Outdoors with Flash, C&C please?

[taraj_00]

I decided to experiment this morning (with a very unwilling subject!). I like the look of outdoor flash, but can't quite seem to figure it out...

My thoughts on this pic are that the flash needs to be dialed down a bit (next time, like I said- uncooperative kiddo today so he was done after about 3 shots). Flash was coming from the left side, direction he's facing, and sunlight from the other...

Any help/comments are apprectiated! Thanks!

 

[KmH]

You have the right amount of strobed light.

It looks like straight flash with no modifier, like an umbrella, because the shadows are sharp and only the upper part of his body is lit.

There is no EXIF data to see what aperture, shutter speed, ISO and metering mode you used.

As far as metering, if you go with manual strobed light rather than TTL, the in camera meter can be used like a hand held reflective meter.

Your final settings will likely result in the in-camera meter showing an improper exposure, because you will have gone well beyond what the camera engineers assumed to be the upper limitations of the average photographer. :thumbup:

 

[taraj_00]

Ah ha! No, I didn't have an umbrella or anything on it... that makes sense, but didn't even cross my mind.

EXIF from Flickr is 1/320, f 9.0, ISO200...

Flash was my SB-600 off camera, in slave mode, but I didn't change any manual settings (I do need to learn how to do that since my new camera actually allows it to be used off camera... hmmm)

 

[KmH]

A shutter speed of 1/320 means FP-sync mode was needed and the strobe can not pulse at full power (reduced GN) in FP-sync.

Max X-sync speed is /250.

From the D300s specs:

Flash Sync Speed
Up to 1/250
Flash synchronization at up to 1/320 s (FP) adjustable using Custom Settings (will reduce GN)

You're aware you can separately control subject and background exposures with one shutter release by using manual mode?

 

[taraj_00]

I am aware of that yes... the sync speed confuses me. Totally honest- I've really only used the flash on camera as a bounce and though I'm always in manual, I guess I haven't been paying attention to that. I usually just adjust my shutter speed until I like the look... back to the manual I guess!