weird "noise" around my photo when i use my external flash

[carrieqberry]

i am mostly a natural light photographer and i am new to the indoor/flash photography. in a recent wedding i did some of the pics turned out with this shadowy weird haze when i used the flash. i shoot with a canon 6d and i shoot in manual. can you help?

 

[carrieqberry]

heres the pic!

 

[480sparky]

Subject/camera movement due to 1/20 sec shutter speed. There was enough ambient light to record the subjects, and they (or your camera) moved during the time the shutter was open. Get your shutter speed up closer to the maximum synch speed and the ambient light will be reduced.

 

[tirediron]

100% that ^^

 

[pixmedic]

weddings are a tough situation to test or practice flash photography...

what were the camera setting for this shot?
it looks like you got motion blur from too slow a shutter speed.
was the flash diffused at all? it doesn't appear to be judging from the big hotspots.
what was the flash set at? did you use the flash manual or TTL?
what metering mode were you using?
if you shoot your camera in manual, you need to account for the fact that you will have the flash adding light and adjust your camera settings accordingly.

the biggest issues i am seeing with this picture appear to be motion blur/camera shake from improper shutter speed and direct bare flash. Also, the house is apparently sliding down a hill.
its hard to tell much about the "noise" because the file is so small, it distorts pretty bad when viewed at a large size.
do you have a full resolution file you can post or link to?

 

[480sparky]

........what were the camera setting for this shot?
.......

Camera Maker: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS 6D
Lens: EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Image Date: 2014-11-15 06:29:39 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture: ƒ/4.5
Exposure Time: 0.050 s (1/20)
ISO equiv: 2000
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: Yes (Auto, return light detected)
Orientation: Normal
Color Space: sRGB
GPS Coordinate: undefined, undefined
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Macintosh)

 

[480sparky]

...........do you have a full resolution file you can post or link to?

http://www.thephotoforum.com/attachments/img_00061edit-jpg.100374/

 

[pixmedic]

...........do you have a full resolution file you can post or link to?

http://www.thephotoforum.com/attachments/img_00061edit-jpg.100374/

i think that image got changed or something...
im pretty sure i remember clicking for the exif data and larger image when i posted....and it wasn't available.

unfortunately, seeing what the image looks like at full size, I would toss it. there are too many issues with that picture for me to consider it a keeper.

 

[480sparky]

i think that image got changed or something...
im pretty sure i remember clicking for the exif data and larger image when i posted....and it wasnt available.

Aliens.


With bacon.


.

 

[tirediron]

unfortunately, seeing what the image looks like at full size, I would toss it. there are too many issues with that picture for me to consider it a keeper.

Agreed!

 

[wfooshee]

If you are shooting in an auto-exposure mode, keep in mind that the camera WILL try to expose for ambient light, no matter what, even with the flash attached, and use the flash for fill.

If you're in aperture-priority or program modes, that can give you excessively long shutter speeds, which you have here.

If you want to light with the flash, set the camera manually. If you want the ambient light as best as you can get it, again, go manual, or shutter-priority, so you can control shutter speed. You will probably end up with maximum aperture being used, which will minimize your depth of field.

Don't be afraid to up the ISO if you need to, depending on the camera. An old D3000 probably shouldn't go past 800, if even that far. A D810 can shoot acceptably at 6400.

 

[Braineack]

heres the pic!

You captured two exposures.

I don't like shooting slower than 1/60 with flash if people are moving because exactly this. I like to balance the flash exposure with the ambient so there's always this risk.

Your camera data shows your were in manual mode, so I have to question why exactly you went with 1/20sec shutter speeds. Had this capture been solely by means of flash, then 1/20sec is no matter, but the high ISO you were set to combined with the long shutter speed allowed the camera to capture the flash expsoure (which happens much faster than 1/20sec) and then while the shutter was still held open after the flash did it's job, still kept capturing image data.

If you're unwilling to go any higher than ISO2000 and 1/20 is what is required to get the ambient exposure the way you like, ever with flash, then you have to be really careful about movement or this is bound to happen.

Some people will use this technique on the dance floor where they lower the ISO significantly, but keep a long shutter (look up "dragging the shutter"). Then when they capture the shot with flash, you can zoom/turn/twist the camera as it captures any lights in the background.

This is a perfect example of it: Halloween Party at Downhouse Onysko Photography Halloween NYC NYC clubbing club Nightlife Photography Flickr - Photo Sharing

Here at 1sec, ISO800, and f/3.5 the photographer used flash to capture the subjects, and while the shutter was open--after the flash went off--moved the camera around and drew those orange trails with lights in the background.. This is the extreme case of what's happening in your shot.

 

[wfooshee]

Just as an aside, unrelated to the shutter speed problem, try to be conscious of framing, even when things are happening quickly. If this were a usable frame I would want it cropped to eliminate the empty space at the top. Basically, you're aiming at faces, which centers the faces, cutting off the lower bodies and leaving vast emptiness above them.

 

[Braineack]

plus it looks like you dropped the camera as the shutter went off.