Flash Set-up "Friday Night Lights"

I've been asked a few times how I set up my flash when shooting night football games, so I thought I make a post here to make it easier for all to see.

This first shot shows how my setup looks. Since I shoot while kneeling my monopod is only extended a bit higher than what you see here. Now you may ask why go through all this trouble and simply put my flash on top of the camera where it belongs. Well this is done for the same reasons why someone doing weddings or portraits will use OFC (Off Camera Flash). One to minimize red eye and second to control where the light goes and how it effects your subject. Although I still have my flash pointed straight ahead from the camera I do have it lower. The purpose for having it below the camera is to provide light into the face mask and face area inside the helmet.

If your wondering why the pink bandana, well two years ago our teams starting sporting pink gloves, mouth guards, and tape to support brest cancer. Duing one game I obtained this bandana and put it on my camera where it's been ever since.

Here you can see how the off-camera shore cord is attached to my camera and extends below to the flash.

The flash is attached to the opposite end of the off-camera shoe cord, which is has a standard stud screwed into it. This stud in then attached to a super clamp and attached to my monopod. I usually have the super clamp attached just above one monopod section, which prevents it from sliding downward during the 2-2 1/2 hours of game shooting.

A Canon off-camera shoe cord with standard stud.

Super clamp

I hope you find this post useful in setting up your flash for the night games. Enjoy and among everything else - Have fun shooting.