How to get a sun-shiny, illuminated picture like the pros take.. =)

[2WheelPhoto]

ebay has served me extremely well for pocketwizard triggers and elinchrom and profoto brand lights

 

[skieur]

Of course, the fast way is to just shoot in backlit portrait scene mode and have the camera pop-up the flash and calculate how much fill flash is necessary and then shoot.

skieur

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Of course, the fast way is to just shoot in backlit portrait scene mode and have the camera pop-up the flash and calculate how much fill flash is necessary and then shoot.

skieur

Yeah, how does that squelch or add exposure to the background and compensate for the studio lighting adjustments for the subject? I mean if you're into shooting "auto" modes, I reckon that methodology would work.

One pop of my light into the Sekonic light meter and i get fstop/ambient settings AND ratio. And tweak the wheel on the meter and it outputs settings per.

I never ever use my pop-up for anything, wish it wasn't wasting space on my camera =)

 

[Stradawhovious]

Thanks! Any direction on the type of OCF? I've not even begun to look at what's out there. Are there any features that are necessary or are they all pretty run-of-the-mill. I would of course look for something nice, but I have no intentions of becoming pro nor do I need equipment of that par. Thanks guys, you're priceless. I've got a feeling I'm going to learn a lot here.

That's a pretty deep rabbit hole there Alice......

Just sayin.

Try the Strobist: Lighting 101 blog.

Strobist: Lighting 101

WEALTH of useful, practical and easy to understand information..... with practice assignments to boot!

 

[skieur]

Of course, the fast way is to just shoot in backlit portrait scene mode and have the camera pop-up the flash and calculate how much fill flash is necessary and then shoot.

skieur

Yeah, how does that squelch or add exposure to the background and compensate for the studio lighting adjustments for the subject? I mean if you're into shooting "auto" modes, I reckon that methodology would work.

One pop of my light into the Sekonic light meter and i get fstop/ambient settings AND ratio. And tweak the wheel on the meter and it outputs settings per.

I never ever use my pop-up for anything, wish it wasn't wasting space on my camera =)

The background stays the same exposure-wise when you are shooting outside like in the sample shots and the flash adds just enough light to the front to avoid a silhouette. Studio lighting when you have more time, lights, and flexibility is a totally different story.


skieur

 

[pgriz]

Well, once you know what you're doing, things are pretty basic. However, getting to that point may take both lots of learning and a bit of equipment ("bit" is somewhat understated). Quite a bit of learning applies to understanding how to "read" sources of light (primary source, secondary source, etc), and deciding when additional light (from flash(es) or reflectors) is needed and in what proportion. That's what makes a photo "pop" - the light brings out the best of the subject. The light colour determines if it is reddish, bluish or neutral, the light intensity determines how much light we have to work with, the light size determines whether the shadows are hard or very soft. The light direction is also important to determine where the shadows and highlights will appear. The balance between multiple sources generally determines the dimensionality of the subject relative to the background, and the apparent three-dimensional shape of the subject.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Of course, the fast way is to just shoot in backlit portrait scene mode and have the camera pop-up the flash and calculate how much fill flash is necessary and then shoot.

skieur

Yeah, how does that squelch or add exposure to the background and compensate for the studio lighting adjustments for the subject? I mean if you're into shooting "auto" modes, I reckon that methodology would work.

One pop of my light into the Sekonic light meter and i get fstop/ambient settings AND ratio. And tweak the wheel on the meter and it outputs settings per.

I never ever use my pop-up for anything, wish it wasn't wasting space on my camera =)

The background stays the same exposure-wise when you are shooting outside like in the sample shots and the flash adds just enough light to the front to avoid a silhouette. Studio lighting when you have more time, lights, and flexibility is a totally different story.


skieur

yeah, but increasing or decreasing the shutter speed will take the ambient from that "snap shottish" look and then adjusting for the amount of fill will enhance it even more.

