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Step & Repeat/Paparazzi flash photography

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stevo4

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Hey there,

I've been shooting for 40 years. Most of my work is without flash. I was asked to be at my first 'Step & Repeat' shoot last weekend and some of the other photographers were able to rapid fire many shots in a few seconds without the flash needing to recharge. I was curious what some of the standard camera or flash settings are that should be used under these typical conditions. I should be able to get off the 6 fps but the flash stops to recharge after several frames. (And i am aware of the overheating issue with flash).

Notes on my gear etc. before commenting:

I use a D750 and SB-800 flash. The SB-800 has the 5th battery option and is connected to my Quantum 2x2 battery pack. Everything was fully charged. Camera was set to multiple shots (my normal setting) and the flash was in TTL mode. The Step & repeat was well lit by lights. I understand that my camera does not take as many frames/second as the top pro-line cameras but still should be able to handle 6 shots without the flash needing to recharge.

Thx.
 
It all comes down to how hard the flash is working, which will depend on the variables of distance, aperture, iso, direction of flash head and ambient light. If ambient is pretty good then the flash is just a bit of fill and catchlights in eyes.

I don't think your 5th battery would make a difference if the main power is coming from the Quantum pack, my assumption is the onboard flash batteries are powering the LCD and minor circuits rather than the main pop - but that may be incorrect.

Experiment with your settings to see how much difference you can make.
 
Its your ISO setting.

Those guys probably had it set for 1600. Flash doesn't work too hard at that setting - especially if there are constant lights already set and they are using battery packs as well.

I don't think the 5th battery matters if you already have a battery pack attached to the flash - the batteries are only powering the electronics / not the capacitors for the flash when a pack is attached.
stevo4 said:
Hey there,

I've been shooting for 40 years. Most of my work is without flash. I was asked to be at my first 'Step & Repeat' shoot last weekend and some of the other photographers were able to rapid fire many shots in a few seconds without the flash needing to recharge. I was curious what some of the standard camera or flash settings are that should be used under these typical conditions. I should be able to get off the 6 fps but the flash stops to recharge after several frames. (And i am aware of the overheating issue with flash).

Notes on my gear etc. before commenting:

I use a D750 and SB-800 flash. The SB-800 has the 5th battery option and is connected to my Quantum 2x2 battery pack. Everything was fully charged. Camera was set to multiple shots (my normal setting) and the flash was in TTL mode. The Step & repeat was well lit by lights. I understand that my camera does not take as many frames/second as the top pro-line cameras but still should be able to handle 6 shots without the flash needing to recharge.

Thx.
Click to expand...
 
Thank you for the responses. I will have to experiment a bit. I figured the flash was working too hard so i need to bring that down a bit. I was just thinking that for this standard situation there may be go-to settings people generally use.

You suggest a higher ISO but if i go to 1600, i'll end up with a lot more grain than if i'm down around 200-400 iso. Is that just the trade-off? The images i see from others seem pretty grain-free.

Thanks for the insight.


Stevo
 
First of all I hate the word "Paparazzi"

Second of all this is what I do several times per week.

Now. On the red carpet you stand in one spot so the flash distance doesn't change much. Maybe a foot depending where the talent is standing. Doesn't make much difference. So set your flash on Manual. Do not set on TTL. You will get identical exposures this way regardless who is standing in front of you.

Set your camera on the highest shutter speed Ch.

Set your ISO to the highest possible for acceptable shots. I set my cameras on 400 or 800 depending on the ambient light. Set your shutter on 1/160-1/200. You need that speed because even a smile can make some of the shots slightly blurry. If you submit your photos to the agency they want very sharp faces and especially eyes.

I hope you are shooting with 24-70mm F2.8 lens.

Set aperture on F4. No higher than that. If you are far away you can even set it on F3.2

Take a few test shots.

--
If I don't respond to your post after you responded to my with NEGATIVE remarks that means you are on my Ignore list.
Photography Director for Whedonopolis.com
 
Last edited:
Exactly the info i was looking for. I understand i need to work some of this out myself in the given situation but this is very helpful!

Thanks.
Stevo
 
I would never shoot a red carpet at 200-400 ISO unless it was outside in the daytime. I rarely go below 800, 1250.
 
stevo4 said:
Exactly the info i was looking for. I understand i need to work some of this out myself in the given situation but this is very helpful!
Click to expand...
Only think I can add is... if you are pushing your flash to max power and doing it fairly often, you may derive some benefit from using the SB5000 which has significantly improved cooling and claims to allow 100 consecutive shots on full power. In other words it can effectively go pretty much continuously.

Unfortunately you have to pay tons extra for the useless radio system. But if there's anyone that can derive benefit from the 'continuous high power' feature, it would be the likes of you.
 
