Billy,I have heard of Helmut Newton,after looking at some of his work on line, I'm not sure what to say.His style was certainly
different.It leaves me wondering if he really loved women or
had a secret hate for them.His older work could leave one guessing?I have an older stroboframe (low end) and I hate it.I only use it if I feel it is needed.I know I should always keep my flash off Camera and I have been looking at a custom Bracket.
I need a very light weight one,that will flip every way known to man!But that will have to wait a while. O.K I'm off to check out those links you sent....

Billy,also thanks again for the advice on the umbrellas.I didn't realize the light would be focused only 3to5 feet.I knew the Umbrellas would of course reduce and soften the light but I thought it would help to spread it to a wider coverage as well.
Yes,I always use my diffuser dome to soften and wrap the light for close-ups.I do read a lot about lighting but If weeks go by and I dont use it,,,,,I lose it.I guess it's the curse of turning forty.Your advice to shoot everyday is very wise.

123, There is no doubt that Helmut Newton seemed a little strange, but his style of photograpy set the stage for what you see today in fashion magazines. If the subject is strong enough and interesting enough all you need to do is light it.

Get your flash off camera. Use a flash bracket. I use the RRS Wedding Pro Flash Bracket. http://reallyrightstuff.com/flash/04.html. It does a super job, light weight and will put the light where you want it. I have owned every bracket made and this is my favorite. You have to use an L-bracket with it and it's expensive. Check out this bracket review http://www.aljacobs.com/BEST_WORST2005A.htm.

About the diffuser dome. Try some test with and without the dome. The dome reduces the light output. It only softens if there is something to bounce the side light off. The dome does not make the light source larger and larger is what softens the light. It can bounce off a wall or a ceiling and then soften the light by adding another light source, but only if there is a wall or ceiling to bounce off of. Shoot some flash shots with and without the dome and then try to see if or why there is a difference.

I shoot all my weddings with direct flash unless I have a low white ceiling or a close white wall to bounce off of.
My clients like me because I am quick and I get good photographs, and I think they actually like me. I shoot by myself with one assistant to run for me. Flash on camera with flash bracket, seldom do I use a second flash. No light stands, but I do use a tripod to shoot the groups after the wedding.

It's not age that's causing you to lose the dome. Keep it in a case. Same place everytime (I keep the dome in the SB800 case in my camera case). I'm 64 (sounds like a Beatles song)and if I didn't have an organized camera case, I couldn't find anything.

I learned lighting from Dick Balli (Mardick Balli) the guy that invented the umbrella for flash photograhy (yes, he's the one that did it) and he created the Balcar lighting system. He knew more about light than anyone I had ever met. Dick was a fashion photographer and couldn't find what he wanted so he made it. He had a hard time selling lighting in the US because so few photographers understood how it worked. They still don't. Everyone just does what someone else says instead of testing it. I still shoot with Balcar lights and umbrellas.

Billy

Sounds like you been there and know what's going on. How about shooting through umbrellas vs bouncing off does that help spread the light any better. I understand what you are saying about the large light source so I don't guess that would make an umbrella any larger as a light source. But????


Thanks
Foley

Foley, Your light source is the last thing the light (flash) hits before it hits the subject. If you shoot through an umbrella (one made for that purpose) then it does spread the light, everywhere. Makes it hard to control, but if you need to do that then it works. I have used it. The size is the same as the umbrella, but you have to consider the other areas that the light is bouncing off. That could be walls, ceiling and the floor. At times on a big shoot I will paint or cover the floor (with white or black) because it's such a big influence. On a portrait I may put a white reflector on the floor to use that fill light.

One thing I do to know where the light is bouncing from is to photograph the light source and area around it. With the Nikon CLS this is easy, just point and shoot. Then you can look at where the light is showing. Same thing with the light bouncing into an umbrella. If the flash just fills the umbrella then it is most effective. If it spills out to the ceiling, walls, etc then that becomes another light source. Sometimes I want to control the light and sometimes I just want to light everything. I find most photographers do not consider the stray light and how much it influences the photograph.

I just saw this new post by David Ziser. I'm an old Kentucky boy myself. He shot his flash for the video here and you can see what it's doing. And he's using a shoot throught umbrella at the end of the video. http://digitalprotalk.blogspot.com/2008/02/technique-tuesday-light-fantastic.html#links

Billy,the two links concerning that Bracket would not pull up.
reallyrightstuff and the best and worst,do you have another site concerning the(RRS wedding pro bracket.).....I did more testing with my SB800's,had to use my built-in as the commander but cut it off in camera (---).I have got to order that cover you told me about,those pre-flashes
are horrible on your subject and they do effect the lighting in the shot.Someone else in the forum had said they would not effect the shot,but in my testing they clearly light up the image.My testing was in low light conditions so I could really see the effects of them....

Maybe I'll go with the SU-800,have not even priced it yet.

http://www.aljacobs.com/index.htm if that does not work then go to http://www.aljacobs.com and choose the fash bracket link on the lower left. You might want to read a lot of the stuff on his site. He's an old photographer and has done a lot of shooting including weddings. I don't agree with all he says about weddings, but his stuff about lighting is right on. (All weddings are different and I have been fortunate to have a clientele that have good taste, good manners and are not worried about spending for what they want. So the type of weddings you do make a difference.)

http://reallyrightstuff.com/flash/04.html and if that does not work then go to http://www.reallyrightstuff.com and look at the Wedding Pro Flash Bracket. It's expensive, but it's the best I have seen and fits my needs more than any other.

The preflash could affect your exposure in low light. I have heard others say that. The flash is anoying and people tend to blink. The SU800 flashes an infrared flash. You can see it, but it doesn't cause people to blink and it will not affect exposure. Be aware that the SU800 will not fit on camera with most flash brackets. I sometimes shoot with the built-in flash triggering my flash on the bracket. It works and if the extension cable quits if's nice to know there is a backup. B&H has the infrared screen I told you about.

Billy,I may be away from the forum for a while,still reading all the wedding information on that link.Reading the first 200 pages
now.I love the humorous spin he adds to his experience.It was sad to read about his wife........Thanks again for the great links. Kim

Don't be put off by this seemingly amature demonstration. There is a lot of info in it. Nikon must have many different people working on their web and books. They don't give you all the info in one place, but if you look everywhere it all starts to come together. Some places it's just one missing piece they will give you. The Nikon SB800 does a lot and does it easy if you know the flash and menus well.
http://nikonimaging.com/global/technology/speedlight/index.htm