Flash photography
Discussion
Nope, I'm not talking about walking around with a shiny Canon 1Ds and bag full of brand new L series lenses 
, but rather taking photos using flash.
I've always tended to avoid flash, mainly as I don't like the harsh light that it gives, and I don't know enough about it to set it up properly to produce decent light.
I've tried swivelling my flashgun upwards to bouce the flash off the ceiling, but the resulting pictures were brighter at the top than the bottom - not surprising really I guess!
I've also seen you can get cables which enable you to take the flash gun off the camera, and fire the flash from the side.
What I don't understand though is how you work out exposure settings when using flash, and whether you need to alter these if you bounce the flash, or fire it from a different position. My camera (Canon EOS 30) seems to default to a certain shutter speed/aperture setting when you turn the flash on, but I assume this won't be correct if I start moving the flash around.
Does anyone have any useful pointers to this?
, but rather taking photos using flash. I've always tended to avoid flash, mainly as I don't like the harsh light that it gives, and I don't know enough about it to set it up properly to produce decent light.
I've tried swivelling my flashgun upwards to bouce the flash off the ceiling, but the resulting pictures were brighter at the top than the bottom - not surprising really I guess!
I've also seen you can get cables which enable you to take the flash gun off the camera, and fire the flash from the side.
What I don't understand though is how you work out exposure settings when using flash, and whether you need to alter these if you bounce the flash, or fire it from a different position. My camera (Canon EOS 30) seems to default to a certain shutter speed/aperture setting when you turn the flash on, but I assume this won't be correct if I start moving the flash around.
Does anyone have any useful pointers to this?
Every combination here:
www.nikonians.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=list&forum=DCForumID7&conf=DCConfID3
At least it was - there were loads of example taken with flash/es from every angle, bounce and otherwise. Except now I can't find it! Scooby Snax, where are you?
>> Edited by simpo two on Tuesday 22 June 16:26
www.nikonians.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=list&forum=DCForumID7&conf=DCConfID3
At least it was - there were loads of example taken with flash/es from every angle, bounce and otherwise. Except now I can't find it! Scooby Snax, where are you?
>> Edited by simpo two on Tuesday 22 June 16:26
Not read this in any books but just taking a guess here...
Ed, how about diffusing the flash light so it is not so harsh. Perhaps try some voile or fine cotton sheet.
Failing that, a trusty bit of bog roll!
Dont know if this will work but perhaps worth an experiment. (Obviously this will further limit the distance of the flash).
Ed, how about diffusing the flash light so it is not so harsh. Perhaps try some voile or fine cotton sheet.
Failing that, a trusty bit of bog roll!
Dont know if this will work but perhaps worth an experiment. (Obviously this will further limit the distance of the flash).
ehasler said:
What I don't understand though is how you work out exposure settings when using flash, and whether you need to alter these if you bounce the flash, or fire it from a different position.
Flash photography I think is a whole subject of its own, and I'm guessing here, but in your position I'd let the electronics do the work. If you've got a Canon Speedlight, it should, I think, talk to your camera to give the correct exposure from any position. It's a combination of TTL metering for the camera and auto-flash meaning, basically, that between the two of them they sort it all out for you. In short, set everything to Auto and in theory at least it should work.
Although I stand to be corrected by any skilled flash users!
Ta for the advice so far!
The few times I have used flash, I have used the auto settings, but haven't always been too impressed with the results, so would like to understand what different settings do.
1st stop is for me to RTFM, but if anyone else has any useful pointers I'd be very grateful!
I've just bought some tissue paper too, so will use a bit of that to diffuse the flash - pity I've not got a digital SLR, as it's a pain waiting a week to see the results when you're experimenting!
The few times I have used flash, I have used the auto settings, but haven't always been too impressed with the results, so would like to understand what different settings do.
1st stop is for me to RTFM, but if anyone else has any useful pointers I'd be very grateful!
I've just bought some tissue paper too, so will use a bit of that to diffuse the flash - pity I've not got a digital SLR, as it's a pain waiting a week to see the results when you're experimenting!
Jessops have now recommended that I buy a DSLR to save myself some money!
I went to other developers locally and they were crap.
(I was going to write "not up to good enough standard" but its was quicker and easier to just write "crap" instead).
Ed.
Can I email you some pics to chat about?
Three 5MB zipped files.
Usual address OK?
I went to other developers locally and they were crap.
(I was going to write "not up to good enough standard" but its was quicker and easier to just write "crap" instead).
Ed.
Can I email you some pics to chat about?
Three 5MB zipped files.
Usual address OK?
DustyC said:
Jessops have now recommended that I buy a DSLR to save myself some money!
I went to other developers locally and they were crap.
(I was going to write "not up to good enough standard" but its was quicker and easier to just write "crap" instead).
Ed.
Can I email you some pics to chat about?
Three 5MB zipped files.
Usual address OK?
So instead of writing "not up to good enough standard", you write "crap" to save a bit of time, and then "(I was going to write "not up to good enough standard" but its was quicker and easier to just write "crap" instead)." to explain it... You nutter! 
Go ahead with the pics - I've got a whole 100MB yahoo account to fill up!!
Found it! The Teddy Bear test. OK so it's Nikon-based but the principles are the same.
www.nikonians.org/html/resources/guides/teddy/teddy-bear-1.html
Browse ye forth!
www.nikonians.org/html/resources/guides/teddy/teddy-bear-1.html
Browse ye forth!
Canon based flash photography: http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/
I've been meaning to read it for ages...
I've been meaning to read it for ages...
