Nikon School - Speed of Light Instructional DVD
English | ASIN: B000NCYK4C | DVD-Video 720 x 480 | Dolby Digital (AC3) 224 Kbps | 2.05 GB
Genre: eLearning

Nikon Speed of Light Instructional DVD Joe McNally and the Nikon Creative Lighting System

One of my biggest challenges in low-light photography is balancing my lighting without burning out my subject or causing harsh shadows behind the subject. I read reviews on this DVD describing it as a disappointment and decided at that time not to purchase the DVD: "This was a disappointment. I was looking for a step by step instruction on how to use a Nikon SB800. This product does not do that. There is no instructional detail. It is really more a marketing tool for the glory of the SB600 or SB800."

Stay with me now, I will get to my point soon...

Based on the many negative / neutral reviews, I decided not to purchase this DVD. Still, the many features of my SB 800 were still a mystery to me. I purchased a Gary Fong Lightsphere Cloud flash diffuser. This solved my shadow problem, but not my low light problem. As a matter of fact, it diffuesed the light so much that it increased this dilemma. When using an 18-55mm or other wide angle, the light was wonderful from this device, but then I found myself spending much of my shooting done right in my subjects faces with the close proximity my camera causing them to become uncomfortable not to mention an image that was far from portrait quality.

In this DVD, the photographer, Joe McNally, travels to dry lake bed near Las Vegas demonstrates shooting scenarios. He also goes to a highschool to illustrate some simple and creative features of the Speedlight. Joe starts with a simple one-Speedlight shoot and later he advances to more artistic and exigent situations using multiple Speedlights and the wireless capabilities they offer that help the viewer understand the resourcefulness of the Nikon SB-800 and SB-600 Speedlights.

Hang in there, I am almost there...

I still did not know how to use my SB 800 or any of the possibilities it possessed. As a matter of fact, I did not even think my Speedlight had the capabilities of being a studio-quality device. So, I turned to a full studio lights with stands, umbrellas and soft boxes set up. WOW! I started getting great results!! But, set-up was a hassle, not to mention the 1000 I put into it. It would take an hour sometimes to set up and that much or longer to tear down.

Okay, now the point of all of this is...

If you do not know what features your Speedlight possesses, you will never think to ask. It is like a person that was born blind. If you ask them to describe *blue* they will scratch there head. They have no reference to go on.

I finally purchased this DVD and after watching, I still did not fully understand the how to of the features of the SB 800. So, the reviews I have read had some merit. But, now I knew what to start looking for. And soon I started mastering the features / functions of my SB-800.

If you are new to flash photography, you will benefit from this DVD. If you are new to the Speedlight system, you will benefit from this DVD. If you are already familiar with flash photography or the Speedlight system, and would like some great idea possibilities, buy this DVD, it has some nice, creative examples of flash photography. If you know all there is to know about flash photography and the Speedlight, do not buy this DVD, you will likely see it as a promotional video for the Speedlight system and be disappointed.

My plan now is to store my studio lighting set, buy a couple light stands and a couple more SB 800s and use the cool features of my Speedlights to illuminate my subjects both inside, without cords and sync lines. I will also take my Speedlights outside, without pushing my solo Speedlight to perform an impossible task.