Some Photos of Christmas

[theonlysteviet]

Hi All. Happy Holidays!
Before I get into the pictures, I would just like to say that I got my Yongnuo YN-560 II flash on Christmas day and have never used an external flash before. So I spent the day playing around and seeing what 1/1 does differently from 1/128. And what effect the zoom has. So please bare in mind, these are the first shots I have taken with an external flash EVER - so I don't expect them to be great but I do want everybody's advice on how to improve and practise. I also do not want comments on how the photos are cropped. These pictures were simply taken for lighting purposes.

Enjoy!


_DSC0972 by theonlysteviet, on Flickr


_DSC0983 by theonlysteviet, on Flickr


_DSC0969 by theonlysteviet, on Flickr


_DSC0942 by theonlysteviet, on Flickr


_DSC0931 by theonlysteviet, on Flickr


_DSC0915 by theonlysteviet, on Flickr

Thank you for taking the time to look and hopefully comment

Steve

 

[Parker219]

I like the moment number 2 captured as a photograph. The rest look like decent enough snaps. Id say you did good.

 

[theonlysteviet]

Why thank you Parker219
I appreciate your time and comments.

 

[sm4him]

I have the same flash, but I don't really know enough about it to help you much. I learned how to use it pretty well for macro, but I really need to learn how to use it for other photos, especially now that I have a D7000 with a commander setting for the flash.

Since your goal here is more about the lighting than composition, etc--it might be helpful if you add the EXIF data, including what the flash output was. One can easily see that for themselves, unless it's been stripped, but I'm still on my first cup of coffee and not willing to work very hard at all just to see a little extra information.

The first, third and last pics seem like they have some wb issues to me; they all seem a little on the magenta side. BUT, I'm not on a calibrated monitor either. I would think proper flash settings would have resolved that--I'm wondering if maybe the flash was set too low on those shots to really "overcome" the ambient lighting, or the flash and ambient were just too different.

By the way: For what they are--just some Christmas snapshots of the family--I really like the moment captured in the second and fifth (the b&w) photos. Those will be nice "memory" shots!

 

[nola.ron]

Love 2 and 5. I think 5 is especially a very great moment that B&W just made that much more interesting. Can't help with flash critique... I'm still a noob and need a flash myself!

Sent from my Galaxy SIII using tapatalk witg erroes

 

[theonlysteviet]

I have the same flash, but I don't really know enough about it to help you much. I learned how to use it pretty well for macro, but I really need to learn how to use it for other photos, especially now that I have a D7000 with a commander setting for the flash.

Since your goal here is more about the lighting than composition, etc--it might be helpful if you add the EXIF data, including what the flash output was. One can easily see that for themselves, unless it's been stripped, but I'm still on my first cup of coffee and not willing to work very hard at all just to see a little extra information.

The first, third and last pics seem like they have some wb issues to me; they all seem a little on the magenta side. BUT, I'm not on a calibrated monitor either. I would think proper flash settings would have resolved that--I'm wondering if maybe the flash was set too low on those shots to really "overcome" the ambient lighting, or the flash and ambient were just too different.

By the way: For what they are--just some Christmas snapshots of the family--I really like the moment captured in the second and fifth (the b&w) photos. Those will be nice "memory" shots!

Hi sm4him,

Thank you very much for your reply. These were also taken on a D7000. I will get the EXIF data for you as soon as work calms down a bit

I did run these pictures through Photoshop and adjusted the temperture on some of these pictures, do you think it's that?

Thank you very much for your time

Steve

 

[theonlysteviet]

Love 2 and 5. I think 5 is especially a very great moment that B&W just made that much more interesting. Can't help with flash critique... I'm still a noob and need a flash myself!

Sent from my Galaxy SIII using tapatalk witg erroes

Thank you very much

Is there anything in particular you do not like about the rest?

Regards,

 

[theonlysteviet]

Hi All,

Just wanted to share some more amateur pictures I took whilst round my mates. This wasn't an expected event so no preperation was put it. I just took my camera and reflectors and had a blast


_DSC1126 by theonlysteviet, on Flickr


_DSC1134 by theonlysteviet, on Flickr


_DSC1139 by theonlysteviet, on Flickr


_DSC1210 by theonlysteviet, on Flickr

^^ This one is a shame. The black cat was really hard to expose properly - not to mention he is not even in focus :-( I have cropped the black cat out but I don't like the result. Makes the picture to close up and centred.


_DSC1197 by theonlysteviet, on Flickr

 

[Thang]

First of all, welcome to the world of external flashes! There is so much more you can do with an external flash that you can't do with on camera flashes. One thing you might want to try is to take the flash off the camera and mount it somewhere along with a wireless trigger (Not sure if your flash can be fired remotely like the nikons).

I personally think that side lighting makes for more interesting photos than direct lighting or even bouncing the light from the top down. Look up Rembrandt lighting techniques:
What is Rembrandt lighting, and when do I use It? - Photography

Another suggestion for a first time external flash owner is don't go crazy on diffusers. I bought the Gary Fong diffuser ($99 bucks!) and I almost never use it. I think its better just to find a nice wall to bounce the light off.

Anyway... great photos! You must be really excited since you came from on camera flash to external flash. The photos are so much better aren't they?