Fill Flash OVERLOAD - Help!

Dollface · May 30, 2006

Hi Everyone..

I shot an awards ceremony the other day, and I'm definetely more of an outdoor light girl, and I screwed up my fill flash. Now all my photos have a shadow line around the peoples body- What methods can I use to adjust this within p/shop??

Digital Matt · May 30, 2006

There's no good way to fix this in photoshop. You'd have to clone the background in, and I can see you have text on the background, which will make it impossible.

Did you shoot these with on camera flash? If so, there's no getting around this look. If you have a speedlight, you can bounce off the ceiling, or make a diffuser for it which will soften those shadows. The other option is to have them stand a bit away from the background.

JohnMF · May 30, 2006

that's a toughy doll. think i agree with matt, might be a job for the clone tool.

you could also try selecting the shadow (maybe with the magic wand) and lightening it up with levels. Or selecting the shadow (as described above), putting a slight feather of maybe 2 or 3 pixels, copy/paste it to a new layer and changing the blend mode to lighten or screen and then lowering the opacity to suit.

There just ideas though, It's going to be awkard what ever way you do it

good luck

Philip Weir · May 30, 2006

Hi Dollface,
The above are correct, flash on camera stinks, if you can bounce the flash it's so much better, but that depends on ceiling height. Forget trying to correct in "Photoshop" too much work. You aren't using fill flash, fill flash is when you expose for ambient light and use your flash to just lift the shot [fill the shadows].Obviously, when you turn your camera vertically, your flash is either on the left or right, depending on which way you turn the camera. The problem then is that you flash, rather than being above your lens if level with the lens, not a good effect.
p.s. Gooday Digital Matt.
Philip.
www.philipweirphotography.com

Philip Weir · May 30, 2006

Wow !!! Dollface, I'm a genius. I just copied your image to the desktop, opened in "photoshop" and fixed it in about five [5] minutes. Problem is, I haven't figured how to post images yet, so don't know how to get it to you. You could send me a message via my website, and I can then email it onto you. Philip.
www.philipweirphotography.com

Digital Matt · May 30, 2006

Good point about fill flash vs "deer in headlights" flash Philip. If you get a sec, check out this thread for some ideas on how to post your stuff: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21012

Arch · May 30, 2006

Philip Weir said:
Wow !!! Dollface, I'm a genius. I just copied your image to the desktop, opened in "photoshop" and fixed it in about five [5] minutes.

I gotta see this..... please try and post it here and explain how.... i would have tried a similar method to JohnMF...... if you can't post the image, then please just give the explination

Dollface · May 30, 2006

This is actually my speedlite - 540EZ. I have a diffuser on it, the only problem is, when I turn it vertical.. Then I get these kinds of shadows..

I also had blue stickers on the floor marking where people were supposed to stand, but hardly any of them stood on them, and I only had the time *as* their awards were being announced to shoot them.

I'm dissapointed with myself, in a sense. I should have done better.. Fill flash is not one of my strong subjects, but I'm trying to make good on a poor job

Phillip, I emailed you. Would love to see the outcome!

Dollface · May 30, 2006

Archangel said:
I gotta see this..... please try and post it here and explain how.... i would have tried a similar method to JohnMF...... if you can't post the image, then please just give the explination

I'll post it once I receive it! I can't wait to know how!:mrgreen:

zedin · May 30, 2006

How about this? Basically instead of trying to clone and worry about letters I just shifted the right side in since the shadow has the same outline as the woman. I could probably tweak it better so there is not such a distinct black area (and I just noticed I didn't clone out the shadow on the other womans leg but that is easy enough). Could probably use a smudge tool or such to soften that shadow on the woman on the right.

Philip Weir · May 30, 2006

Hi everybody and especially to you "archangel" I sent on the image to the dollyface, and she seems to think it's O.K. I've left a message on her mobile to ring me and I will talk her through to technique, and will ask her to post the manipulated image. if you are all happy, I will try and explain it.
Remember....Lateral thinking... Philip.

Philip Weir · May 30, 2006

Good on you "Zedin" exactly what I did. You must be a genius too.
Philip.

Dollface · May 30, 2006

Oooh.. Even though Phillip and I have spoken, he's caling me later to discuss.. But I have worked this out.

Select the section around the shadow - only for each *ANU* panel. So select the yellow section - layer as new copy and then Edit/Transform/Distort.

You can strech the selection to fill in the shadow section. This seems to be working

Arch · May 31, 2006

ok so why didnt i think of that.......:er: .. for some reason i was thinking the bg needed to be saved...... but it doesn't..... the whole of the banners arn't even in shot anyway. :roll:

Just goes to show when your not thinking straight (because its late and your tired.... thats my excuse anyway, it was gone 1.00am!!! :mrgreen: )..... you can miss the most obvious answers..... it does need a little more work..... but well done zedin..... and philip.... smart idea. :thumbup: