Natural Light

Amber_Cullen

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Does anyone perfer natural light over the flash? Personally I can't stand my flash, it casts too much of a shadow on my subjects and ends up ruining the pic, I'd love some advice on using my flash better
 
For as long as the in-built flash was the only flash available for me, I certainly did prefer natural light to the light of THAT flash, too. Tried to diffuse it by shooting through tissue paper or through a cut-open transparent film-canister container push over the flash but the results kept making me unhappy.

Only since I've got myself a Speedlite do I like flash photography again.
Some things just work better, like when you're commissioned to take photos of dance school kids practising in awfully lit rooms. For example.
 
Thanks! I heard good things about speedlights, I'll have to look into getting one!
 
Does anyone perfer natural light over the flash? Personally I can't stand my flash, it casts too much of a shadow on my subjects and ends up ruining the pic, I'd love some advice on using my flash better
Not much you can do with the built-in pop-up flash except use it for fill flash outdoors.

After you get you Speedlite you can check out this web site to learn how to use it effectively in any situation.
 
I prefer natural light with reflectors for the photos I take of children, but I can choose the setting and time of day to take them, so it works out well. For other situations, you would obviously need more sophisticated options.
 
Thanks everyone, I'll definately be looking into a speedlight, just to have when I can't use natural light, thanks :)
 
i've gotten to the point where i hate not using any of my flashes. i always seem to have a better time shooting when i'm messing with lights rather than just natural light. that's just me though;)
 
If all you have to work with is your built in flash and don't yet have the ability to shell out the $300+ for a speedlight. ABSOLUTELY spend the $20 getting a lightscoop. light scoop digital photography lighting built-in flash Olympus Nikon Fuji Canon Pentax

I DESPISE my built in flash, until i got this thing and now I can use it all the time without hating my pictures. Depending on what walls you bounce your light off of, i've come up with pretty nice pictures.
 
If all you have to work with is your built in flash and don't yet have the ability to shell out the $300+ for a speedlight. ABSOLUTELY spend the $20 getting a lightscoop. light scoop digital photography lighting built-in flash Olympus Nikon Fuji Canon Pentax

I DESPISE my built in flash, until i got this thing and now I can use it all the time without hating my pictures. Depending on what walls you bounce your light off of, i've come up with pretty nice pictures.
I read about this light modifier a few weeks ago. I know some DIYers have been making their own pop-up flash diffusers to help soften the light and I've even seen a few bouncers that are similar to this but don't look as good. Looks like a good product and definitely improves the quality of the flash, but a little pricey.
 
i've gotten to the point where i hate not using any of my flashes. i always seem to have a better time shooting when i'm messing with lights rather than just natural light. that's just me though;)

sometimes flashes can be too brite, i read in a nice blog about covering it up with a white cloth. i tried it a few times and its pretty good. check out the blog for yourself if you like, it's quite good : photography lights blog
 
I read about this light modifier a few weeks ago. I know some DIYers have been making their own pop-up flash diffusers to help soften the light and I've even seen a few bouncers that are similar to this but don't look as good. Looks like a good product and definitely improves the quality of the flash, but a little pricey.

I did too...something about a business card, IIRC. Back with a link if I can dig it up...

Not the same link, but same idea: Party Bouncer Card
 
If all you have to work with is your built in flash and don't yet have the ability to shell out the $300+ for a speedlight. ABSOLUTELY spend the $20 getting a lightscoop. light scoop digital photography lighting built-in flash Olympus Nikon Fuji Canon Pentax

I DESPISE my built in flash, until i got this thing and now I can use it all the time without hating my pictures. Depending on what walls you bounce your light off of, i've come up with pretty nice pictures.

Thanks, I'd never heard of a light scoop. That's awesome. That's going into my "wish list" along with reflectors.
I've been having problems with natural light indoors though because all of my lens only go up to 3.5-4.0 ap. I want to get a f/1.8 50mm lens just so that I can take better photos with natural light like in my living room.
 
Light scoop are great cheap options. You should definitely get one.
 

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