how to use external flash for Macro Shooting?


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rui51

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Apr 14, 2009
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Hi,

i jus brought a FL36 flash for my E510.
For taking portrait, i m using TTL.
but i have no idea what kind of settings to set for very short distance macro shooting.
Please help me to figure out which is the most often flash mode to use in macro shooting (TTL/ Auto/ Manual).
thanks!
 

If you start macro, the best is to operate without flash during the very first months. Using flash light should only be considered once you get honorable and constant results with natural light(s)...
 

If you start macro, the best is to operate without flash during the very first months. Using flash light should only be considered once you get honorable and constant results with natural light(s)...

LOL............please don't misled people. Natural light are not constant, that why you need additional light source to model the light for the desired outcome.
 

Basically you need to get either one of the below:

1. Remote hot shoe cord
2. Wireless hotshoe flash trigger.

These two items allow you to position your flash off the camera. Which is idea for macro lighting.
 

Of course, natural lights are not constant.

When you go out for landscapes shooting but natural lights are not constant, you just don't shoot : for shooting is not important. What is important is learning when good natural lights occur and when to shoot or not.

I was teached not to use flash during my whole first macro season. And i must say my master was wise and right. The flash can be the worst thing in photography, especially in macrophotography. The main challenge is the use of flash must be unoticeable to expert eyes. If you start macro, make you violence not to use flash for a while, it's all benefits to take time and learn to appreciate the beauty of natural light(s). Once you have a good knowledge of what are good natural lights, it helps you to better use flash and build the light you have on mind, as close as possible to good natural lights : no matter you use pop-up flash or (wireless or not) external flash.

Without flash :

gold-and-light-f5e562.jpg



With flash :

hoverfly-f5e5ac.jpg
 

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Of course, natural lights are not constant.

When you go out for landscapes shooting but natural lights are not constant, you just don't shoot : for shooting is not important. What is important is learning when good natural lights occur and when to shoot or not.

I was teached not to use flash during my whole first macro season. And i must say my master was wise and right. The flash can be the worst thing in photography, especially in macrophotography. The main challenge is the use of flash must be unoticeable to expert eyes. If you start macro, make you violence not to use flash for a while, it's all benefits to take time and learn to appreciate the beauty of natural light(s). Once you have a good knowledge of what are good natural lights, it helps you to better use flash and build the light you have on mind, as close as possible to good natural lights : no matter you use pop-up flash or (wireless or not) external flash.

I do agreed that one must have be appreciate the beauty of natural light, but your first comment is very misleading.

Ok............every other month i will have to repeat this...........

Some example of with flash in macrophotography......flash should only be use to recreate ideal lighting condition or to one desired outcome.

No flash
2529894929_f2e2fa68db.jpg


Single flash
3166629975_8803932bf4.jpg


Double flash
3058305144_0ac6cf04a3.jpg


Three flash
2111996192_7a48392d86.jpg


Five flash
2664068441_a050825394.jpg
 

Very good techniques, Leong23. :thumbsup:

Once every beginner performs nicely with natural light, it's (almost) a piece of cake to compose with flash light. Day after day, you learn to have precisely in mind the kind of light you need to model according to your subject and available light. Afterwards, you'll always find a way to obtain what you want from any flash around.

Here is a very simple example of what can be easily done with a Finepix S100FS bridge and an external flash in manual mode at 1/32 (i used a 550EX but any manual external flash would have been available) at f5,6 and 100 ISO : the pop-up flash of the S100FS has been used to trigger the distant external flash...

dscf3626-24-f601f1.jpg



The results with bright background or less bright background by selecting low or fast shutter speed :

p-tunia2-edc1d0.jpg


p-tunia1-edc564.jpg




As Leong23 said, in the same conditions of shooting, you can choose to model the flash light to a different desired outcome : for example, for fun, you can create something like this,


p-tunia-bis-f6047e.jpg




Wish you good macro frames,
YP.
 

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:thumbsup:pic Ortega ... by the way what do the fly eating ... it look something awfullllllll
 

Very good techniques, Leong23.

Once every beginner performs nicely with natural light, it's (almost) a piece of cake to compose with flash light. Day after day, you learn to have precisely in mind the kind of light you need to model according to your subject and available light. Afterwards, you'll always find a way to obtain what you want from any flash around.

Here is a very simple example of what can be easily done with a Finepix S100FS bridge and an external flash in manual mode at 1/32 (i used a 550EX but any manual external flash would have been available) at f5,6 and 100 ISO : the pop-up flash of the S100FS has been used to trigger the distant external flash...

dscf3626-24-f601f1.jpg



The results with bright background or less bright background by selecting low or fast shutter speed :

p-tunia2-edc1d0.jpg


p-tunia1-edc564.jpg




As Leong23 said, in the same conditions of shooting, you can choose to model the flash light to a different desired outcome : for example, for fun, you can create something like this,


p-tunia-bis-f6047e.jpg




Wish you good macro frames,
YP.

Very nice flower series. :)
 

yeah i like the back lit rim lighting that shows the "hairs" of the flora
just maybe a different background
 

I do agreed that one must have be appreciate the beauty of natural light, but your first comment is very misleading.

Ok............every other month i will have to repeat this...........

Some example of with flash in macrophotography......flash should only be use to recreate ideal lighting condition or to one desired outcome.

No flash
2529894929_f2e2fa68db.jpg


Single flash
3166629975_8803932bf4.jpg


Double flash
3058305144_0ac6cf04a3.jpg


Three flash
2111996192_7a48392d86.jpg


Five flash
2664068441_a050825394.jpg


Hi Leong 23

Can you please explain what is double flash, three flash and five flash?

Many thanks

Ps lovely shots by the way
 

If you start macro, the best is to operate without flash during the very first months. Using flash light should only be considered once you get honorable and constant results with natural light(s)...

Disagree, especially when shooting under thick canopy. very very often, flash as fill or slow-sync flash is required to bring out the colours of your subject.

443493602_fxtbZ-X2.jpg


The brilliant metallic blue can never hv been seen by shooting with purely natural light.
 

amazing stuffs, Leong!

I think at the end of the day, its about evaluating the sufficiency natural light and apply additional flash lighting where it needs to, no? My macros are all done with natural light but I really feel my works would be much better if I can master flash lightings.
 

Woow
Good stuff
 

power! tfs!:thumbsup:
 

amazing stuffs, Leong!

I think at the end of the day, its about evaluating the sufficiency natural light and apply additional flash lighting where it needs to, no? My macros are all done with natural light but I really feel my works would be much better if I can master flash lightings.

Yes, additional flash light is just use to recreate ideal lighting condition when in the field as we won't be blessed eveytime with "over the shoulder light".

Some subject, like scenar had mentioned, it need flash to bring out it colours, not only macro subjects, some birds also needed that.
 

Hi Leong 23

Can you please explain what is double flash, three flash and five flash?

Many thanks

Ps lovely shots by the way

It was number of flash lights i used for the particular shot. :)
 

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