One or two strobes

Thanks to a strobe flood on the first dive I shot my Alaska trip with one strobe.

I was wondering how often most of our dSLR shooters use only one strobe?

Why and when as well.

i use 2 strobes. but in case i only need one, i swith one off for that shot. but i always have mounted two ...

that makes me more flexible and sometimes then when one strobe battery goes flat, you can still do some shots with the other strobe

greets, serge

Hi Dave,

I very rarely use two strobes and am currently using a single Seacam 250TTL - but this is a potent, wide-beam strobe. At the moment my widest lens is Canon's 24/1.4 which this strobe suits brilliantly both in terms of coverage and evenness of illumination. As I usually shoot in less than ideal conditions (vis has not exceeded 10m this year where I've been diving and has often been substantially less) I prefer to be able to control one strobe to minimise backscatter to a photoshop managable level rather than two. I also light with the strobe as close as I can manage to my subject in order to create softer illumination whenever possible (horsehoe shaped strobe tube, large reflector).

I find that two strobes give a more natural look with wide-angle but not necessarily better. This is a creative question to which there is no answer apart from - Do what suits you!

I have taken some very fetching pics with only one strobe although I usually use Subtronics, which seem to give a broad beam of light from a wide source unlike some strobes that have a much smaller tube and therefore much more of a point-source.

I always dive with 2 strobes attached and probably shoot with both on 90% of the time. Occassionally switch one or both off to suit my needs.

I find that using 2 strobes helps eliminate backscatter, especially in wide angle applications. It seems easier to light the scene with more obtuse angles.

I find that using 2 strobes helps eliminate backscatter, especially in wide angle applications. It seems easier to light the scene with more obtuse angles.

Absolutely, BUT (as ever there is always a but!) sometimes you may not want to use light directed from obtuse angles as some subjects work better with more direct lighting, at the expense of course of risking more backscatter. As John says, you have to suit your own requirements and this will depend on your style of shooting, requirements, etc., etc., etc.. Also my gear is big enough already without adding more unless I must!

Strobe characteristics and placement are often underestimated with regard to their effect on the final image as another recent post by Alex shows.

i use 2 strobes. but in case i only need one, i swith one off for that shot. but i always have mounted two ...

I always dive with 2 strobes attached and probably shoot with both on 90% of the time. Occassionally switch one or both off to suit my needs.

Ditto

that makes me more flexible and sometimes then when one strobe battery goes flat, you can still do some shots with the other strobe

I have the same philosophy, but unfortunately with Ikelite iTTL, the master slave has to be on. If it is the one that goes flat, I'm without strobe. If for some reason I can't fully charge both strobes between dives, I make sure the master has the most charge.

Thanks to a strobe flood on the first dive I shot my Alaska trip with one strobe.

I should add I had a similar thing happen on a 2005 dive trip but only had one strobe to start with. I ended up doing 12 out of 21 dives with no strobe at all.

I now take 3 strobes (2 x DS125 & 1 x DS50), 1 spare battery pack for the DS125s and one spare charger (2 chargers in all) for the DS125s. The DS50 takes AA batteries.

I've been taking 3 or 4 strobes for years. Since I've never had one flood beyond repair I quit doing it for this trip. A buddy of mine did have a spare just in case. Since I saved his dry suit wrist seals with a ring repair kit he owed me.