almost all scenes. The B1600 model puts out almost 800 w.s. of light (about the same as one of Link’s No. 2 flashbulbs), but with cam- eras capable of high ISO the higher flash out- put (and its expense) is usually not needed. My basic set-up is four of the AlienBees
B800s, although I often deploy only three. Accessories include flash stands (decent lightweight ones are available from Buff) and Cybersync™ receivers on each flash unit and a Cybersync trigger on the camera (these are the Buff units, although PocketWizards®
,
which are used by many professionals, can also be used on AlienBees strobes). The Bees come with reflectors that throw light at about a 90-degree angle, which means when you are 30 or 40 feet away from the train a lot of light is going onto the ground or into the sky. I pur- chased a set of 11-inch long-throw reflectors from Buff which narrow the beam down to 25 degrees or so and put more light where you need it. Okay, let’s get cost out of the way. Each
B800 runs about $280 (the B1600s go for $360 if you are so inclined). Add to that a lightstand for $40, a long-throw reflector for $30 and a Cybersync trigger for $70 and you come up with $420 per light. Tack on a trans- mitter for $60 and a basic three-light set-up runs about $1300.
Flashes in the Field
So you have your flashes and you’re ready to head out. What now? First, don’t head to the nearest open field
and deploy your lights. Night photos have lit- tle background and a black sky, so you almost always need some other prop to add interest and reflect light back in to the scene. Even shooting from under a tree to form a frame is better than just an open shot. Look for signals, buildings, or other interesting secondary sub- jects. The AlienBees have adjustable output, so if you need to light something close to you to form a frame you can back off on the output from one of the strobes. If you have enough strobes and you can
access the far side of the tracks, try to light the nose of the train from the opposite side of where you are shooting. This gives a nice edge to the nose, separating it from the back- ground. This isn’t always possible, however. One very common mistake made by begin-
ners is to put the lights only 10 or 20 feet back from the tracks, which means only a small portion of the scene is being lit by each strobe. This thinking comes from the flash-and-film days where you had to be as close to your sub- ject as possible to get something to record on ISO 64 Kodachrome. Get back from the tracks and let the camera’s high ISO do the work. You can light up an amazing amount of scene with just three lights. Another rookie mistake is to leave the
strobes packed away until it is completely dark. This is another leftover way of think- ing from the film days when painting station- ary subjects with light took 15 seconds at a minimum. With synchronized strobes, you’ll be shooting at 1
/250 of a second (which is the
sync speed on most cameras — check your user manual for the proper setting). For the most part, as soon as the sun is below the horizon you’ll be able to see some effect from the strobes and you can start shooting. “Fill flash” can be quite effective. I’ve even shot at 3:30 in the afternoon when thick cloud cover was present. The key in the field is to “get it close.” Un- like shooting on slide film, the digital capture
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TOP: The author’s first attempt at synchronized night photography was at Nova, Ohio, on July 10, 2010. Both trains were moving. ABOVE: Three AlienBees strobes were enough flash to light up across the Mohawk River near Amsterdam, N.Y., on October 23, 2015. All three lights were point- ed across the river; the locktender building had no direct flash on it. ISO 1600 was used for this shot. BELOW: It’s only 3:30 p.m. but a dark cloud has obscured the sun as a northbound Vermont Rail System train passes the depot at Ludlow, Vt. Three Bees (one on the nose, one at half-power aimed at the station, and one behind the station lighting the third unit) were used for some fill flash photography. STEVE BARRY PHOTOS
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