Fill light- outside photography

[PhotosbyMeg]

Hey all...

So just got myself my first flash (sb900). I trying to get up to speed on the ins and outs. I'm doing some photos of a friends little kids outside and want to get something that is going to help with some of the harsh shadows. Ideas? I've seen everything from the lightsphere to wonkie looking homemade contraptions. What would be my best bet?

Thanks,

Meg

 

[Sw1tchFX]

you can just do direct flash if you're outside. Unless you're using a softbox, or umbrella, fill flash is fill flash for the most part, Gary Fong's and the like won't really do anything besides rob you of power if you're outside.

 

[KmH]

The key to killing hash shadows is getting the subject out of direct sunlight. If you shoot in direct sunlight the flash will add to the already bright parts of the photo, as well as fill?

You can put the subject in open shade or you can shade the subject with a diffuser, and still use the sky as your main light and your SB-900 for fill.

To overpower the sun and make the light from your SB-900 the main light source you will need to use FP sync mode.

As Sw1tchFX pointed out, gizmo's added to the flash unit basically just scatter light to places you don't need it, thus using up valuable battery power.

 

[Big Mike]

As Sw1tchFX pointed out, gizmo's added to the flash unit basically just scatter light to places you don't need it, thus using up valuable battery power.

I wish I could shout this from the highest tower.

Flash gizmos do have their place, but they can also be very detrimental in some situations...and shooting outdoors in bright light is probably one of those situations.

 

[traylorc]

To overpower the sun and make the light from your SB-900 the main light source you will need to use FP sync mode.

Hey Keith...could you do a newbie a favor and explain the FP sync mode? Getting the appropriate fill light in my outdoor shots has been a challenge for me as well. Thanks!

To the OP....didn't mean to hijack your thread. I just did not want to pass up this opportunity to ask a question.

 

[kundalini]

I would consider a difusser and an external flash to remove the hasrh shadows for outdoor shooting in the sun. I posted these examples recently for the second time. They're not brilliant, but you may find it interesting what those two items can do.

 

[Tbini87]

You can put your camera in FP mode so that you can shoot at a higher shutter speed than your normal sync speed. The flash can do this by flashing multiple times in the same exposure. If you aren't in FP mode and shoot higher than your camera's sync speed you will see a dark bar across half (or some other amount) of the picture. Check out your manual and turn it on, and you are good to go.

 

[o hey tyler]

To overpower the sun and make the light from your SB-900 the main light source you will need to use FP sync mode.

Hey Keith...could you do a newbie a favor and explain the FP sync mode? Getting the appropriate fill light in my outdoor shots has been a challenge for me as well. Thanks!

To the OP....didn't mean to hijack your thread. I just did not want to pass up this opportunity to ask a question.

FP Sync mode is the same thing as Canon's HSS (High speed shutter). It makes it so that you can shoot on any shutter speed and still get a proper flash exposure by turning your flash into a strobe for the duration of your shutter. So you can cut out more of the ambient light of the sun but still provide fill light with a flash.