Flash and portraits, diffuser or no diffuser?
Discussion
I had occasion to take some unposed baby shots last night, so on the hoof as the baby played.
I quickly got the camera out and put the flash on the camera, on ttl setting as I just had to pop some shots off, no time for changing manual settings etc. as with posed shots.
I decided to use the built in diffuser to soften the light and took a series of shots from further away and closer to the baby.
Anyway, I'm just wondering if the diffuser is the right Thing to do as certainly the shots from further away were darker than I would have liked (alhough useable).
So, diffuser on or diffuser off in these circumstances - is there a way that gives better results?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
I quickly got the camera out and put the flash on the camera, on ttl setting as I just had to pop some shots off, no time for changing manual settings etc. as with posed shots.
I decided to use the built in diffuser to soften the light and took a series of shots from further away and closer to the baby.
Anyway, I'm just wondering if the diffuser is the right Thing to do as certainly the shots from further away were darker than I would have liked (alhough useable).
So, diffuser on or diffuser off in these circumstances - is there a way that gives better results?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
The built-in diffuser isn't so much a diffuser as a 'light spreader' for wide-angle lenses. The bright bit (that makes shadows) is still the same size.
The shots from further away were darker because the exposure was wrong. Light follows the inverse square law, whch means that as the distance increases its power falls off massively. Look at your results then either open the aperture, increase ISO or use flash +EV to compensate.
My general purpose solution with a Speedlight is to bounce it and use the catchlight card to throw some forwards. It's not a perfect studio solution but it gives fast, decent and mobile results.
The shots from further away were darker because the exposure was wrong. Light follows the inverse square law, whch means that as the distance increases its power falls off massively. Look at your results then either open the aperture, increase ISO or use flash +EV to compensate.
My general purpose solution with a Speedlight is to bounce it and use the catchlight card to throw some forwards. It's not a perfect studio solution but it gives fast, decent and mobile results.
Simpo Two said:
The built-in diffuser isn't so much a diffuser as a 'light spreader' for wide-angle lenses. The bright bit (that makes shadows) is still the same size.
The shots from further away were darker because the exposure was wrong. Light follows the inverse square law, whch means that as the distance increases its power falls off massively. Look at your results then either open the aperture, increase ISO or use flash +EV to compensate.
My general purpose solution with a Speedlight is to bounce it and use the catchlight card to throw some forwards. It's not a perfect studio solution but it gives fast, decent and mobile results.
That's great thanks Simpo, got a lot to learn with there here flashes! I assumed ttl would sort the distance out but apparently not! The shots from further away were darker because the exposure was wrong. Light follows the inverse square law, whch means that as the distance increases its power falls off massively. Look at your results then either open the aperture, increase ISO or use flash +EV to compensate.
My general purpose solution with a Speedlight is to bounce it and use the catchlight card to throw some forwards. It's not a perfect studio solution but it gives fast, decent and mobile results.
Theory and practice are rarely the same 
There may have been a limiting factor, eg using f11 and the flash wasn't powerful enough to compensate. Fast lenses (f2.8 or wider) really make a difference if you're struggling with light and need it to go further, as of course does higher ISO. You just need to identify the weak link - equipment, settings or Sir Isaac.
There may have been a limiting factor, eg using f11 and the flash wasn't powerful enough to compensate. Fast lenses (f2.8 or wider) really make a difference if you're struggling with light and need it to go further, as of course does higher ISO. You just need to identify the weak link - equipment, settings or Sir Isaac.steveatesh said:
Simpo Two said:
The built-in diffuser isn't so much a diffuser as a 'light spreader' for wide-angle lenses. The bright bit (that makes shadows) is still the same size.
The shots from further away were darker because the exposure was wrong. Light follows the inverse square law, whch means that as the distance increases its power falls off massively. Look at your results then either open the aperture, increase ISO or use flash +EV to compensate.
My general purpose solution with a Speedlight is to bounce it and use the catchlight card to throw some forwards. It's not a perfect studio solution but it gives fast, decent and mobile results.
