Flash: best friend or bonehead buddy?

asfixiate · May 22, 2008

the thousands of flashes you are seeing are due to people using cameras that automatically use flash for anything less than 12:00 PM on a sunny day. You're not seeing thousands of SLRs flashing you are seeing P&S. I was at Philly's game and with the lights I could manage but when I took shots of those I was with I used flash to remove any possible shadows.

I like the way shots taken using flash look therefore even in a pretty lit up room i'll use flash.

Village Idiot · May 22, 2008

Using flash is about getting the perfect light regardless of your environment. Using flash well is about making it look like you had the perfect natural lighting in your environment.

There's just a ton of things you can do with flashes that you can't do with natural lighting. I use them pretty much all the time now, but then again, my photography has moved away from just random walking around photo taking to doing shoots with people.

asfixiate · May 22, 2008

Village
Everything on your flickr has been taken with 30d? Nice shots too.

Village Idiot · May 22, 2008

asfixiate said:
Village
Everything on your flickr has been taken with 30d? Nice shots too.

xti and 300D thrown in the mix here and there.

Crosby: www.strobist.com Look up the lighting 101 section on one of the drop downs on the right. You can thank me later for making you spend a bunch of money.

Crosby · May 22, 2008

Great comments everyone.:thumbup: Currently, I simply like not using flash because 1) all I have is the onboard flash, 2) I don't know how to use it effectively yet.

A tie for best comments...:king:

Garbz said:
I'm just saying the people who typically rant about available light only and nothing else are the people who don't know how to actually get something out of a tool which can product the most wonderfully dramatic results if used correctly. Flash is just like every other part of photography. Experiment, don't ignore it and limit yourself.

Village Idiot said:
Using flash is about getting the perfect light regardless of your environment. Using flash well is about making it look like you had the perfect natural lighting in your environment.

Crosby · May 22, 2008

Village Idiot said:
xti and 300D thrown in the mix here and there.

Crosby: www.strobist.com Look up the lighting 101 section on one of the drop downs on the right. You can thank me later for making you spend a bunch of money.

Thanks, I'm more interested all ready..

Joves · May 22, 2008

Crosby said:
Great comments everyone.:thumbup: Currently, I simply like not using flash because 1) all I have is the onboard flash, 2) I don't know how to use it effectively yet.

A tie for best comments...:king:

Cant you adjust the flash output on the onboard flash. That is what I do alot of times, if it is all I have. Also never shoot in Auto shoot in Shutter Priority and, set it to 125 or up and, the ISO will come up to compensate, also it will open up the f-ratio giving you a shaper subject and, blurred backround. I use flash myself when I need it but, otherwise I dont. It always is a case of wether it calls for it or not.

Village Idiot · May 22, 2008

Joves said:
Cant you adjust the flash output on the onboard flash. That is what I do alot of times, if it is all I have. Also never shoot in Auto shoot in Shutter Priority and, set it to 125 or up and, the ISO will come up to compensate, also it will open up the f-ratio giving you a shaper subject and, blurred backround. I use flash myself when I need it but, otherwise I dont. It always is a case of wether it calls for it or not.

It's so weak though that you get almost instant fall off and if you try and diffuse it, it makes it practically pointless.

The on board flash is between 15'-40' (I know, big range but I believe it's in there somewhere) for the GN (which means it will do a proper exposure at that far away at full power) where something like the Canon 580ex II is about 165'.

Huge power difference.

Then when you start talking about studio strobes you go from 60 w/s speed lights to about 400 w/s as the general power I see most people picking up. So it would take about 7 speed lights to make one 400 w/s studio strobe.

Ed. And the shot of the female was on a completely cloudless day in 12:00 sun while she was under and over hang. The photo would have been impossible without using flashes. The lighting would have been very harsh.

Crosby · May 22, 2008

Joves said:
Cant you adjust the flash output on the onboard flash. That is what I do alot of times, if it is all I have. Also never shoot in Auto shoot in Shutter Priority and, set it to 125 or up and, the ISO will come up to compensate, also it will open up the f-ratio giving you a shaper subject and, blurred backround. I use flash myself when I need it but, otherwise I dont. It always is a case of wether it calls for it or not.

Yea, sure. I use shutter priority, just not that time I described earlier. Mostly I use full manual, it helps me visualize whats going on when I change ISO, Aperture, and Shutter speed; next big step for me will be to adjust white balance or something. My camera is still new to me, so adjusting the flash output is something I haven't gotten around to yet.

"never shoot in Auto"? What, you got something against it?:er: I don't think you are speaking absolutely... right? Ah, sometimes I might, but I get better enjoyment setting my own settings, I learn alot more that way. Yes I'm still learning. I've been shooting pictures for a long time, but just recently tried to be more creative.