Off Camera Flash...

[Village Idiot]

Thanks for the input guys/girls.

Looks like trial and error it is; at least until I can afford a meter...

Got it. David Hobby, the creator of the Strobist blog as well as other photographers sometimes use a lighting journal.

Get a book to write down your light setting to match your shots. Write down aperture, SS, ISO, flash power, flash distance, flash zoom, flash positioning, ambient exposure, ambient conditions, location and any other information that you think that would help you to remember what's needed for that type of shot. When you're done, if it's something that's a keeper, print out a photo and slap it in that bad boy. It can be printed off and ink jet or a color laser and doesn't have to be photo quality, just good enough to show you the results you get from using that lighting setup.

You can use the same lighting setup for multiple shoots and you'll have a nice little reference guide that you've created to help you along the way. It'll take some work, but that's what photographers used to have to do before there was EXIF data.

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[camz]

Yep definitely good advice from the members up there. I think you'll get it in no time. I use to write down my settings when I was learning too. My memory doesn't serve me well at times...

For outdoor shoots I pretty much have 3 settings I have memorized as a starting point.

1. Sunrise/Sunset
2. Mid monring/mid afternoon.
3. High Sun.

For the indoor shots I use the same concept. Then it's just all fine tuning from there. Good luck with it!