Fill flash in relation to DOF and harsh lighting

[Mach0]

I know that light doesn't play a role but with a pop up flash and more light, you tend to have to use a higher aperture. I do set my flash to at least 1/2 ....is that correct?

thanks =)

Depends. However much to lift the shadows some.

 

[AMOMENT]

LOL. I feel the same about the pop up flash. It's awful! I generally always hate the look. There is enver anything artistic about the lighting. So, what would you suggest for fill flash that is easily moved and portable? (say for moving children....fast moving children I could use my SB700 but oudoors, what would you bounce the light off of?

 

[2WheelPhoto]

LOL. I feel the same about the pop up flash. It's awful! I generally always hate the look. There is enver anything artistic about the lighting. So, what would you suggest for fill flash that is easily moved and portable? (say for moving children....fast moving children I could use my SB700 but oudoors, what would you bounce the light off of?

It was mentioned above to perfection:

Pick up a an umbrella, light stand, and trigger set. It will go a longgggggggg way.

 

[AMOMENT]

from amazon...? [h=1]Cowboystudio UNPT-04, 4 Channel Wireless Hot Shoe Flash Trigger and Receiver Set with Umbrella Holder for Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus & Pentax Flashes[/h]by CowboyStudio
4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews) | Like 1334240322 false -1 3 3 2 (3)

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$25.00

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[KmH]

Most CowboyStudio gear isn't worth the money. It's mainly just CPOS gear that has little durability.
StudioHut 4 channel Wireless Radio Hot Shoe Flash Trigger Kit for Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus & Pentax Flashes with 2 Receivers
Strobist Umbrella Holder with Hot Shoe Mount
Westcott 750 Photo Basics 7.0-Foot Light Stand
43" Collapsible Optical White Satin Umbrella with Removable Black Cover

Harsh light is a characteristic of a small light source, be it on, or off the camera. Hot shoe mounted flash units do little better than the built-in flash does if the light from the hot shoe mounted flash is not modified.
Photographers use light modifiers like bouncing a hot shoe flash, or OCF (off camera flash) and umbrellas to make small light sources seem much, much larger so they produce softer light, and diffuse shadow edges.

Using the flash in manual mode, the lens aperture controls the exposure of the strobed light (flash) and the shutter speed controls the exposure of the ambient light.

The in-the-camera light meter essentially become useless.

When using a wide lens aperture that gives a shallow DoF, less flash exposure is needed for fill. If you're making a portrait of just 1 person 1/8 power may be enough.
As lens aperture gets smaller, flash power has to be increased to give the same exposure, assuming the same subject and subject distance.

Nikon's Auto FP sync mode may need to be used to get a quick enough shutter speed to get the ambient light exposure where you want it. IIRC the built-in flash is not Auto-FP sync capable.

Auto-FP sync introduces it's own problems. Most noteable is that flash power gets seriously reduced since the flash has to fire many times during a single exposure.

Using flash adds a level of complexity to doing photography, and haveing a good understanding of how the camera works is very, very handy.

 

[Mach0]

The only issue I've ever seen with cheaper radio triggers is that if your camera flash sync speed is 1/200 then you need to use the trigger set up @ 1/160s. Otherwise, you will get part of the frame under exposed. 1/200 of a second isn't that fast for moving objects and as KMH mentioned SS controls ambient but when you hit the sync limit you will have to stop the aperture down. The brighter the sun you will need to stop down the aperture which means a much higher flash output needed( in addition to increased DOF.) If you want to go OFC, make your life a little easier and just shoot later in the day.

 

[Crollo]

light wouldn't play a role in DOF. Your focal length and aperture will.

I'm not even sure how to react to this one.

 

[Mach0]

I'm not even sure how to react to this one.

React away lol

 

[KmH]

Light plays a huge role in DoF. Though light doesn't play a direct role in the depth, light does play a role in what aperture and focus point distance you can use, and both of those affect the depth.

 

[AMOMENT]

I knew light didn't play a part but if you are using a flash than most likely you are not going to be shooting too wide open. If you are looking to achieve a really shallow DOF than having to shoot at higher apertures will increase your DOF.

 

[Mach0]

Light plays a huge role in DoF. Though light doesn't play a direct role in the depth, light does play a role in what aperture and focus point distance you can use, and both of those affect the depth.

I agree with that. Thats why I mentioned it didnt aside from choice in aperture which affects DOF. So yes, indirectly it will. Thats where I was aiming with that.