Off camera flash for close-ups

There are many ways to get your flash gun/strobe off of your camera.
You can use a cable or a optical slave cell these are cheap or a radio wireless trigger expensive.
In the shot below I have used a old Nikon strobe a SB-26 that has an inbuilt optical slave cell.
This slave cell fires the strobe when it sees a flash from another flashgun/strobe, so it can be triggered by the built-in flash of your DSLR. This is how the picture was made.
I had the DSLR flash set to manual and 1/125th power, and the Sb-26 set to manual and 1/16th power. I then held the strobe in my left hand and the camera in my right. you could use a tripod or light stand for the flash.
the camera was on manual 1/200sec f45 300mm lens at 2foot 0.5meters from subject.
These are not the best shots ever but taken just to show how this works for this brief article.

Shot 1 lit with the camera in-built flash.

From 2009 02 27

OK but very flat.
Shot 2 strobe off camera.

From 2009 02 27

Better I think and more DoF, so sharper front to back.
Like I said not the best shots but I made these while sitting a my desk at work reading my emails, and start to finish 5 mins.

Hi Simon

I think you started a really interesting discussion...something that fascinates me also from my G7 days. The smaller 28 / 34 series of Metz also has this slave function, so have a number of Canon flas units.

I like the result of the second picture, it looks great.

Sunday I have a date with my daughter to do portrait work. I am planning to use off camera flash techniques plus I will try reflectors for the first time....

Have a nice weekend

Siegfried

You can do this with the G7 and that can sync at any shutter speed.
I will do a off camera flash for the G7 soon.

G7 off camera flash article in show us your pictures.
See self portrait.

Hi Simon

Did I miss something...I do not see the article....or is it comming.

Summer is here and macro pics will be key soon...flower pics

Best

Siegfried

Yes Sigi, the article is in Portrait Photography/self portrait.
http://mycanong7.forumotion.com/portrait-photography-f17/self-portrait-t599-15.htm#3144
I can see the flowers from my office window but were is the time to do this?