Getting sync two lights; when both grids or snoots

[kevs]

Anyone else notice can be hard to get two light heads to sync when both are grids?  ANy tips on this? thanks!

[Petrus]

You mean the light from the synced head does not reach the photo cell in the other? What I used in a studio situation was simply an on-camera flash aimed up, which triggered both/all units at the same time. In outside situations this of course does not work very well.

[kevs]

Of course other lighting situations no sync issue, on camera, umbrellas.--- post is if two narrow beams...

[Harold Clark]

I assume you are syncing the strobes optically?

In the 1990s when shooting large industrial projects on 4x5 with 4800 WS pack and head systems, I attached an extension cord between the sync terminal on the power pack and the photo cell. That way the cell could be placed in the light beam of the main strobe and be sure to fire, especially since ambient light levels were sometimes high in those situations.

I also used a super sensitive photo cell sometimes, but even the strobe of a distant fork lift would trigger it so it often wasn't practical.

I eventually switched to pocket wizards. The extension cords were two prong AC types, I don't know whether they were ever made with mono connectors which you are likely using.

[Conner999]

Aside from radios, eternal optical triggers, sync cords, etc., you could use a small cheap speedlight on near the camera that won't add any light to scene, to trigger both lights.

You can tape a piece of IR gel over that small speedlight to block all visible light, but still trigger the larger strobes.

[BobShaw]

The tip is to get a radio trigger and two receivers, like the Elinchrom Skyports Transmitters and Universal receivers.
Then you can fire both or individually and they won't go off when the guy next to you fires his.
Optical firing is desperation mode.