Yes, it’s true! I’m quite the virgin when it comes to being a user of the humble flash!

Recently I thought I’ll get in there and rent a nice little Canon 50mm f/1.4 along with a 580 EXII and see how I went on my own for a little bit… and had some interesting turn outs!
After fiddling with a few settings, then realising that one of the people that had been informing me about those setting used a Nikon (Was pretty much backwards – cos we all know Canons rock-socks!), and I had to pretty much go from there!

On of the hardest things when trying to even become a ‘amateur strobist’ is finding out your settings!
No one place I could really find how to get your settings right… So, first bit of knowledge is using M or Manual! And it’s pretty much smooth sailing from there!

If you plan on having your subject close to the light srouce (Like above), and you’re in  a reasonably lit room, having you # at 1/250 and f/ at F13 – got that? Then you’re pretty much set and can figure a few things out along the way!
I also force set my ISO to around 200, though it should be that low if you have you’re ambient lighting rather dim for your shoot.

Using a pair of Pocketwizards, a light stand with a hotshoe attachment and a Translucent White Shoot-Thru Umbrella – I was ready to go.

There was also a Silver Reflector or both left and right sides. A small light to catch harsh shadows just behind the model at a rather low level to the floor while the flash was positioned high right (Of camera) which flooded the subject.

Basically with the same as the above, I used the same but without the ‘flekies’ and the flash was positioned at the models height.

Next I just ditched the Translucent Umbrella and added a ‘Snoot’ too the flash.

“A funnel shaped tube placed over the flash head to direct the light”

I just used a bit of thick paper and small amount of tape to keep it on. And for a different effect later of, I placed straws within the snoot too create a honeycomb grid, which created in a way – a spotlight/flash light effect.

Flash positioned camera right directed at the wall. No reflector or umbrella used.
Happy shootings, and I hope I helped those in some way that didn’t.