That's great thanks Simpo, got a lot to learn with there here flashes! I assumed ttl would sort the distance out but apparently not! The shots from further away were darker because the exposure was wrong. Light follows the inverse square law, whch means that as the distance increases its power falls off massively. Look at your results then either open the aperture, increase ISO or use flash +EV to compensate.
My general purpose solution with a Speedlight is to bounce it and use the catchlight card to throw some forwards. It's not a perfect studio solution but it gives fast, decent and mobile results.
It's a relatively small light source so can be harsh when turned up. You ideally need to make it bigger or make it come off something else. A ceiling or a wall is a good option. For the 'didnt have time for manual settings' comment, I think there's a pinch of salt to be taken with this. If you get the shot you're looking for using skill rather than luck, you could still do that in a semi or fully auto mode by understanding what the camera's going to do, vs having to dial everything in yourself and then take the shot you're looking for
What I'm saying is, you could still go for AP with +1 EV and bump the flash up a stop as well without dialling in the ISO, f/stop and shutter speed yourself
But with babies, always bounce the flash, they dont look right and cant see s
t after you've hit them with a direct blast
What I'm saying is, you could still go for AP with +1 EV and bump the flash up a stop as well without dialling in the ISO, f/stop and shutter speed yourself
But with babies, always bounce the flash, they dont look right and cant see s
t after you've hit them with a direct blast K12beano said:
Flash
Off camera
On portable stand
Through umbrella
TTL - but never "BL"!
Takes three minutes to set up - if you're slow.
I thought TTL would not work through an umbrella or soft box as it is the red sensor on the front of the flash unit that tells it how much light bounces back from the subject and therefore through an umbrella would defeat that - have I been wrong about that? Is it the camera that picks up the light then tells the flash how much flash is required? Off camera
On portable stand
Through umbrella
TTL - but never "BL"!
Takes three minutes to set up - if you're slow.
Sorry, forgive my ignorance "BL"?
steveatesh said:
I thought TTL would not work through an umbrella or soft box as it is the red sensor on the front of the flash unit that tells it how much light bounces back from the subject and therefore through an umbrella would defeat that - have I been wrong about that? Is it the camera that picks up the light then tells the flash how much flash is required?
Sorry, forgive my ignorance "BL"?
TTL pre-flash will measure the amount needed even with a modifier on the flash obviously the flash will lose some of its power - Have a read of one/all of Joe McNally's books (more for Nikon) he explains it all in a non-techy way.Sorry, forgive my ignorance "BL"?
andy-xr said:
BL = backlight, it's just, a world of voodoo that's not worth getting in to
Most of my wedding photos are shot with TTL-BL. It really means 'fill flash' and is simple to do.http://nikonclspracticalguide.blogspot.co.uk/2008/...
Simpo Two said:
andy-xr said:
BL = backlight, it's just, a world of voodoo that's not worth getting in to
Most of my wedding photos are shot with TTL-BL. It really means 'fill flash' and is simple to do.http://nikonclspracticalguide.blogspot.co.uk/2008/...
Doesn't matter the path of the light, bounced, through diffuser/umbrella - it won't stop TTL metering ...
Edited by K12beano on Friday 13th May 20:39
K12beano said:
BL is "Balanced Fill Flash" and it completely messes up your chance of control
You can't work things out in advance with a calculator, but you can certainly control the results using EV and/or flash EV. I've used it tens of thousands of times.NB That's for one Speedlight. In a studio I use studio lighting and everything manual.
Simpo Two said:
You can't work things out in advance with a calculator, but you can certainly control the results using EV and/or flash EV. I've used it tens of thousands of times.
NB That's for one Speedlight. In a studio I use studio lighting and everything manual.
NB That's for one Speedlight. In a studio I use studio lighting and everything manual.
Except that if you use the BL "feature" any compensation you try and dial in is automatically overridden - easiest to avoid BL!
Simpo Two said:
K12beano said:
Except that if you use the BL "feature" any compensation you try and dial in is automatically overridden - easiest to avoid BL!
Clearly this dispute need to be settled in a suitable and manly way. Bread rolls at 20 paces!
Can't do bread - on a low carb diet.....I'll blind you with a bank of SB800s - I've lost count of how many I've got....
Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff