Speedlight Pixie
I took the opportunity, with Sharon working midnights, to pull out the Speedlights, mostly to get some more familiarity with slave/remote use of the Speedlights. I’ve become so used to using either available light or Alien Bees that I often overlook the usefulness of a multi-speedlight setup, particularly where it concerns possible use for a wedding. This is invaluable piece of equipment to have handy — light in an instant. Not only a single light, but also a slave of which you can reduce or increase its power as a ratio to the other flash.
Think about it. Rather than using a single flash mounted on the camera, add another flash and an off-camera shoe cord. Also add a Gary Fong Lightsphere (Cloude/shade version)
Now allow your mind to wander.. a wedding.. unforeseen rain (rain itself adds an interesting opportunity but that’s for another post another day). Where were we? Ah, yes — the photos that you can take with the ability to model your clients with great light in a badly lit hall or a low lit, grand theater rather than the edge of a shade tree on a beautiful sunny-16 day. Now you’re beginning to see through my eyes the value of these speedlights. Beauty can unfold regardless of the presence of our beautiful, inspirational light source — the sun. We now have the ability to mock the sun and its secondary light source (the moon) with speedlights.
So anyways.. I’m messing around with this combination with the slave Speedlight mounted on it’s little stand that comes with them out of the box.. so I put it down behind the baby gate facing into the room where Pixie was playing. I had the camera in one hand and the other speedlight in my hand about 45 degrees off camera center and made this odd “SHHHHHOOOOOPPPPPPHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOH!” sound.
Pixie came running and decided she was going to be her goofball self. Needless to say, I think I just got what I’d call a lifetime shot of our little puppy. I think she succeeded in grand style showing you all what she’s about. LOL!
Expect to see a future installment of this post with a pretty female model as subject. 
Equipment: Canon 550EX Speedlight (master/fill), Canon 430EX Speedlight (slave/key), Gary Fong lightsphere (for master/fill softness), Baby gate for shapes template on the key light.