The funny thing about flash is that really it's best to use it in totally th opposite situations to what you would think is logical.
A good time to use flash - outside on a day with very bright sunshine, to get rid of nasty shadows. this is particularly useful when taking pictures of people. It is also dependant on the max flash sync speed that your camera is capable of.
A bad time to use flash - indoors in low light levels, often it is much preferable to use available light and a fast prime lens.
However, there are obviously situations when flash is a necessity in these situations, as there is just not enough light otherwise. You now have three options,
1) Basic (as found on disposables upwards) - flash points straight at subject from camera. this can give good exposure on the subject, but will often not expose correctly for the background, leaving that "snapshot" feel of a totally black background. Alternatively, if there is a wall close behind, you may end up with a very well defined and ugly shadow cast on it by your subject.
2) Bounce the flash - need a reasonably fancy (read dedicated) flashgun to do this. I am suprised that you had exposure problems like this. The uneven exposure you describe should only happen if the subject is too close to whatever you are bouncing the flash off. Normally I find that given a suitable ceiling the quality of exposure is fantastic. Also worth bearing in mind is that if the ceiling/wall is coloured, the reflection of the flash will be too. Often you will need to fiddle around with the angle which you have the flash head pointed, and you can also play with the bounce card which will come out from above the lamp bit.
3) Move you flash(es) off camera. This is the way to get the best exposure. Preferably with 2 or more flash heads. Obviously, you will lose out if you need to be mobile with the camera. It will take more time to set up too.
General flash notes - flash is very complicated, as there are so many variables. We are lucky these days because the cameras sort out the exposure for us. If you are doing it yourself, you need to consider the distance to subject, the ISO that you are using, and the aperture that you are using (note that shutter speed has NO EFFECT on flash exposure*). The way that a modern camera works out the correct exposrue is by firing a small flash first, and seeing how much light is reflected back. you can see this happen if you set the camera to rear curtain sync and shoot some pictures in dark locations.
I think that's about it for now, any questions?
*this is also complicated, but on automatic cameras it is true.
A good time to use flash - outside on a day with very bright sunshine, to get rid of nasty shadows. this is particularly useful when taking pictures of people. It is also dependant on the max flash sync speed that your camera is capable of.
A bad time to use flash - indoors in low light levels, often it is much preferable to use available light and a fast prime lens.
However, there are obviously situations when flash is a necessity in these situations, as there is just not enough light otherwise. You now have three options,
1) Basic (as found on disposables upwards) - flash points straight at subject from camera. this can give good exposure on the subject, but will often not expose correctly for the background, leaving that "snapshot" feel of a totally black background. Alternatively, if there is a wall close behind, you may end up with a very well defined and ugly shadow cast on it by your subject.
2) Bounce the flash - need a reasonably fancy (read dedicated) flashgun to do this. I am suprised that you had exposure problems like this. The uneven exposure you describe should only happen if the subject is too close to whatever you are bouncing the flash off. Normally I find that given a suitable ceiling the quality of exposure is fantastic. Also worth bearing in mind is that if the ceiling/wall is coloured, the reflection of the flash will be too. Often you will need to fiddle around with the angle which you have the flash head pointed, and you can also play with the bounce card which will come out from above the lamp bit.
3) Move you flash(es) off camera. This is the way to get the best exposure. Preferably with 2 or more flash heads. Obviously, you will lose out if you need to be mobile with the camera. It will take more time to set up too.
General flash notes - flash is very complicated, as there are so many variables. We are lucky these days because the cameras sort out the exposure for us. If you are doing it yourself, you need to consider the distance to subject, the ISO that you are using, and the aperture that you are using (note that shutter speed has NO EFFECT on flash exposure*). The way that a modern camera works out the correct exposrue is by firing a small flash first, and seeing how much light is reflected back. you can see this happen if you set the camera to rear curtain sync and shoot some pictures in dark locations.
I think that's about it for now, any questions?
*this is also complicated, but on automatic cameras it is true.
ehasler said:
I've tried swivelling my flashgun upwards to bouce the flash off the ceiling, but the resulting pictures were brighter at the top than the bottom - not surprising really I guess!
As I mentioned in my post above, you should be able to get good exposures like this. This, for example, was done with a flash bounced off a (low) ceiling.
Canon's own off-camera cord is expensive but it does mean that the camera maintains full control over the output of the flashgun so you don't have to do any calculations. The off-the-film metering works fine.
I've found with my Canons that its best to switch to manual exposure mode. The flash will fire in shutter priority and aperture priority modes but the results can be unpredictable and the camera can flash warnings at you instead of letting you get on with the business of taking good pictures.
Set your shutter speed to the maximum flash sync speed (RYFM for that number) and set the aperture for the depth of field you want. Hope the flash has enough power to cope and that your batteries last then go burn some film !
I've found with my Canons that its best to switch to manual exposure mode. The flash will fire in shutter priority and aperture priority modes but the results can be unpredictable and the camera can flash warnings at you instead of letting you get on with the business of taking good pictures.
Set your shutter speed to the maximum flash sync speed (RYFM for that number) and set the aperture for the depth of field you want. Hope the flash has enough power to cope and that your batteries last then go burn some film !
[quote=te51cleSet your shutter speed to the maximum flash sync speed (RYFM for that number) and set the aperture for the depth of field you want. Hope the flash has enough power to cope and that your batteries last then go burn some film ![/quote]
Sensible advice! I 've never tried that with my Nikon, although I had wondered if it would work. I guess there's only one way to find out...
Sensible advice! I 've never tried that with my Nikon, although I had wondered if it would work. I guess there's only one way to find out...
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