Where do I point the speedlight...

[kundalini]

Do any of u have picture examples on u using flash as a fill light? I love visuals.

For a start.....

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...8-single-ocf-light-source-picture-thread.html

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...multiple-ocf-light-source-picture-thread.html

 

[Big Mike]

Thank u big mike. U seem to know a whole lot. Do u have any suggestions on how I can balance normal light with flash?

It can be a fairly involved subject. I teach a flash course that is 12 hours long, and a good deal of it has to do with learning to balance flash and ambient light. If you Google flash+ambient, you will have plenty of great stuff to read.

 

[Big Mike]

Strobist: Lighting 101

Strobist: Lighting 102: Introduction

 

[Derrel]

If you actually meant "fill", as your post stated, the best place for fill is on-axis. Meaning, right in the hotshoe. And no,I am NOT kidding; fill light works splendidly when it is very close to the lens axis, With a single speedlight in sunny conditions, the sun is the brighter light source of the two; ergo, the role of the flash will be as fill. And fill light works best close to the lens axis. So....stick it in the hotshoe, and aim it at the people. If you look around the Strobist web site, you will find a column David Hobby devoted to how to use on-axis, on-camera flash as fill light. The sun, or the sky, or a combo of those two things, is where the MAIN light will be coming from.

For example: use the light from the sky as the main light for a group. Allow the SUN rays to strike them from behind and off to one side--that will act as a crisp RIM-light. Then, use flash as fill--where it ought to be...as close to the lens axis as possible...in the hotshoe.

 

[Mamarazzi514]

Thanks guys for the links and the info! U all are so helpful

 

[IByte]

...If we are in a open field and there is not a spot to bounce the flash? Do I just point it slightly up and over their heads? I want to start using my speedlight for fill if I need to outdoors.

What kind of camera and speedlight you own?

 

[jake337]

http://strobist.blogspot.com/


[URL]http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html

[/URL]

 

[jake337]

Strobist: Lighting 101

Strobist: Lighting 102: Introduction

Lol, how'd I miss this post!!

 

[jake337]

 

[jake337]

Your lighting may be similar to indoor studio lighting techniques. The difference may be that you are battling or using the sun as well.



http://www.portraitlighting.net/examples.htm

http://www.diyphotography.net/portrait-lighting-cheat-sheet

http://lumitouch.com/benstudiotutorial/index.html

http://www.professionalphotography101.com/portrait_lighting/lighting_names.html

 

[Aetherbound]

What would you hope to accomplish by pointing it over their heads? :scratch:

Every time I read this I burst out laughing. Made my day

 

[Tee]

Nice video, Jake. Thanks for sharing. :thumbup:

 

[jake337]

I think the hardest thing to grasp in photographic lighting is getting past the "where, what, and how should I place my lights" and start to realize it's about how the light you are using is actually shaping your subject(s).

Well at least for me it still is.

 

[Tiberius47]

I have a sofen diffuser cap for my speedlight I think that will at least soften my light. I like the idea of a bouncecard, is that something I can DIY?

A stoffen doesn't soften light. It just spreads it out in all directions. Unless there is something nearby to bounce that light off, a stoffen won't do anything.

To soften light, you must make the light source larger. A softbox or an umbrella are the best ways to do this.

And a bounce card is just going to send a bit of light back towards your subject. This is good if you are bouncing your flash - most light bounces off the ceiling or wall, and a bit is sent directly to the subject. But if you are outside, then again, you are just wasting your light.

For fill flash when you have nothing to bounce off, use direct flash. You fill flash should be low enough that you don't realise it's there anyway, so the fact that it is direct won't make it look bad.

 

[jake337]

Here's the link on hard light in strobist 101.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-hard-light.html