Another Flash/no Flash test....

ababysean · Jan 16, 2011

I am friggen going crazy here with my shooting with flash!

I personally like the top one better. I find it more child, more artsy, but I know most here would say it is so bright they are now blind! haha

I just get frustrated with using flash that I have to close down and now instead of blurry hearts in the background, you see the entire heart and string, I don't like that.

What am I doing wrong? I really want to get this.
And please don't tell me I need to buy a light meter or anything else as right now I can barely rub two pennies together (thanks $400 dollar electric bill) I'm not shooting for pay, everyone I shoot this year is going to be for learning purposes, so I need to learn to use what I have.

These were taken around noon time.
I am really wanting to nail shooting at times when the light is not perfect.

Thanks again

OrionsByte · Jan 16, 2011

erose86 said:
Is your flash on or off camera?

If it's *on* camera, I would say take it off... if it's *already* off... then just move it further away... that way you can have the aperture wide enough to blur the hearts, but the light won't be so strong...

At least I would guess that would work. I'm still learning about this stuff myself. :sillysmi:

I was going to ask the same question. Even if it's on-camera, you might try putting it on manual. That way you can set your aperture where you want it for the DOF you're after, and then set the flash to the "right" amount of power to light your subject as much as you want. Then just adjust your shutter speed to control your ambient/background exposure.

ababysean · Jan 16, 2011

it is off camera.
I should try to move it back more, but I thought closer meant softer light?
gah this is all so confusing! lol

OrionsByte · Jan 16, 2011

What's the max flash sync speed of your camera? It just occurred to me that with that much ambient light it may not be possible to reduce the ambient exposure using only the shutter speed if your max sync speed is something like 1/250 or even 1/500...

Robin Usagani · Jan 16, 2011

If she wants to use flash, she cant open up the aperture that much. Its going to be around F8 and F11. The only way to really blur it is to use continous light or reflector.

Lodd · Jan 16, 2011

On the D90 the maximum syncspeed with flash is 1/250 or so offcamera. try it on tge camera in auto FP mode and you'll get it right. Or get yourself an SU-800 to trigger the flash wirelessly up tp 1/8000s.

Robin Usagani · Jan 16, 2011

oh yeah.. or use FP but wont be powerfull.. but your trigger probably cant do FP

ababysean · Jan 16, 2011

I trigger the sb-600 wirelessly with the D90.
The sync speed is 1/200

gsgary · Jan 16, 2011

The exif says you used flash on both shots, is iso 200 the lowest setting on the D90 ?, when shooting flash and ambient your have 2 exposures, aperture controles flash exposure and shutterspeed controls ambient these may help

Robin Usagani · Jan 16, 2011

Then it must have not been very bright. Usually when it is that bright you cant do large aperture with speed of 1/250

ababysean · Jan 16, 2011

no, it only says that because I merged two pictures together.
it is ONE upload.

Lodd · Jan 16, 2011

ababysean said:
I trigger the sb-600 wirelessly with the D90.
The sync speed is 1/200

That's where the problem is. you can get down to iso 100 (low 1?) do get another EV step. but if you still wants the DOF archived in the first photo and the fillight you'll have to use the flash on camera and activate Auto FP in the D90's menu.

OrionsByte · Jan 16, 2011

ababysean said:
I trigger the sb-600 wirelessly with the D90.
The sync speed is 1/200

Okay, someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but if you can't shoot any faster than 1/200 when using your flash, and you're shooting in light that wants probably f/16 or f/11, then I don't think you're going to be able to pull off that short DOF you want, no matter where you put your flash or how you modify it.

This is a crazy thought, but has anyone ever tried using an ND filter in this kind of situation? I mean you'd have to blind your subject with the flash to make it work probably, but is that even reasonable?