Flash Photography

[Zplus]

Hi all,
Need some advice on flash.

Tried out my flash yesterday and discovered that direct flash causes a shadow casts behind the subject. This is especially so when I shoot at potriat and my flash is on its side. See below:

I tried bouncing it off the ceiling but ended up with inadequate lighting and a darkened image.

Can anyone help me with a technique to reduce this occurance?

Thanks!

 

[GitS]

try bouncing with a bounce card attached (if still dark boost flash output by 1/2 stop), or alternatively flash needs to be higher than eye level (but yesterday not possible!) with a diffuser for the light to 'warp around ' the subject....try it, it may work for you :rbounce:

 

[StreetShooter]

Try bouncing off the ceiling. If in portrait mode, you will need a flash that can swivel (so that it remains pointed at the ceiling). There will still be a shadow, but it will be hidden behind the body of your subject.

 

[Zplus]

Originally posted by GitS
try bouncing with a bounce card attached (if still dark boost flash output by 1/2 stop), or alternatively flash needs to be higher than eye level (but yesterday not possible!) with a diffuser for the light to 'warp around ' the subject....try it, it may work for you :rbounce:

Just tried increasing the output at home... seems to work... too bad didn't figure that out yesterday.


Btw, how do you make a bounce card? Any white cardboard will do? Also what angle should it tilt??

Thanks.

 

[Zplus]

Originally posted by StreetShooter
Try bouncing off the ceiling. If in portrait mode, you will need a flash that can swivel (so that it remains pointed at the ceiling). There will still be a shadow, but it will be hidden behind the body of your subject.

Thanks, streetshooter. So, just swivel up (90 or 60 degrees??) and shoot ... OK will try that out next time.

 

[reignman77]

Zplus,

for bouns card,it depends of the distance of your camera and the subject. at times, u just need to use tissue to cover the flash head... or get a difusser...

sometime, minus flash stop...

negatives play a part... if u want more back light, use 400 to 800... set your reading to f5.6 at 1/15 or 1/30

if using slides, try using either 50 or 100... f5.6 at 1/10 to 1/30... no problem......

your picture seems to be in a fashion show...
if it is, use high speed film and lens... DON'T use flash...

if not, just enjoy the show... ;p

 

[Zplus]

Originally posted by reignman77
Zplus,

for bouns card,it depends of the distance of your camera and the subject. at times, u just need to use tissue to cover the flash head... or get a difusser...

sometime, minus flash stop...

negatives play a part... if u want more back light, use 400 to 800... set your reading to f5.6 at 1/15 or 1/30

if using slides, try using either 50 or 100... f5.6 at 1/10 to 1/30... no problem......

your picture seems to be in a fashion show...
if it is, use high speed film and lens... DON'T use flash...

if not, just enjoy the show... ;p

Hi reignman77,

Thanks for the pointer.

I was shooting at glamour quest yesterday and I was at a low angle shooting digital. That's how I got the shadow casts...

Will try out the tissue trick. Can't really use high ISO on my digtital camera as it results in noise.

Made this bounce card, wonder if it will work:

 

[liuhao]

i use bounce flash with bounce card. but sometimes i got shadow below the chin. dun know how to avoid that. any suggestions?

 

[Zplus]

Just met sebestian at CP just now... hey! thanks for the PM and tips.

Will be trying out these techniques this friday.

 

[sebastiansong]

Originally posted by Zplus
Just met sebestian at CP just now... hey! thanks for the PM and tips.

Will be trying out these techniques this friday.

wah liow just teasing you abt it only lah

anyway do share your results with us...

 

[Zplus]

Originally posted by sebastiansong


wah liow just teasing you abt it only lah

anyway do share your results with us...

Hehehe!

 

[reignman77]

Zplus..

cool card... u can sometime use as reflector as well... well done...

 

[reignman77]

Originally posted by liuhao
i use bounce flash with bounce card. but sometimes i got shadow below the chin. dun know how to avoid that. any suggestions?

depend on your distance and angle between yr subject and camera...

read for subject before u use flash... if not, use a reflector instead of flash...

 

[liuhao]

Originally posted by reignman77


depend on your distance and angle between yr subject and camera...

read for subject before u use flash... if not, use a reflector instead of flash...

thank you for ur info.

i try again and got some nice result. btw i found that bouncing to wall is far better than bouncing to cell.

 

[reignman77]

Originally posted by liuhao


thank you for ur info.

i try again and got some nice result. btw i found that bouncing to wall is far better than bouncing to cell.

good try... keep it up...

 

[Prismatic]

Originally posted by liuhao
thank you for ur info.

i try again and got some nice result. btw i found that bouncing to wall is far better than bouncing to cell.

Bouncing flash requires a bit of experimenting and also how far the bounce surface is. Bouncing off the ceiling sometimes give a shadow under the neck and also the cheeks sometimes.

For fashion shows, usually I use a bounce card instead or a Stofen diffuser. Some people put on the Stofen diffuser and just shoot direct at the subject, but I believe tilting the flash head gives better results ( As recommended by the instructions). Most of the time I use high-speed film like Fuji-press 800 or NPZ 800 (Absolutely beautiful skin tones on NPZ!!). The flash is fired at reduced power just to fill in the shadows.

 

[reignman77]

Originally posted by Prismatic
Bouncing flash requires a bit of experimenting and also how far the bounce surface is. Bouncing off the ceiling sometimes give a shadow under the neck and also the cheeks sometimes.

For fashion shows, usually I use a bounce card instead or a Stofen diffuser. Some people put on the Stofen diffuser and just shoot direct at the subject, but I believe tilting the flash head gives better results ( As recommended by the instructions). Most of the time I use high-speed film like Fuji-press 800 or NPZ 800 (Absolutely beautiful skin tones on NPZ!!). The flash is fired at reduced power just to fill in the shadows.

NPZ in town????

 

[Zplus]

Well, had another go at low light and discovered the following and so I shall share:
1) Stofen Omnibounce is quite good when there is a low ceiling, I just point the flash st up and shoot. Shadows are soft.

2) Coupled with the bounce card I made ~ lagi better!

3) Omnibounce sucks when there are too many highly reflective surfaces around (mirrors) becoz it causes many lens flare.

4) Anything beyond 4 meters use straight flash as the Omnibounce cuts down too much of the flash.

ANyway, I shot mostly at f/5.6 or f/2 if using fast shutter. Not sure if these are standard settings but seems to give quite good results.

 

[Prismatic]

Originally posted by reignman77
NPZ in town????

What's wrong with using NPZ?
It's one of my favourite film. ^^

 

[mpenza]

Originally posted by Zplus

ANyway, I shot mostly at f/5.6 or f/2 if using fast shutter. Not sure if these are standard settings but seems to give quite good results.

You should be able to use very fast shutter speed for the G3 (I could use any shutter speed for my S602Z, even 1/10,000s, if the subject is very near). However, this will tend to cut down on ambient lighting captured and could lead to harsher shadows.