Why does my flash make my pics blurry?

[amandamartin]

My issue isnt with criticism. Obviously I want to learn more and I want to improve. Its the people here's approach. You dont make a judgement call and tell them they have no business shooting anything just because they have had some issues with an SB flash. Just because I hadnt used that flash a lot does not mean I dont know how to use my camera. I am not out here shooting in auto, like 90% of the 'photographers' in my town are.

I am sorry, but when someone cant give me criticism nicely, yeah I am going to get pissed and I am going to defend myself the best way I can. In this instance, the only way that I could do that was to be a cocky a'hole right back.

If you are nice and pleasant with me, I will be with you. I am one of the most laid back people you will ever meet, until I feel insulted.

I enjoy this forum for the most part. I have gotten a lot of tips from it that I am excites to put to use. However, this thread was just rediculous on so many levels. There are people who post on here and show their work and some of it is down right atrocious, but I would never say that to them just because my skill level is above theirs. We are in a field that is ever changing and there is always something new to learn.

Again, I reitterate the fact that I am not the jerk here. If you see it that way, you're clearly not a very good judge of character.

[Ads]

[amandamartin]

And its not that I cant admit my faults cause I will admit them all day. I know what my strong points are and I also k ow where I need improvement.

I took the comment about not knowing how to work the flash or the camera as 'hey, youre a dumbass.' I admit that I may not be able to work the flash with the camera very well, but I do know how to work the camera.

That statement offended me because I felt like I was being put in the category witg the soccer moms who have a fancy camera and call themselves a photographer, because they are what annoy me most. I have lost out on gigs because those people will give them everything on cd for $50 and they are ****ty, over enhanced crap.

[Chris R]

I am not out here shooting in auto, like 90% of the 'photographers' in my town are.

Do you see how this statement is essentially you doing the exact same thing to others as they are doing to you? You're judging people because of the way they use their equipment the same way people are judging you here.

I'm not trying to be negative here but the photos you posted are not of my personal standard to be considered "professional." Again, I'm sorry if you take offense to that but it's just how it is. Moms may not be able to tell the difference between a decent photo and a great one but the folks on here can and are going to tell you the truth.

[gsgary]

My issue isnt with criticism. Obviously I want to learn more and I want to improve. Its the people here's approach. You dont make a judgement call and tell them they have no business shooting anything just because they have had some issues with an SB flash. Just because I hadnt used that flash a lot does not mean I dont know how to use my camera. I am not out here shooting in auto, like 90% of the 'photographers' in my town are.

I am sorry, but when someone cant give me criticism nicely, yeah I am going to get pissed and I am going to defend myself the best way I can. In this instance, the only way that I could do that was to be a cocky a'hole right back.

If you are nice and pleasant with me, I will be with you. I am one of the most laid back people you will ever meet, until I feel insulted.

I enjoy this forum for the most part. I have gotten a lot of tips from it that I am excites to put to use. However, this thread was just rediculous on so many levels. There are people who post on here and show their work and some of it is down right atrocious, but I would never say that to them just because my skill level is above theirs. We are in a field that is ever changing and there is always something new to learn.

Again, I reitterate the fact that I am not the jerk here. If you see it that way, you're clearly not a very good judge of character.

You are lucky i havn't joined the party most on here are a lot nicer than me, but im going to have a look when i get home so get ready cant see the shots on my phone

[amandamartin]

My issue isnt with criticism. Obviously I want to learn more and I want to improve. Its the people here's approach. You dont make a judgement call and tell them they have no business shooting anything just because they have had some issues with an SB flash. Just because I hadnt used that flash a lot does not mean I dont know how to use my camera. I am not out here shooting in auto, like 90% of the 'photographers' in my town are.

I am sorry, but when someone cant give me criticism nicely, yeah I am going to get pissed and I am going to defend myself the best way I can. In this instance, the only way that I could do that was to be a cocky a'hole right back.

If you are nice and pleasant with me, I will be with you. I am one of the most laid back people you will ever meet, until I feel insulted.

I enjoy this forum for the most part. I have gotten a lot of tips from it that I am excites to put to use. However, this thread was just rediculous on so many levels. There are people who post on here and show their work and some of it is down right atrocious, but I would never say that to them just because my skill level is above theirs. We are in a field that is ever changing and there is always something new to learn.

Again, I reitterate the fact that I am not the jerk here. If you see it that way, you're clearly not a very good judge of character.

You are lucky i havn't joined the party most on here are a lot nicer than me, but im going to have a look when i get home so get ready cant see the shots on my phone

Don't bother. I won't be logging in to see your critique, you would be wasting your time.

[gsgary]

Don't bother. I won't be logging in to see your critique, you would be wasting your time. I hope all of you *******s learn some courtesy.

When you learn photography and know how to take C+C we have had loads like you on here you wont be missed

[tangerine]

Could the first and second flash curtain setting be a possible cause for the blur pictures?

[rokvi]

My issue isnt with criticism. Obviously I want to learn more and I want to improve. Its the people here's approach. You dont make a judgement call and tell them they have no business shooting anything just because they have had some issues with an SB flash. Just because I hadnt used that flash a lot does not mean I dont know how to use my camera. I am not out here shooting in auto, like 90% of the 'photographers' in my town are.

I am sorry, but when someone cant give me criticism nicely, yeah I am going to get pissed and I am going to defend myself the best way I can. In this instance, the only way that I could do that was to be a cocky a'hole right back.

