outddor modeling shoot help

[coltonw911]

i was recently asked to do an outdoor shoot at dusk and then some night shots by a very beautiful girl, how could i say no? so im using a nikond80 with the 135mm lens and on camera flash, does anyone have any favorite settings that look good i can use? im trying to capture a warm glow with the main focus on the subject and maybe blurred colored lights in the background, then ill use both her and the sky clear for another photo. any tips?

 

[Peniole]

Aperture wide open and tripod, also disable all but the central autofocus (focus on her eyes). I don't know what kind of metering system is in the D80 maybe someone who has one can comment as to which setting would work best.

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

I hope by on-camera flash you mean a hot-shoe flash and not the built in flash.

If there is still a good about of light, you could use a reflector to reflect some light back onto her front, with the setting sun behind her.

Either way, the trick will be getting a nice balance of ambient and fill. For example, you don't want too much flash and too little ambient exposure, because you will probably end up with a completely dark background. You don't want too little flash/fill exposure because then she will look like a silhouette.

It all depends on the light you have to work with...but here is something I would try. Meter the background and then set your exposure about one stop less than that (use EC or manual mode). Then use your flash...you may want to change the FEC, maybe -1 stop and see how that looks.

 

[JIP]

My favorite setting for this would be DO NOT TRY AND USE THE POP-UP FLASH. If this is important to you beg borrow or seal a SB-600 or 800 if you have access you may even be able to rent one.

Oh yeah disregard this post if you meant hot-shoe flash when you said on-camera vlash.