Flash / Lighting Question

[FireGirl_Photography]

I shoot mostly editorial and typically work without any extra lighting but recently had a client ask me to shoot some architectural / interior design work. I bought a Canon 430 EXII (figured it'd be good to keep in the quiver) and have a shoot Friday afternoon.

I will be shooting around 12 noon in the interior of a house. As I do not have much experience with flash I have just been playing around in the E-TTL mode, getting used to the idea of lighting.

What would be the best setting / way to shoot this session? I feel like I could get by without the flash lighting as it sounds like the house is bright, but would like to go prepared.

Any ideas?

 

[kundalini]

Learn to bounce that sucka..... off ceilings, walls, that guy's white shirt who's standing too close to you.

The TTL settings should increase your keeper rate. If you're a quick study, go manual. If you can and for best results.... learn off camera flash.

 

[Village Idiot]

If you can, find a way to get the flash off camera and place it at various hidden spots to light the interior.

Mid day without interior lighting means that any window is going to be blown and the inside will be properly exposed or the window will be properly exposed and the interior will be severly underexposed.

Strobist: Working Around the House
Strobist: Boot Camp II: Assignment #3
Strobist: Boot Camp II, Assignment 3: Results

 

[Mike_E]

For insurance, bracket your shots. One for the interior and one for the exterior windows in the room so that if needs be you can cut and paste for the outside view.

 

[FireGirl_Photography]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I have just been playing around my little cabin and feel pretty confident for the shoot tomorrow. I always bracket shots (figure I'd be better off with too many than not enough, wrong shots, etc.).

Homework for the weekend is finding a way to get off-camera and playing with building a foam creation to attach onto the flash to help bounce / soften light...

 

[kundalini]

One of the cheapest ways to diffuse a bare bulb hotshoe flash is to find some double sided tape and tissue paper (the kind you stuff in a gift bag because you can't be bothered to actually wrap a gift....... you know). Just make sure you have a decent air gap between the flash head. Don't want to start a fire do we? Unless of course, you're a Billy Joel fan.

 

[SageMark]

......... that guy's white shirt who's standing too close to you.

For sure lol

 

[FireGirl_Photography]

Thanks for the tips, all. The shoot went fantastic and my client is ecstatic!

Got creative with flash filters and bouncing light and it really paid off...