580 EX II flash CC pls.

[El2]

These are merely snaps since I am still trying to get use to my flash. CC on lighting, exposure etc. These are SOOC, no PP on them at all.

Exposure: 0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 56 mm
ISO Speed: 800

Exposure: 0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 95 mm
ISO Speed: 800

 

[tirediron]

Well, they're definitely not under-exposed!

#1. I'm not a Canon shooter, so I can't give you specific help with the settings, but it looks to me like you were using direct flash. The front of the bed-spread is washed out, and the child's face is very bright, especially around the mouth. I would suggest that this image would have been much better shot with a bounced or diffused flash. In fact, if this is typical bedroom size (ie less than 20x20') you might have done well to bounce the flash off the wall behind you. With respect to the composition, the background is way too busy and cluttered. You've made good use of selective focus, but given your subject distance, it's still far too clear. I would suggest a reshoot, and this time, position the child against the blank area of wall image left. With the bright colours of the clothing and his skin tones, that will make a nice backdrop.

#2. I like this one much better, however there's still uneven lighting on the face; esp. around his right cheek and eye. The background is much nicer, though a black/white combination is a bit harsh.

In general, a good start with your new gear. I've mentioned some areas for improvement, but these could be dealt with to a large degree in post-processing. Remember that if you're pointing the bare flash at the subject, unless they're a long way away, you're going to get uneven illumination which will tend to give your images a snap-shottish look. Always try to use either a diffuser or to bounce the flash. I have to ask though, why are you using such long shutter speeds and high ISO? Considering the distance, you should be able to get a perfectly exposed image using 1/250 @ 200 ISO.