Experimenting with Flash

CowgirlMama · Feb 27, 2012

So, I've been shooting for years, but never learned to use flash correctly. :guilty:

I always shot with the on-camera flash. I've wanted a flash for a while, but it wasn't really in my budget. This week I worked out a trade with my dad. He wanted my point and shoot (that I never use) and I wanted a flash. Works for me.

I played with it a little tonight, but I'm still figuring it out. It's still on the camera (don't have the stuff to shoot off camera yet--give me a couple weeks), but it can be angled to bounce. I bounced these 45 degrees off the ceiling (it was convenient at the moment

). The dogs were all I had ready and willing to pose, so here's what I have. Any advice on what to do differently is much appreciated. I have lots more experimenting to do before I get it down.

Both shot at ISO 100, F5.6, Shutter 1/200 (I think)

Dusty by CowgirlMama, on Flickr

Patrice · Feb 27, 2012

You are doing great, keep at it. Try different bounce techniques. Straight up at the ceiling, off the walls, even behind you, they can all be effective. They all give slightly different results. Experiment and learn.

Watch the withe balance, the light will take on the colour of the surface it's bounced off.

pgriz · Feb 27, 2012

^^^ what he said. Also remember that bouncing spreads light around, which "dilutes" it. So in small rooms, the light gets reflected back, in large rooms, not so much.

WhiskeyTango · Feb 27, 2012

pgriz said:
^^^ what he said. Also remember that bouncing spreads light around, which "dilutes" it. So in small rooms, the light gets reflected back, in large rooms, not so much.

On camera flash isn't as good as off-camera, but you really can do a lot with it.

Try putting your back near a corner and bouncing off the corner at your back

Also try various bounces with a bounce card, either built-in if your flash has one, or rubber band a 3x5 card to the flash unit. It adds just a touch of fill flash and bumps the catch lights.

Good luck and enjoy!

KmH · Feb 28, 2012

Visit http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/ and Strobist: Lighting 101.

Get the inexpensive books:
Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography
Off-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Photographers

Robin Usagani · Feb 28, 2012

Completely disagree

WhiskeyTango said:
On camera flash isn't as good as off-camera, but you really can do a lot with it.

Try putting your back near a corner and bouncing off the corner at your back Also try various bounces with a bounce card, either built-in if your flash has one, or rubber band a 3x5 card to the flash unit. It adds just a touch of fill flash and bumps the catch lights.

Good luck and enjoy!

WhiskeyTango · Feb 28, 2012

Schwettylens said:
Completely disagree

WhiskeyTango said:

On camera flash isn't as good as off-camera, but you really can do a lot with it.

Try putting your back near a corner and bouncing off the corner at your back Also try various bounces with a bounce card, either built-in if your flash has one, or rubber band a 3x5 card to the flash unit. It adds just a touch of fill flash and bumps the catch lights.

Good luck and enjoy!

Click to expand...

Completely? So... On camera is better than off. Don't bounce, and if you do don't bother with a bounce card?

Schwetty, you know a helluva lot more about photography than I do, and I'm NOT being sarcastic. There's obviously something about your response I don't understand. Please elucidate.

tirediron · Feb 28, 2012

WhiskeyTango said:
Completely? ...There's obviously something about your response I don't understand. Please elucidate.

Me too!

Robin Usagani · Feb 28, 2012

When you bounce your flash, you actually already made your flash off the camera AND you made the light source really big (the size of whatever the projection of the flash on the ceiling or wall) and diffused. Adding bounce card to your flash will only add direct light which is what you are trying to avoid. Pretty much if you can bounce it, bounce everything. Don't use a bounce card.

Now, if you put the flash off the camera, all you are doing is putting the light source from an angle (which can already be accomplished with bounced on camera flash). Your flash is still harsh. Sure, you can add umbrella or softbox but then bouncing on camera is a lot easier because you can use your TTL, you can do 2nd curtain, you can do HSS/FP, which a lot of trigger wont do.

The only advantage of off camera flash is when you cant really bounce (i.e. outdoor, dark wall/ceiling), or when you are trying to be creative with multiple flash guns. You also get more consistent result because when you bounce, the flash metering is doing it's own thing and you dont get consistent result (plus your bounce change all time). I hope that makes sense.

KmH · Feb 28, 2012

It can be a challenge sorting the BS from the good stuff - http://neilvn.com/tangents/category/bounce-flash-photography/

tirediron · Feb 28, 2012

Schwettylens said:
The only advantage of off camera flash is when you cant really bounce (i.e. outdoor, dark wall/ceiling), or when you are trying to be creative with multiple flash guns. You also get more consistent result because when you bounce, the flash metering is doing it's own thing and you dont get consistent result (plus your bounce change all time). I hope that makes sense.

Sorry Schwetty, I think you're comparing apples and oranges. Bounced flash is one thing, off-camera flash is another animal altogether. Bounced flash is [usually] better than straight-on, on-camera flash, and off-camera flash is [usually] even better. Using modifiers is almost always better than relying on bounced flash, and TTL is only really useful if you're shooting straight on.

Robin Usagani · Feb 28, 2012

I guess I have been doing it all wrong then. I bounce the flash, no modifier, TTL all night long.

TTL is only usefull if you are shooting straight on?? False statement John. That's when bouncing flash became really popular when TTL is around.

WhiskeyTango · Feb 28, 2012

I guess I find myself in situations more frequently that force me close to my subject with nothing but the ceiling to bounce off of. In my (admittedly limited) experience, that gives me some pretty nasty raccoon eyes. I fix that by adding a fill light (via bounce card). It's not that I'm desperate to avoid direct light. Its that I don't want it to be my only/primary light.

If I can avoid the 'coon eyes by increasing my distance to subject, or wall bouncing, I don't use the card.

As to going "off camera": I will often set up a remote or two at angles to my subjects and bounce them off the ceiling. With a D7000/SB-700 combo, I can still go TTL via remote without even resorting to the PocketWizards.

I would bet that you're a lot better at bouncing flash than I am and that I'm compensating with gadgets. Something for me to play with.

Robin Usagani · Feb 28, 2012

Whiskey, it is probably because you bounced it of the ceiling between you and the subject. What you want is to bounce it to the ceiling and or wall behind you and a little off to the side. The flash from the ceiling or wall will wrap around you and should light up your subject nicely without racoon eyes.

http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/4-bouncing-flash/

Robin Usagani · Feb 28, 2012

Mess with it. I know several people who like to use bounce card, stoffen, or fong dong. Bouncing without any of that will yield better result. Trust me on that. When you use those you can still see harsh shadow behind the subject. Regarding catch light, if you bounce the flash to the ceiling, the big white spot from the ceiling/wall will be the catch light on the eyes.