Last edited:
theonetruepath said:
stevo4 said:
Exactly the info i was looking for. I understand i need to work some of this out myself in the given situation but this is very helpful!
Click to expand...
Only think I can add is... if you are pushing your flash to max power and doing it fairly often, you may derive some benefit from using the SB5000 which has significantly improved cooling and claims to allow 100 consecutive shots on full power. In other words it can effectively go pretty much continuously.

Unfortunately you have to pay tons extra for the useless radio system. But if there's anyone that can derive benefit from the 'continuous high power' feature, it would be the likes of you.
Click to expand...
Usually we need about 5 shots on average. 3 for different agencies and 2 just in case some has blinked. There is like 2 seconds interval between bursts. And bursts are never at full power. The fastest flash recharge I know of 1.5 seconds so you can't do full power anyway even with external battery. Because of the limitation I don't even use external battery anymore. I shoot now with Flashpoint/Godox R2/860 II. Once in a blue moon I get "dark" frame but it is so seldom that I don't care. Besides, I can always PP it.

My parameters are 1 stop underexposed plus flash at 1/32 max so bringing back one stop is nothing. Many times I shoot at 1/64 or even 1/128 if there is strong background light.
 
You do know the Quantum batteries have a "boot" sequence? I forget now whether you are supposed to turn flash or battery on first as I have gone to lithium packs. It really does matter. Lithiums weigh much less, last longer and could care less who gets booted first. Plus they cost about 2/3 less than Turbos. Just keep an eye on them when recharging. Be advised, they are a B to get off your belt I never used the 5th battery holder as the instructions advise against it. If you get the Godox or one of its rebrands with two ports you can get a 2 into 1 adapter and caution/common sense is needed to not melt a flash. I would think iso 800 would be fine with D750. Do not have a 750, but it is fine with D700 to me.
 
stevo4 said:
Hey there,

I've been shooting for 40 years. Most of my work is without flash. I was asked to be at my first 'Step & Repeat' shoot last weekend and some of the other photographers were able to rapid fire many shots in a few seconds without the flash needing to recharge. I was curious what some of the standard camera or flash settings are that should be used under these typical conditions. I should be able to get off the 6 fps but the flash stops to recharge after several frames. (And i am aware of the overheating issue with flash).

Notes on my gear etc. before commenting:

I use a D750 and SB-800 flash. The SB-800 has the 5th battery option and is connected to my Quantum 2x2 battery pack. Everything was fully charged. Camera was set to multiple shots (my normal setting) and the flash was in TTL mode. The Step & repeat was well lit by lights. I understand that my camera does not take as many frames/second as the top pro-line cameras but still should be able to handle 6 shots without the flash needing to recharge.

Thx.
Click to expand...
You can set SB-800 in repeating flash operation mode. Look at page 48 of SB-800 manual.
 
Sagittarius said:
stevo4 said:
Hey there,

I've been shooting for 40 years. Most of my work is without flash. I was asked to be at my first 'Step & Repeat' shoot last weekend and some of the other photographers were able to rapid fire many shots in a few seconds without the flash needing to recharge. I was curious what some of the standard camera or flash settings are that should be used under these typical conditions. I should be able to get off the 6 fps but the flash stops to recharge after several frames. (And i am aware of the overheating issue with flash).

Notes on my gear etc. before commenting:

I use a D750 and SB-800 flash. The SB-800 has the 5th battery option and is connected to my Quantum 2x2 battery pack. Everything was fully charged. Camera was set to multiple shots (my normal setting) and the flash was in TTL mode. The Step & repeat was well lit by lights. I understand that my camera does not take as many frames/second as the top pro-line cameras but still should be able to handle 6 shots without the flash needing to recharge.

Thx.
Click to expand...
You can set SB-800 in repeating flash operation mode. Look at page 48 of SB-800 manual.
Click to expand...
Huh? Why are you posting a reference to the SB-800 repeating flash mode that provides a stroboscopic effect? Unless you don't know what a step and repeat is perhaps.
 
michaeladawson said:
Huh? Why are you posting a reference to the SB-800 repeating flash mode that provides a stroboscopic effect? Unless you don't know what a step and repeat is perhaps.
Click to expand...
 
michaeladawson said:
Is the "step and repeat" reference what caused you to think that the OP was interested in the repeating flash function? If so...

"Step and repeat" refers to the backdrop banner that appears most commonly at red carpet type events. The backdrop banner will typically have one or more logos that call attention to the sponsors or hosts of the event. I'm sure you've seen these. The logo (or logos) is repeated many times on the backdrop in a stair step fashion, up one line and shifted right/left. Hence the name phrase "step and repeat".
Click to expand...
 
... all of which brings to mind a question... does anyone here use, or have you heard of anyone actually using, the repeating flash effect to create a strobed sequence?

Just because I've never seen the results, I would guess doesn't mean somebody out there isn't doing it 8 hours a day...
 
michaeladawson said:
"Step and repeat" refers to the backdrop banner that appears most commonly at red carpet type events. The backdrop banner will typically have one or more logos that call attention to the sponsors or hosts of the event. I'm sure you've seen these. The logo (or logos) is repeated many times on the backdrop in a stair step fashion, up one line and shifted right/left. Hence the name phrase "step and repeat".
Click to expand...
I never thought of it in terms of the backdrop; I always thought it referred to the participants. Like, it's how the celebrity works their way down the line. They start off, gang at that end take photos, celeb takes a few steps to the right, repeats smile and pose. They, step and repeat.

(And no I don't think it's like a "rule", but the majority of ones I've done have worked to the right. The only time I can think of right now that I've seen a step-and-repeat work to the celebs' left was the SI Superbowl/Swimsuit model party.)

About the stroboscopic: You might be confusing with a powered down flash shooting on Ch, which is indeed a burst of flashes but one per frame.
 
Fog City said:
michaeladawson said:
"Step and repeat" refers to the backdrop banner that appears most commonly at red carpet type events. The backdrop banner will typically have one or more logos that call attention to the sponsors or hosts of the event. I'm sure you've seen these. The logo (or logos) is repeated many times on the backdrop in a stair step fashion, up one line and shifted right/left. Hence the name phrase "step and repeat".
Click to expand...
I never thought of it in terms of the backdrop; I always thought it referred to the participants. Like, it's how the celebrity works their way down the line. They start off, gang at that end take photos, celeb takes a few steps to the right, repeats smile and pose. They, step and repeat.
Click to expand...
You know... you could be right as well. I've been part of events where this is a single backdrop. Only room for just a few people in front of the backdrop for photos. Sometimes it's set up as a place for people to take small group photos. And they still refer to it as "the step and repeat".

I must admit that I don't know the definitive answer here.
Fog City said:
(And no I don't think it's like a "rule", but the majority of ones I've done have worked to the right. The only time I can think of right now that I've seen a step-and-repeat work to the celebs' left was the SI Superbowl/Swimsuit model party.)

About the stroboscopic: You might be confusing with a powered down flash shooting on Ch, which is indeed a burst of flashes but one per frame.
Click to expand...
 
michaeladawson said:
I must admit that I don't know the definitive answer here.
Click to expand...
Well in all questions needing a higher authority we defer to the Interweb via the God Google, and in this instance we come out at

Loading…

www.stepandrepeat.com

And they own the domain so they must know... they say that it's both of the explanations so far given.
 
michaeladawson said:
Fog City said:
michaeladawson said:
"Step and repeat" refers to the backdrop banner that appears most commonly at red carpet type events. The backdrop banner will typically have one or more logos that call attention to the sponsors or hosts of the event. I'm sure you've seen these. The logo (or logos) is repeated many times on the backdrop in a stair step fashion, up one line and shifted right/left. Hence the name phrase "step and repeat".
Click to expand...
I never thought of it in terms of the backdrop; I always thought it referred to the participants. Like, it's how the celebrity works their way down the line. They start off, gang at that end take photos, celeb takes a few steps to the right, repeats smile and pose. They, step and repeat.
Click to expand...
You know... you could be right as well. I've been part of events where this is a single backdrop. Only room for just a few people in front of the backdrop for photos. Sometimes it's set up as a place for people to take small group photos. And they still refer to it as "the step and repeat".

I must admit that I don't know the definitive answer here.
michaeladawson said:
(And no I don't think it's like a "rule", but the majority of ones I've done have worked to the right. The only time I can think of right now that I've seen a step-and-repeat work to the celebs' left was the SI Superbowl/Swimsuit model party.)

About the stroboscopic: You might be confusing with a powered down flash shooting on Ch, which is indeed a burst of flashes but one per frame.
Click to expand...
--
Mike Dawson
Click to expand...
Step-and-Repeat is always refereed to background where sponsoring companies have their logo. Talent (normally we don't call them celebrities) comes from the left or from the right. There is no rule for that. Sometimes they come to the middle and turn their heads in each direction or sometimes they just look forward. Sometimes you can ask them to pose and sometimes they hate your guts because they don't want to be there.

Sometimes they walk and never stop. Sometimes they want to walk but their publicist stops them.

As far as flash, don't assume there there will be good ambient light. The one below is pretty dim. I have shot on the street with only one street light present 30 feet away.

I am there somewhere.



e12382e5fa194e878a198abf824a3fa4.jpg

Or sometimes there is so much light that no flash is needed at all but I use it anyway to remove shadows.



05d25a714739487fbe2bffe3800504b6.jpg





--
If I don't respond to your post after you responded to my with NEGATIVE remarks that means you are on my Ignore list.
Photography Director for Whedonopolis.com
 
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