3# Microstock Series - Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)

© Photographer: Braendan | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Off camera lighting is important to produce studio quality images. Such lighting will not cost you an arm and a leg in fact all you need is to think out of the box and be a little creative with what you have. Take the above image and the one below for example. If you don't look at the setup below can you guess the type of setup for this type of scene? It's actually simpler than you think.

© Photographer: Braendan | Agency: Dreamstime.com

With the setup above you have 4 different light source which can leverage upon; the SB600, the mirror is a very good reflector, the soft light from the balcony and from your camera fill light. Everything mentioned here is already available to you if you don't have a flash don't worry just use a florescent table lamp to replace the flash.

Tip 1: Pop up flash as CLS will contribute to the lights in your photography even in "--".You notice the light on the apple on the first image? the light coming from the front is a bit harsh and its one of the drawbacks of using Nikon built in flash as a CLS commander to trigger the SB600. Although the built in flash was set to "--" it still contributes to the scene. This happens when your camera is close enough to the subject e.g. 1 feet. or closer To counter this drawback you either get an SU-800 or the inexpensive SG-31R panel which will look something like the one below.

Tip 2: When you use a light meter you should use radio trigger or SU-800. This is because of the pre-flashes before the actual flash fires. You will never be able to get a correct exposure on your light meter. If you use Built-in flash, SB-800 or even SB-900 for CLS your light meter will go crazy.

P/S: My flickr site has notes on the setup you can have a look at it here.

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1# Microstock Series - The Sun

© Photographer: Braendan | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Not many of us are equip with multiple flashgun and sometimes we just have to be creative. The shot above have been done with just one light the Sun. Microstock photography places strong emphasis on commercial value and if you want to do well you need to learn to light properly. This "Microstock Series" represents the first of many more to come with an objective of showing you behind the scenes on how the setup was done and an explanation on the lighting used. No sepcial studio setup required, all my "studio" shots for Dreamstime are done at home so with some insights you should be able to achieve the same results if not better.

Tips: I tend to rely a lot on this type of lighting because I can "see" the light it helps me see where the shadow falls and how to compose the shot. This is a lot more easier to work than flashguns as flashes involves proper lighting ratios and seeing the light with test shots on a 3" LCD. Since the sun is free and provides the best source of light use it as often as possible.

P/S: That white piece of paper is art block which is available from most stationary shops.