Need your advice

[Sirene]

Okay so I have a slr with a built in flash and don't have the budget for an external flash right now.

Here's the types of images I want to produce


http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/6352/28263015.jpg



I also have a wedding coming soon and want to take great images
I also want to take some glamour photos


So I would like to know can I achieve my goals with my built in flash ?
Maybe with some other cheap add-ons ?

Thanks so much for your help, means a lot.

[Ads]

[Jaszek]

Close the pop-up flash, tape it over so it doesn't open, go to a store get a regular flash. Some of the ones you posted use directional flash, and you can't really take your pop-up flash off the camera. Also, you were planning to shoot a wedding with the pop-up flash?

[IgsEMT]

Close the pop-up flash, tape it over so it doesn't open

I'd second that unless you'll end up using your pop-up flash as a commander in Nikon CLS. Your images look very nice. But if you want to further improve consider purchasing used equipment and utilizing it to full extent.
Good luck

[Big Mike]

The problem with the built-in flash (and even a camera mounted hot shoe flash) is that the light is hitting the subject from the same angle as the camera.

If you look at the example shots you posted, none of them have the light hitting the subject from the same angle as the camera. By having the light hit the subject at a different angle than the camera you can see both light and shadow which gives your subject form and substance.

At least with a good hot shoe flash, you can tilt & swivel it, allowing you to bounce the flash and thus make the light hit your subject from a different direction...but you can't really do that with the pop-up flash.

I also have a wedding coming soon

Are you the 'hired pro' for this wedding?
Not everyone needs a flash to shoot a wedding, but unless you are prepared and knowledgeable enough to shoot without flash, it would be irresponsible not to at least have a good hot shoe flash with you. Actually, it would be irresponsible not to have at least two flashes...not to mention at least two cameras and at least two lenses etc.

[Sirene]

The problem with the built-in flash (and even a camera mounted hot shoe flash) is that the light is hitting the subject from the same angle as the camera.

If you look at the example shots you posted, none of them have the light hitting the subject from the same angle as the camera. By having the light hit the subject at a different angle than the camera you can see both light and shadow which gives your subject form and substance.

At least with a good hot shoe flash, you can tilt & swivel it, allowing you to bounce the flash and thus make the light hit your subject from a different direction...but you can't really do that with the pop-up flash.

I also have a wedding coming soon

Are you the 'hired pro' for this wedding?
Not everyone needs a flash to shoot a wedding, but unless you are prepared and knowledgeable enough to shoot without flash, it would be irresponsible not to at least have a good hot shoe flash with you. Actually, it would be irresponsible not to have at least two flashes...not to mention at least two cameras and at least two lenses etc.

Thanks Mike.

No I'm not the hired pro, because there won't be any, they have no budget for it, that's why as the only one they know with an slr they asked me to take pictures with no pressure what so ever and for free.
Well I'm convinced about the external flash I guess I will have to find the money for it.

As for the wedding I've read in a Scott Kelby book that I can use a soft screen for my pop-up flash, he says that's a good alternative for weddings.
http://www.lumiquest.com/softscreen.htm

In the photos that I posted is there some pics that did not use flash at all ?

I feel that the outdoor portraits and cityscapes should not need one to make the pics look natural ? Am I right ?

What about alternatives like diffusers reflectors and such ?
http://www.wikihow.com/Bounce-Light-With-a-Pop-up-Flash

I guess I need to read a great article on when is a flash needed and when it should be avoided, cause I took some portraits the other day and the ones that did not use flash and only natural light coming from a window and outdoor looked so much better than the ones with the flash on...

Thanks again.

[shortpballer]

The problem with the built-in flash (and even a camera mounted hot shoe flash) is that the light is hitting the subject from the same angle as the camera.

If you look at the example shots you posted, none of them have the light hitting the subject from the same angle as the camera. By having the light hit the subject at a different angle than the camera you can see both light and shadow which gives your subject form and substance.

At least with a good hot shoe flash, you can tilt & swivel it, allowing you to bounce the flash and thus make the light hit your subject from a different direction...but you can't really do that with the pop-up flash.

I also have a wedding coming soon

Are you the 'hired pro' for this wedding?
Not everyone needs a flash to shoot a wedding, but unless you are prepared and knowledgeable enough to shoot without flash, it would be irresponsible not to at least have a good hot shoe flash with you. Actually, it would be irresponsible not to have at least two flashes...not to mention at least two cameras and at least two lenses etc.

Thanks Mike.

No I'm not the hired pro, because there won't be any, they have no budget for it, that's why as the only one they know with an slr they asked me to take pictures with no pressure what so ever and for free.
Well I'm convinced about the external flash I guess I will have to find the money for it.

As for the wedding I've read in a Scott Kelby book that I can use a soft screen for my pop-up flash, he says that's a good alternative for weddings.

In the photos that I posted is there some pics that did not use flash at all &

I feel that the outdoor portraits and cityscapes should not need one to make the pics look natural ? Am I right ?

What about alternatives like diffusers reflectors and such ?

I guess I need to read a great article on when is a flahs needed and when it should be avoided, cause I took some portraits the other day and the one that did not use flash and only natural light coming from a window and outdoor looked so much better than the ones with the flahs on...

Thanks again.

Sirene- Check craigslist for a flash. I don't know what you are shooting, nikon or canon. But if canon I found a 430ex for 160 on craigslist a while back. Well worth every penny. I'm sure if you shoot Nikon there is a similar flash that can be had for about the same amount of money.

[PhotoXopher]

SB-400 on a stick with an SC-17 cable (if you have a Nikon).

About $100 (used market) and you'll have a pretty good start.

[Big Mike]

As for the wedding I've read in a Scott Kelby book that I can use a soft screen for my pop-up flash, he says that's a good alternative for weddings.

Scott should know better. While it might help, soften the light (only slightly) it will also rob you of power, which is dangerous because those small pop-up flashes aren't all that powerful to start with.

In the photos that I posted is there some pics that did not use flash at all &

Yes, I know. That's why I said that the light isn't hitting them straight on. It doesn't really matter what your light source is, the important part is the direction and quality of that light...And an on-camera flash is a from bad direction and has a hard quality. The point is that you can't create photos like that with only the pop-up flash...but since most of them appear to be naturally lit, you could get similar results with no flash at all.

I feel that the outdoor portraits and cityscapes should not need one to make the pics look natural ? Am I right ?

Yes, but outdoor lighting lighting can often be harsh and one directional...which can result in bright highlights and dark shadows. You may want to fill in those shadows with some fill light. You can create fill light with flash, reflectors or even any surface that is bouncing the light that is available.

I guess I need to read a great article on when is a flahs needed and when it should be avoided, cause I took some portraits the other day and the one that did not use flash and only natural light coming from a window and outdoor looked so much better than the ones with the flahs on...

It's not really a matter of which light sources are being used...it's how the photographer is using them.

[Sirene]

Thanks again.

What I will do is rent a flash and a 5 relfectors disc and take pictures in all the types of photography I want to make and see if I really need to buy an external flash or if I can achieve the results I want with available ligth and reflectors.

Though I'm thinking flashes are more convenient but reflectors more natural looking or maybe there is ways to make the external flash use look natural .... ?

Thanks again.