and ...

2008-03-21T09:58:00.000-04:00

think that video got taken down fast enough ? and i was excited to watch it too :<

wow! this is so ironic that you talk about the eff...

2008-03-21T09:55:00.000-04:00

wow! this is so ironic that you talk about the effects of global warming and that you say you are using a Hummer...

don't want to start any war here, it just popped so much in the post :)

nice lightning by the way