External Flashes

[his4ever]

Mk...


Tonight I had an opprotuniy to practice taking pictures with my external flash. I knew to take care of appiture and stuff... but my pictures still look like I used the on camera flash or they came out underexposed. What can I do to get better with the flash?????

So Bummed.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Don't use direct flash. That's one of the main reason's you buy a speedlight. faster recycle times, more power, wireless control (if you shoot Nikon), and the tilt/swivel head. If you use it directly, than yeah of course it's going to look like your onboard flash, it's the same thing just elevated.

 

[his4ever]

well I have a bounce flash... I even tried defusing it. Just not impressed with the results. I really like to work outside better... but I know I have to learn to o indoor shots. Any ideas on how I can practice better?

 

[his4ever]

oh to top off my whole experence tonight... it was all in a gymnasium. No ceiling to bounce off of

 

[Mike_E]

Beg, borrow or buy an umbrella stand set-up for your flash. Barring that, bounce it off a a foam core board (with or without aluminum foil [foil if you are going
to have it back a ways])). The larger the area of the light source as seen by the subject (reflected or not), the softer the light.

 

[Garbz]

Tilt 45 degrees to the side and hold a white sheet of paper a short distance from the flash. That is great if you have nothing else to bounce it off. It works great outdoors. The other option would be to build yourself a small softbox. I have a 21x21cm softbox made out of cardboard and paper and it takes fantatic photos outdoors but I lose my autofocus ability in the dark

 

[his4ever]

ok... so last night it would have been a great idea to bounce the light off of something.... I am going to have to have someone help me next time then if I do core board or an umbrella (or paper) then right?

 

[kugy5]

In my estimation much of the problem of on camera flash is that its used as a main light, if we approach it as a fill light,By raising the asa and by dragging the shutter it will not have that flat stark look of on camera flash, I realize that the color temp of the available light needs to be addressed, either by adding a filter in front of the flash and setting the correct light preset for the color temp. Many situations may not lend themselves for setting lights up. (event Photography, News Photography, )