Just asking, When to use Direct flash and when to tilt it to an angle? How to judge what angle to tilt at? I understand Shooting in low ceiling tilt to bounce the flash. But outdoor how to bounce? In ttl mode, direct flash too harsh... Tilt to an angle, photo under expose... Sigh.. Using D70 & SB800. The SB 800 got a bounce card but also used indoor also right? What difference it makes if I have low celling to bounce the light? I have the stofen onmi bounce, but according to what I read online, Its also basically used indoor to bounce light in a more even out ways online, am I right? I am completely at a lost. New to flash photography... Pls advise..
Questions on flash photography
- Thread starter garytanbw
- Start date
- Status
read the manual for a start? I believe Nikon writes quite a good manual on tilt/swivel and use of the bounce card/diffuser.
garytanbw said:
You only bounce when the ceiling is low enough.
You tilt it when you intend to use it with an omni-bounce.
Otherwise, just use direct flash.
garytanbw said:
For outdoor, you can still use the stofen omnibounce. You can use it because the light bounces INSIDE your omnibounce and escapes in all directions. That's why you don't need ceilings with the stofen omnibounce.
With a ceiling and tilt, the stofen omnibounce will still emit light in all directions BUT some will bounce off the ceiling and down again.
With a ceiling, tilt and white bounce card (can't use your built in one though... you need to attach one externally becoz the omnibounce encloses your built in bounce card), the stofen omnibounce will still emit light in all directions BUT some will bounce off the ceiling and down again AND some will get reflected forward by the white buonce card.
Once I forgot to take off the stofen when I was shooting in a ballroom full of mirrors... guess what!? The flash bounced in all directions and reflected off every mirror, resulting in sever lens flare!
Hope that helps. Have fun with it... its not a cheap piece of plastic but its really useful.
About the white bounce card. You can use your flash outdoor tilted and with the bounce card to produce a bit of catch light in the persons eyes without direct flash on the person's face.
Okie.. hope these tidbits of info helps...
With direct flash, your subject will have very sharp, defined, "hard" shadows that aren't too flattering, especially in portraits. With a bounce card, it diffuses the light, thus making the shadows less pronouced, but you'll lose the range of the flash.
About the fact that you can't use bounced flash outdoors, that's correct. The Omnibounce apparently can simulate a diffused light source, but I'm skeptical and probably you can try simulating the effect with a piece of tracing paper or some piece of translucent plastic.
As to which angle to tilt, you probably can imagine the incident and reflected angle of light rays on a plane (i.e. your ceiling), right? It's a matter of experimentation and a few degrees off probably won't ruin your shot.
About the fact that you can't use bounced flash outdoors, that's correct. The Omnibounce apparently can simulate a diffused light source, but I'm skeptical and probably you can try simulating the effect with a piece of tracing paper or some piece of translucent plastic.
As to which angle to tilt, you probably can imagine the incident and reflected angle of light rays on a plane (i.e. your ceiling), right? It's a matter of experimentation and a few degrees off probably won't ruin your shot.
omnibounce helps to diffuse the light....used at wider angles esp.....indoors use card also no prob....ideal would be to bounce off near walls....
i think they use flash because they want to use the flash as fill-in flash... It will soften any hard shadows and illuminate the subject if you are facing the sun and u dun want the sillouhette...garytanbw said:
garytanbw said:
the sun is overhead and casts shadows on the face (off the nose for e.g.) which may be ugly. using flash helps to get rid of the shadows or reduce the intensity.
also, sometimes the background is bright but the subject isn't brightly lit (under a tree for e.g.). If no flash is used, you'll get either a pic with bright background and dark subject or a bright subject and an overexposed background. If you want to capture a relatively bright subject against a bright subject, use flash. Remember flash will light up closeby subjects and not light up things that are further away.
People use flash outdoors in sunlight to produce a pretty catchlight in their eyes.
Flash photography is not just lighting up dark subjects...it all depends on your creativity!
Flash photography is not just lighting up dark subjects...it all depends on your creativity!
could check out the following too:
http://www.metz.de/en/photo_electronics/hints_guides.146.html
click under "Hints & Guides" on the left column for other pages. what applies for Metz generally applies for other flash as well.
http://www.metz.de/en/photo_electronics/hints_guides.146.html
click under "Hints & Guides" on the left column for other pages. what applies for Metz generally applies for other flash as well.
- Status
Similar threads
