2 from today - Dogs C&C please

ndredsox · Jan 30, 2009

Hello gang,
I was stuck at home today due to the weather and wanted to practice some things I learned at a local club meeting last night on lighting. Normal ceiling lighting, with a 430ex II with sto-fen attached aimed at the ceiling.

What would you change on these?

#1 - 50mm 1.8 shot at f/5 1/30 iso 800

#2 - 50mm 1.8 shot at f/2.8 1/60 iso 400

Please feel free to edit if you would like to.

AlanA4 · Jan 30, 2009

awesome shots.

Those two dogs are beautiful. I'm hoping to get a chocolate lab just like yours next year if I can find the money.

ndredsox · Jan 30, 2009

Thank you...Labs are awesome. The chocolate is Guinness and the yellow is Tucker. They are spoiled!! haha

mrodgers · Jan 30, 2009

Sorry, no photo comment here....

Wow! If I didn't know better, I would think that was Amy, my yellow, laying up on that couch, LOL. How old is Tucker? Male I assume by the name? Looks to be about same age as mine, 6-7 months.

My wife, who "hates" dogs, is trying to talk me into also getting a chocolate. I think I'd rather wait until Amy is a year old.

Mgw189 · Jan 30, 2009

My guess is that you were using on camera flash? That would be my only comment.

Project 6 · Jan 30, 2009

#1 is a really cool shot; #2 is just like a regular snapshot

ndredsox · Jan 30, 2009

mrodgers said:
How old is Tucker? Male I assume by the name? Looks to be about same age as mine, 6-7 months.
My wife, who "hates" dogs, is trying to talk me into also getting a chocolate. I think I'd rather wait until Amy is a year old.

Actually, funny that you say that, he was the runt and is 5 years old. haha He does weigh 80 pounds though. Guinness is a huge bum and weighs in at 125lbs. Chocolates are great.

Mgw189 said:
My guess is that you were using on camera flash? That would be my only comment.

I was...I am still trying to figure out a "cheaper" weigh to move it off. I thought about getting a 580ex and using the 430 as a slave. I may look into chords very soon though.

Mgw189 · Jan 30, 2009

Get something to soften the light coming off the flash or bounce it. Its to harsh.

ndredsox · Jan 30, 2009

I had a Sto-fen diffuser on and had it aimed at the ceiling. Do you think delaying the flash a bit would have helped?

Mgw189 · Jan 30, 2009

I dont know alot about the flash you have does it have the ability to change the output?

Samanax · Jan 30, 2009

Did you shoot these in E-TTL or did you set up manually?

Both images look slightly overexposed.

Since you're shooting with flash you can keep the ISO low (I stay at ISO 100 when using flash). You shouldn't need to go to ISO 800 when using flash.

I think you could have gone a little faster with the shutter speed.

For shooting with on-camera Speedlites, this web site has a lot of good information. It's helped me a lot.

kn4ds · Jan 30, 2009

The flash is a bit harsh, but that's mostly due to slight over exposure (IMHO)... but overall, I like 'em a lot

ndredsox · Jan 31, 2009

Samanax said:
Did you shoot these in E-TTL or did you set up manually?

For shooting with on-camera Speedlites, this web site has a lot of good information. It's helped me a lot.

Shot these in E-TTL...correct. I was hoping for the best by letting Canon do its thing. I will check out the link...Thank you much!

Samanax · Jan 31, 2009

ndredsox said:
Shot these in E-TTL...correct. I was hoping for the best by letting Canon do its thing.

Taking good pictures with on-camera flash is probably one of the most difficult things to learn in photography. It can be done but it takes an understanding of flash, ambient light, exposure, metering, time, practice, lots of experimenting and lots of experience to get right. E-TTL does work but the photographer still has to give it some help. You have to learn how to use the flash exposure compensation properly for what you're shooting...light and dark subjects reflect light differently and this will effect your pictures. Distance to subject is another thing that effects flash exposure (the Inverse Square Law).

Of course you could always go off camera with the flash and do the strobist thing.

ndredsox · Jan 31, 2009

Samanax said:
Of course you could always go off camera with the flash and do the strobist thing.

Funny you say that, I spent quite a few hours watching the videos and checking out the options from strobist.com. I can't decide if I should drop the money for the kit or piece it together with my own ideas. I really like their $999 kit with the wireless transmitters, but I don't think the wife would even engage in a conversation about supplies after my latest purchase.