Melissa Jill Photography

Legault Photography - Thank you so much for this detailed post! OCF is an acronym a lot of photographers are afraid of but after reading this, I'm definitely more inclined to experiment at my next reception! Lovely photos...just all around amazing work! Thanks again!

Galen - Thanks for the post, I'm looking to do more OCF at my next reception and will be giving this a try.

Wedding Photography Denver - I look forward to reading more of your FAQ posts! You are great photographer and your passion for photography really show in your photographs.

Max Surikov - Getting off camera lighting setup correctly, as you do in this post is a mark of a Pro. I also love the effect of lens flair from the flash. It adds a surreal effect to the images.

Tanya Stafford - Awesome post and I love your style! Now off camera lighting doesn't seem so daunting to me so thank you for that!

Tracy Dodson - I am going to order this as well - you are awesome by the way. Do I need any cords? I thought I read somewhere that I do. Or do I just need the pocket wizards and two flashes? (plus i see that headless screw). Do I need the nicer flash or can I get the 480? I have the 580 already.

Melissa Jill :) - Hi Edwin - I use a headless screw I picked up from home depot. Just bring your camera or pocketwizard in and find one that fits.

Edwin - Hi MJ, Within a few weeks i have a reception to do and preparing for it right now. I saw your post about off-camera flash and have a question about that. How did you screw the 2nd pocketwizard into the bottom of your camera? grtz, Edwin

Anna - HI Melissa, I saw in another area of your blog that you own 3 pocketwizards, where above you say 2. I am ordering them now, and I was wondering if you have a third that you use as a backup, or do you use a 3rd in your shoots along with the first 2? I was just going to order 2, but is there something that I am missing re: the off camera flash? Thanks!!

glen - This is fantastic. I wanted to try mixing TTL fill and manual off camera along time ago but I read somewhere that there is a sync issue (due to delay caused by the imperceptible pre-flash used for TTL metering). Can't wait to try it out. Thanks.

Melissa Jill :) - I haven't had anyone complain so far Stephanie. Usually there is so much going on that it just fits in to the craziness :).

Stephanie w/ VMP - I am going to start using off camera lighting soon and I am curious, what do guests seem to think of the "brightness" of the flash happening every now and again... bad reactions, or are they pretty ok with it??

Andrew - Do you use flash brackets in these situations?

Brandy Burridge - Thank you so much for posting this, very helpful!! You rock!

Melissa Jill :) - Good question Gail. I neglected to mention that I use a second battery pack hooked to my belt for my on-camera flash. The model that I have on my B&H list linked above is super-light weight so it's great to wear on your person. The battery pack isn't a total necessity but you will find yourself frustrated if you are a fast shooter as the flash will not recharge quickly enough.

Gail - Melissa, Just wondering - I want to purchase a similar lighting set-up but was curious about the need for a second battery pack, given its cost. If you use one on a stand at a time, is the second just your back-up? For those of us just getting serious about off-camera use for receptions, I wanted to ask!

Casey Figlewicz - Amazing Post! Thank you. This post will be helpful in so many ways. I already have contacted Michael Bass. Looking to get some custom stuff. Thanks Melissa for be so transparent to all.

Danielle Aquiline - One question I forgot to ask! Do you have a standard lens that you use for receptions? Or, rather, what is your most-used reception lens?

Beki - Thanks so much for writing this up! I will try this setup at my wedding in a few weeks :)

Melissa Jill :) - Debbie: I attach the PW to the bottom of my camera using a 3/4" headless screw I found at Home Depot. Just take your PW in and find one that fits. If it fit in there, it will also screw into the bottom of the camera. I don't use my softbox at weddings. It is designed more for use with close-up portraits. Sometimes I use my umbrella for large group portraits or during a reception to fill a very dark room with light. But primarily I prefer bare bulb because I can shoot into the flash then. I haven't upgraded to the 5D Mark II yet and I don't plan to anytime soon since I'm super-happy with my tried and true 5D :). Dennis: I don't put the light stand right along the dance floor for various reasons. I find a spot up again the wall that is out of the way that is somewhat equi-distant from the toasts, cake and dancing so I can just pivot the stand for those various events throughout the night. Kate: I believe I got the Aux. Sync Jack modification. It just allows for you not to need a hot-show mount for your flash to hook up to the PW.

Tina - Thanks so much for posting about this! I am in the process of really trying to nail down off camera lighting for receptions, so this was a huge help. Can't wait to read your FAQ's each week!!!

Taryn Rivera - THANK YOU for this post! I look forward to reading more of your FAQ posts!!

Melli - Thank you Melissa :)

Danielle Aquiline - Thanks, Melissa, for these tips. I'm SO thrilled to hear that your F.A.Q. will be appearing more regularly. You are a doll to be so helpful.

Michele S - Melissa - Thanks so much for sharing this! You've totally convinced me I need to start trying more unique ideas at weddings. I am so looking forward to your FAQ posts.

Kate Harrison - Hey Melissa! What Bass modification did you make to your speedlites?

Dennis Bullock - Great information Melissa! How do you determine where along the dance floor to place the stand?

Debbie - I love your blog and especially your photography FAQ's. Learning off-camera flash is a goal of mine! Could you explain in greater detail how you attach the PW to the bottom of your camera? Do you ever use your softbox? Why do you prefer the "bare" light? Are you considering upgrading to the 5D Mark II or have you already? Thank you so much...would love FAQ every Friday.

Cameron Clark | C+K Studios - Hi everyone! For even more info on how to do all this and check out Flash Flavor (http://www.flashflavor.com) and Strobist (http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/) blog. The lighting 101 on Strobist is the BEST resource for all this fun stuff. Flash Flavor is run by a wedding photographer!

Melissa Jill :) - Hi Melli--the 580s can supposedly trigger each other through line-of-sight which just isn't practical in a reception situation. Pocketwizards are based on radio technology so they are more reliable.

Melli - This may sound like a totally dumb question, so please forgive me. I am wondering why you use the pocket wizards - I thought the Speedlight 580 could serve as a trigger for another speedlight (430 or 580) too - making the use of Pocketwizards obsolete? Maybe I am mistaken here, but since it is one of my 101 in 1001 missions to learn off-shoe flash I plan on purchasing some additional equipment ... .

Melissa Jill :) - Hey Suzanne & Calvin--I typically end up in the 300-500 range with ISO with this set-up. I suppose I could dial down the flash power even more to conserve battery life and dial up the ISO some. But with the battery chargers my speedlites go the distance.

Kristia Toddy - Thanks Melissa- I've been anxiously waiting for this ever since you said you were planning to blog about it ! Great stuff! Thanks SO much for the tips- I will put them to practice first chance I get!!

Jamie Delaine - Yesssss! :) I'm wayyy too tired to read this tonight, but I'm totally bookmarking this. You're the greatest, woman! :)

Michele Beckwith - OMG! Thank you for breaking this down for me and for posting some resources on this! You rock :)

Calvin Hill - Great Post! Do you use a higher ISO like 1600 or 3200 to keep the on camera flash from working to hard? I am going to have to play around with the shutter speed to find out how much ambient light I get in at different speeds. Cool!

Janet Manuel - You are so awesome for sharing this info...can't wait 'til the next FAQ!

Pati Pakulis - This is GREAT information Melissa-- thank you! I love these shots. It definately gives me something to shoot for someday!

Suzanne Searle - I can't believe I'm actually the first person to comment. At any rate... these are great shots and I had wondered how you achieved some of them, so thanks for the tip! Am wondering, with this setup, what ISO do you typically end up using?