Experimenting with flash outdoors c&c please

jamescell · Jun 20, 2008

My Sister came over today and requested I take some photos of her Son, only problem is it's noon and the light is flat as can be. So I decided to break out the flashes

I used manual mode and set the exposure for -1.5ev, with iso at 100 and shutter speed at the max sync speed for my poverty wizards (1/200) I came up with a av of f4.5. I used 2 Vivitar 285hv's both with shoot thru umbrellas, one on each side of my nephew at about 45 degrees. The right speed light 4 feet from subject, the left 6 feet. I chimped the flashes in at 1/4 power. I tried they with out the umbrellas first, the light seemed way too harsh (he is very fair skinned) and made him look super imposed. Any c&c is very welcome! Thanks for looking :cheers:

Tennessee Landscape · Jun 20, 2008

not bad at all. this is a technique I'm still working to perfect. good job

Sw1tchFX · Jun 20, 2008

It's safe lighting, I would have used some CTO's on them though to make your subject seem more warm and inviting.

EDIT: something kind of like this, but I still think CTO's would have looked better.

tirediron · Jun 21, 2008

Nice image!

The only comment about the image that I can make is the slightly too-strong highlight on the left side of his forehead; perhaps drop that down 1/3 - 1/2 stop.

I would suggest for posed portraits of this type where your lighting isn't a known value, that you always shoot a white card exposure first, as well as doing a grey-card comparison of your metering.

jamescell · Jun 21, 2008

Thank you for the comments, I did think about using a cto gel and really don't know why I didn't use one. Next time I will be sure to include one in my experimenting :cheers: