Gauging fill flash
- This topic has 3 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated Nov 11, 2008 at 2:36 pm by
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I went to the LMF, outside Broken Bow, OK, this weekend. I had some great opportunities and took them, thinking when I uploaded the pics I would have some great shots. However, I had used way too much fill, and the subject became blown out. So, how does one gauge how much fill flash to employ for given situations?
Side note-I also learned that when taking your DSLR w/ you in the river, do not set your gear bag down anywhere near the bank as bags roll over and dump your lenses in the drink. Oh well, at least it was only a 50mm f/1.8 and not “L” glass.
Thanks for the help guys,
DustyDepends on the situation. Bright and contrasty light I dial it down only 1/3 or less but in subtle light it gets dialed way down 1 stop or more. The most important thing is to warm it up slightly with for example a 1/4 cto, pale gold, or straw colored gel. Those Rosco swatch books are free and great for this. Just tape em on and you’re good to go. You can even use it on a dslr pop up and/or point and shoot flash unit.
Dusty, as said above exposure compensation is very important – here in Australia out in the saltwater the light is very hard and we use more flash – like up to +1, but on a trout stream in the trees it might be -1/2.
Another trick is to get some sort of diffusion to soften the light off and make the fill look more natural.
If your flash is totally cooking frames you might also have a problem with the hot shoe on the flash or camera – it’s an easy fix at a service center.
www.dsaphoto.com
A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.
Thank for the suggestions, guys. I have seen those diffusers, David, and I guess it is time to look more closely at one. But I need to get the flash first. The images I was referring to were only taken using the pop-up flash.
I was trying to compose some shots similar to ones in Zach’s podcast. I had my subject between me and the morning sun, and I was trying to get in enough light so the subject was not blacked out, but as I said earlier, this backfired, and the reverse happened.
Thanks for the examples Douglas.
Dusty
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