But if snapshots like the examples are all we're after here...... I must humbly agree you're right

 

[paigew]

But if snapshots like the examples are all we're after here...... I must humbly agree you're right

WOW! Thanks man...

How about somebody else grow a pair and post some example shots for the op? That way she can decide what she likes. Since you guys have so much *cough cough* experience shooting backlit portraits....

 

[2WheelPhoto]

But if snapshots like the examples are all we're after here...... I must humbly agree you're right

WOW! Thanks man...

How about somebody else grow a pair and post some example shots for the op? That way she can decide what she likes. Since you guys have so much *cough cough* experience shooting backlit portraits....

I meant no harm, forgive me on my poor selection of words. i thought those examples were to be improved, not use a camera in an auto-mode as was suggested =)

 

[2WheelPhoto]

And I'm not a pro, I'm a student learning.

But backlit pics where the background is so bright your entire pic is a silhouette except what is being hit with a hot light is easily achieved with a decent light meter. One pop of the flash and you'll have reading for both background and subject =)

In this one i popped the front of the beamer with a 1200 watt Elinchrom light wide open at grill and front plate, shooting directly into sun and glare on water. Still allowed for enough of the bright background's shadow on the car for the pic to look "not fake" with the studio light.

And this one was a homework assignment self portrait gone bad shooting into hot sun!

 

[paigew]

But if snapshots like the examples are all we're after here...... I must humbly agree you're right

WOW! Thanks man...

How about somebody else grow a pair and post some example shots for the op? That way she can decide what she likes. Since you guys have so much *cough cough* experience shooting backlit portraits....

I meant no harm, forgive me on my poor selection of words. i thought those examples were to be improved, not use a camera in an auto-mode as was suggested =)

sooo...your saying I shot these in camera auto mode? Those were shot in full manual.

As for your photos, nice snapshots...er...photos that need improvements. I especially love the flash glare on the subjects face (#1)

 

[2WheelPhoto]

WOW! Thanks man...

How about somebody else grow a pair and post some example shots for the op? That way she can decide what she likes. Since you guys have so much *cough cough* experience shooting backlit portraits....

I meant no harm, forgive me on my poor selection of words. i thought those examples were to be improved, not use a camera in an auto-mode as was suggested =)

sooo...your saying I shot these in camera auto mode? Those were shot in full manual.

As for your photos, nice snapshots...er...photos that need improvements. I especially love the flash glare on the subjects face (#1)

No I was talking to the guy that suggested an auto mode, I haven't referred to you in auto in any way.

And yeah these are student "snapshots" indeed. And we were in 100 degree hot sweaty FL outdoor sun, yeah there will be a little wet sweat glare here and there with a hot flash my friend =)

 

[paigew]

No I was talking to the guy that suggested an auto mode, I haven't referred to you in auto in any way.

And yeah these are student "snapshots" indeed. And we were in 100 degree hot sweaty FL outdoor sun, yeah there will be a little wet sweat glare here and there with a hot flash my friend =)

okay thanks for clearing that up. And yes, you made my point here, flash is not always ideal (glare). I hear you about hot/sweaty. Its 100 here today :/

 

[2WheelPhoto]

No I was talking to the guy that suggested an auto mode, I haven't referred to you in auto in any way.

And yeah these are student "snapshots" indeed. And we were in 100 degree hot sweaty FL outdoor sun, yeah there will be a little wet sweat glare here and there with a hot flash my friend =)

okay thanks for clearing that up. And yes, you made my point here, flash is not always ideal (glare). I hear you about hot/sweaty. Its 100 here today :/

Kewl - all is well and again I meant no harm or to cut anyone nor claiming i take shoot anything close to good pics =)

for me flash/glare was better than blowing out the background or underexposing the subject. wish I'd have kept the no flash images of the same shot, I suspect you'd agree. I like the challenges of outdoor as much as the studio =)

 

[paigew]

I'm sure! Flash definitely has its place.