Bokeh picture with flash


biskandar

Senior Member
May 11, 2010
751
0
16
Singapore
www.about.me
hi ,

When i used flash the picture always look flat and dull , is it possible to produce bokeh picture with flash ? if yes how to setup the flash , camera , and the object ?
 

What lens used and settings too?
 

There is no such thing as "bokeh picture". Please read up on what bokeh actually means.

As for your issue, you are trying to achieve a shallow DOF while still using flash, but you have not told us anything about the settings you used in the picture. If you want us to help you, you need to provide enough info.
 

Hi Rashkae ,

I'm using Canon 500D + 50mm f/1.8 II , when i shoot portrait with built-in flash during the night , it always produce flat and harsh picture . How i can make became shallow of DOF picture like you mention before ?
 

Hi Rashkae ,

I'm using Canon 500D + 50mm f/1.8 II , when i shoot portrait with built-in flash during the night , it always produce flat and harsh picture . How i can make became shallow of DOF picture like you mention before ?

built in flash usually creates harsh photos, u need to use a tissue paper (no kidding!) to cover the flash or buy a pop up flash diffuser to diffuse the light evenly.

i believe u are using auto modes (protraits, landscape, sports etc) hence when is dark, flash automatically pops up.

if u switch to AV mode, shooting at f2-f2.8, ISO bump up to 800, dun use any flash. The results will be better. Try it. Since you are using a 50mm f1.8 prime, u dun really need to use flash to shoot in the dark/night. Shooting at wider apertures (f1.8-2.8) + bumping up your ISO, is very capable enough.
 

Last edited:
Hi Sinned79 ,

But i need to use ISO 100 for good IQ , right ? and this is not a low light , but night photography . So if i set to Av mode and still used built-in flash with apply diffuser , is this will make my picture has bokehlicious ?
 

broken picture have, bokeh picture don't have. :bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

anyway, try to understand the basic photography first,
get correct exposure first,
get decent composition first,
learn how to use flash properly first,

nice boken is like icing on the cake, cake is all the basic about photography, so icking can always come later.
 

Hi Sinned79 ,

But i need to use ISO 100 for good IQ , right ? and this is not a low light , but night photography . So if i set to Av mode and still used built-in flash with apply diffuser , is this will make my picture has bokehlicious ?

what u doing is wrong. u should not be using flash at all in this case. rem, you are using DSLR now, not a point and shoot cam. You should maximise the usage of your ISO settings. besides, your 50mm prime is bright enough without the use of flash when shot at wide apertures. dats what primes are for, good for low light + night shoots (without tripod).

ISO 800 is still quite acceptable on your existing cam (as compared to my previous cam 450D).

try my method and compare yours.

u can do long exposure as well. shoot with tripod, f8-f11 in AV mode, ISO 100.
 

Last edited:
4983149772_6b71897f39.jpg
4985834317_4fa5a776f9.jpg


these is shots during my HK trip. if i did not rem wrongly my setting. I am using ISO 400 or 800, f2.8 AV mode (using 35mm f1.4 lens).

definitely no flash used.
 

Last edited:
what u doing is wrong. u should not be using flash at all in this case. rem, you are using DSLR now, not a point and shoot cam. You should maximise the usage of your ISO settings. besides, your 50mm prime is bright enough without the use of flash when shot at wide apertures. dats what primes are for, good for low light + night shoots (without tripod).

ISO 800 is still quite acceptable on your existing cam (as compared to my previous cam 450D).

try my method and compare yours.

u can do long exposure as well. shoot with tripod, f8-f11 in AV mode, ISO 100.

But I assume TS wants thin DOF with flash in high contrast situation, which is where fill-in flash technique comes into play. I also assume that TS is shooting after blue hour, resulting in PnS like flash shots, (bright foreground with black background)

As highlighted in your pics, there is nothing wrong shooting wide open at high ISO, but it looks like the lens is at hyperfocal distance already, with little OOF area to show.

Basically, TS needs to read up on fill-in flash techniques while taking note of hyperfocal distance of his lenses.
 

But I assume TS wants thin DOF with flash in high contrast situation, which is where fill-in flash technique comes into play. I also assume that TS is shooting after blue hour, resulting in PnS like flash shots, (bright foreground with black background)

you may be right, anyway its best that if TS can show some links to some photo examples what kind of night shots he is trying to achieve. Cos just night photography is very general. :)
 

you may be right, anyway its best that if TS can show some links to some photo examples what kind of night shots he is trying to achieve. Cos just night photography is very general. :)

Alamak..TS must give more info cos we cannot read his mind mah. Besides don't know how to crawl want to learn how to run.

Something is wrong with the picture...:bsmilie: :bigeyes: :bsmilie: :bigeyes:
 

Study the basics and understand how they all relate. Once you have that down you can work on using your flash...
 

Hi Sinned79 ,

But i need to use ISO 100 for good IQ , right ? and this is not a low light , but night photography . So if i set to Av mode and still used built-in flash with apply diffuser , is this will make my picture has bokehlicious ?

ok you choose...
a) noise from high ISO but good blurred back ground (nice bokeh)
b) clean image coz of low iso but harsh lighting from pop-up flash & cant see the blurred back ground

any way, here's a shot i know you want to achieve...
4410093337_96255471b4_z.jpg

1/50s
f/1.4
50mm
ISO3200
 

Yes correct engrmariano , your picture represent the one that i want to shoot .

It's very nice picture and has bokehlicious in the night .

I want to have a clean night image with shallow of DOF during the shoot .

Do you used built-in flash ? and what kind of diffuser do you used for that one ?
 

Last edited:
His picture used no flash. He used ambient light, just bumped up the ISO.
 

I see now , so no need flash to get night picture with shallow depth of field , just bump up the ISO number . But how the object has bright on the other side ? or maybe it has the external lamp beside accidentally ?
 

Last edited:
Pump higher ISO (400-800), Open wide aperture, use a diffuser for ya flash

This is wat I took last time
4436063932_8504e68882_z.jpg


A550, 50f1.8 lens. using popup flash with diffuser.
ISO 400, Shutter 1/100, f1.8
 

Last edited:
I see now , so no need flash to get night picture with shallow depth of field , just bump up the ISO number . But how the object has bright on the other side ? or maybe it has the external lamp beside accidentally ?

when u use wide aperture, like engrmariano's photo (he is using f1.4), it is very bright enough to let in light comes into the sensor.

it is the same as bokeh in the day, when u shoot in daytime with wide aperture (AV mode f1.8-2.8), those blurred background is the same you get at night except they become "round" balls of light.

hence earlier in my post, i ask u not to use flash but rather shoot at wide aperture (you can shoot at AV mode from f1.8-2.8) then bump up your ISO to 800 (try not to go beyond 1600 in your case since your camera may show more grains if more then 1600).