If you are nice and pleasant with me, I will be with you. I am one of the most laid back people you will ever meet, until I feel insulted.

I enjoy this forum for the most part. I have gotten a lot of tips from it that I am excites to put to use. However, this thread was just rediculous on so many levels. There are people who post on here and show their work and some of it is down right atrocious, but I would never say that to them just because my skill level is above theirs. We are in a field that is ever changing and there is always something new to learn.

Again, I reitterate the fact that I am not the jerk here. If you see it that way, you're clearly not a very good judge of character.

You are lucky i havn't joined the party most on here are a lot nicer than me, but im going to have a look when i get home so get ready cant see the shots on my phone

This was getting interesting, then you scared her away...

[Schwettylens]

Could the first and second flash curtain setting be a possible cause for the blur pictures?

Ok.. You need to learn flash too LOL.

[Schwettylens]

They are not horrible, but the setting you listed does not make sense.

Attachment 11892Attachment 11893Both were shot f/7, 400 ISO, and 1/60 These are both from the same session. Now go ahead and rip me a new butthole about how terrrrrrriiiibbbbbllllllleeeee they are, guys. I know you can't wait.

[Bitter Jeweler]

Sorry. Something doesn't jive here.

In one thread she claims to be trying using RAW for the "first time".
In the next thread she says "I shoot everything in RAW."
Claims to have CS6, yet is looking for GIMP.
Claims the kit lens is all she has.


This is fascinating!

[tangerine]

Ok.. You need to learn flash too LOL.

Yup I do. I'm still learning, hence a question. Perhaps your response could be to say whether the flash curtain does or doesn't affect, rather than a smart-a** statement.

[Infidel]

Don't bother. I won't be logging in to see your critique, you would be wasting your time. I hope all of you *******s learn some courtesy.

When you learn photography and know how to take C+C we have had loads like you on here you wont be missed

What, is it wedding season in the northern hemisphere again?

[pgriz]

Ok.. You need to learn flash too LOL.

Yup I do. I'm still learning, hence a question. Perhaps your response could be to say whether the flash curtain does or doesn't affect, rather than a smart-a** statement.

The only difference between first and second curtain settings is that at first-curtain setting (the default), the flash fires as soon as the curtain is fully open, and in the second-curtain setting the flash fires just before the shutter curtain starts to close. However, blurry pics with flash happen because all flash exposures are really two exposures: the ambient and the flash. The ambient is controlled by the aperture and shutter duration (let's leave ISO out of the discussion for the time being), whereas the flash exposure is controlled lby the aperture and the flash power setting/distance. Flash-only exposure is usually pretty sharp because the flash duration is very short (typically less than 1/10,000 sec). When the shutter is left open long enough, then enough ambient light is seen to also contribute to the image. If the shutter speed is slow enough, this will show up either as camera-motion blur or subject-motion blur, or both.

The tricky thing about flash exposures, is that if you use the flash on camera, with the head pointed towards the subject, the eTTL algorithms usually give a decent exposure, but at the cost of having a harsh image due to the main light being direct flash. To diminish the glare of direct flash, it is common to use three different strategies: Bounce flash, or flash with large light diffusers, or off-camera flash with various diffusers/ligh modifiers. However the camera's flash exposure algorithms generally don't work well under these circumstances, so many photographers go to manual flash power settings to control the exposures. This works well in controlled or studio settings, but less so if you are moving around in a reception hall or a large space.

Fill flash is another aspect of using flash with ambient light, but here, the flash contribution is usually intended to supplement the ambient, and to fill the shadows. In general, this would mean lowering the flash power down to 2-3 stops less than you'd use for the situation, and then the light contribution to the highlights is minimal, but sufficient to put some light in the shadows. Depending on what the photographer is trying to achieve, the relative contribution of ambient and flash is determined by the objective of the image maker. Sometimes the goal is to "kill the sun", which means that the flash exposure needs to be strong enough to be 1-2 stops stronger than the ambient light under direct sunlight. Other times, it is the equivalent of "light-painting" where the ambient is very low, and a long exposure is used to accumulate enough light, and one or more flash exposures are used to fill in the foreground which otherwise would be completely black.

Knowing how to use flash and how to combine it with the ambient light, is a mark of a photographer who knows his/her tools and trade. In the end, it's all about knowing how to read light, and manipulate it to achieve your photographic vision. When nature does not supply enough light in a given situation, it is up to the photographer to figure out how to supplement the light to get the correct image. When someone does NOT know how to use supplemental light, it is a sign of at a minimum, a lack of understanding of an important aspect of photography. Therefore, the people who are "natural-light" photographers and know how to use supplemental light, are well-versed in their trade, and use the "natural light" as a stylistic expression. The more common use of the term, however, reveals a defensiveness due to lack of understanding and control of an important aspect of image-making, and is seen as such by other photographers who have no such limitation.

The true "natural light" photographers know how to select the best time of the day to get the most favorable light for their purposes, and how to supplement/modify it to achieve their vision. When it is well done, supplemental light and ambient light blend together seamlessly so well that it is virtually impossible to tell that supplemental light or modifiers were used. When one gets to this level of light control and mastery, then a photographer can call themselves a "natural light" photographer and everyone will agree.

[Schwettylens]

Ok.. You need to learn flash too LOL.

Yup I do. I'm still learning, hence a question. Perhaps your response could be to say whether the flash curtain does or doesn't affect, rather than a smart-a** statement.

Hence the LOL at the end.. a joke.