Questions about balancing ambient light with flash.

[ghache]

I recently got myself all these flashes.

i did a couple shoot last weekend for the first time using them. the location i was shooting at was really nice background was a river, with a bidge). its was around 4 PM...sun was kinda bright

i used 2 vivitar 285hv.

my main concern is that i was trying to get that background underexposed. since the max sync flash speed of my camera is 200, i would have needed to go at leat 1/500-600 to get the background exposed the way i wanted it exposed (underexposed a little bit).

its looking good but i think its over exposed.

models were not in sunlight so my flash did a really good job filling that light.

i wanted to keep a shallow dept of field by shooting at f4-f5.6.

i figure that the only way to get that background is to crank the aperture to at least F16 and give the flash more power?

thanks for replying.

 

[Alpha]

Yes, unless you feel like buying some gear that syncs faster.

 

[ghache]

Yes, unless you feel like buying some gear that syncs faster.

i might be wrong but even a d3s only sync at 1/250?

 

[Rosshole]

You could add a polarizer on and lose two stops also...

 

[Big Mike]

You could add a polarizer on and lose two stops also..

Filters cut light from the flashed exposure as well, so that's not really a good option...but it might help with certain aspects of the background.

i might be wrong but even a d3s only sync at 1/250?

Most SLR cameras are limited to that (or slower), it's because of the shutter mechanism. You could get a camera system with a leaf type shutter, which will sync at much faster shutter speeds.

Some DSLR cameras have an 'electronic' shutter, like most P&S digicams. This allows for flash syncing an much faster shutter speeds. The Nikon D70 is like this.

Yet another option would be to use your brand's flashes, which will allow you to use High Speed Sync (HSS) or whatever Nikon calls it. It fires the flash in small rapid bursts, allowing you to sync up to your camera's fastest shutter speed.

 

[Rosshole]

Filters cut light from the flashed exposure as well, so that's not really a good option...but it might help with certain aspects of the background.

It would allow you to keep your aperature larger, and as long as you are still able to increase the flash power, you should be "ok", right?

 

[myfotoguy]

Yes, unless you feel like buying some gear that syncs faster.

i might be wrong but even a d3s only sync at 1/250?

But it does have high speed sync (FP Sync on Nikon) when using the Creative Lighting System (even wireless) with Nikon compatible flashes. I've done it at 1/4000, works great. The flash pulses to achieve this, and some flash power is lost, but it can be synced.

Some radio triggers allow it. Although no personal first hand experience but I think Radio Popper has it (radiopopper - products), and Pocket Wizards (for Canon - Nikon on the way).

 

[Big Mike]

It would allow you to keep your aperature larger, and as long as you are still able to increase the flash power, you should be "ok", right?

Good point.

Although, in my experience, you already need a lot of light from your flashes to compete with bright daylight....so being able to increase the flash power is a big 'if'.

 

[Rosshole]

Good point.

Although, in my experience, you already need a lot of light from your flashes to compete with bright daylight....so being able to increase the flash power is a big 'if'.

That makes sense... you would need a hell of a flash, or many even still.

 

[Big Mike]

Last week I was shooting a wedding and one location we shot at was a farm. I placed the wedding party in front of a green field with a nice bright blue sky in the background. I wanted to underexpose the sky for a dramatic shot. I was at 1/250 and F11 or F13 to get the sky where I wanted it.
I had two 580EX flashes, one on either side, and was barely able to light up the group. Even still, I think it will take some saving in post.

 

[ghache]

thanks, ill work on that, ill try to use the FP sync.