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Advice using fill flash for indoor/outdoor pictures



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 19th 04, 08:44 PM
Domenico Discepola
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Default Advice using fill flash for indoor/outdoor pictures

Hello all. A few weeks ago I witnessed a photographer snapping up pictures
for a wedding. He was using his flash for all of his pictures, regardless
if they were taken inside, outside, in the sunshine or with the sun blocked.
I hate using the flash because I find it very difficult to use. I've
started reading about various techniques posted on peoples' webpages but
found no beginner's guide type of article on using a flash / fill flash. My
question is, all things being equal, can someone describe the proper method
of taking pictures using a flash. I have been taking pictures here and
there for many years using the following equipment (which is hopefully on a
long term loan): Nikon F2as with all major Nikkor lenses (favorites consists
of 85mm f2, 135mm f2.8, and 50mm f2, 35mm f2.8). My flash is a Image
TB-100. It has 2 flashes (1 can be angled) and a wide, normal, and
telephoto dispersion. This flash has a lot of settings but I started
experimenting using the manual setting. For example, I took some pictures
using the full flash power in an outdoor setting with partial cloud
coverage. I noticed that my subjects' legs came out well but their faces
were too bright. I wonder if there's some kind of table I can use to adjust
the flash's settings. For instance, assume that my camera meters at f8,
125s in partial sunlight at 10ft (for example). Is there a table that can
tell me what to set the flash at? E.g. 1/16th power, or 1/4 power or full
power? That photographer made it seem so easy ;-)

Regards,

Domenico





  #2  
Old June 19th 04, 08:55 PM
Randall Ainsworth
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Default Advice using fill flash for indoor/outdoor pictures

In article , Domenico
Discepola wrote:

I often used a little Vivitar 283 set for about a stop less than
whatever I was using...worked fine.
  #3  
Old June 19th 04, 11:18 PM
Paul Friday
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Default Advice using fill flash for indoor/outdoor pictures

In message , Domenico
Discepola writes
Hello all. A few weeks ago I witnessed a photographer snapping up pictures
for a wedding.

Remember - you can only use flash at the synch speed or slower. This may
be why you have strange lighting effects.
Give up those pesky small jobs and move up to leaf shutters and flash
synch at all speeds!
--
----------------------------
Paul Friday
  #4  
Old June 20th 04, 01:43 AM
Domenico Discepola
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Default Advice using fill flash for indoor/outdoor pictures


"Paul Friday" wrote in message
...
In message , Domenico
Discepola writes
Hello all. A few weeks ago I witnessed a photographer snapping up

pictures
for a wedding.

Remember - you can only use flash at the synch speed or slower. This may
be why you have strange lighting effects.
Give up those pesky small jobs and move up to leaf shutters and flash
synch at all speeds!
--
----------------------------
Paul Friday



Good advice ;-)

Forgot to mention that with the flash, I set the shutter speed at 1/80s (the
sync speed of the F2)... But would you
know of any good sites / literature on flash photography?


  #5  
Old June 20th 04, 06:53 AM
zeitgeist
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Default Advice using fill flash for indoor/outdoor pictures

Many advanced cameras can read the image and push out just enough flash to
give a fill without over powering the image.

In bright sun at mid day a flash is imperative. Full sun and shade on a
face has 4 to 5 stops difference. So you have black holes where the eyes
were, and a white space where the nose used to be. A flash, even a manual,
can give you at least a printable image, and with some awareness of light
you can sync with the sun for a key and fill effect, or shoot with the sun
to the subject's back and light with your flash. If you have a leaf
shutter or other higher speed sync you can actually over power the sun and
get a deep rich blue sky background.

If you are shooting candids/snapshots of activities in a shade situation, a
fill flash can be effective when you can't pose or wait for shots with the
subject looking in the right direction to get a catch light in the eye, make
sure there are no raccoon eye shadows.

And unfortunately there are far too many photogs, wedding photogs especially
who shoot everything with flash, you know, 'just to make sure.'


"Domenico Discepola" wrote in message
. ..
Hello all. A few weeks ago I witnessed a photographer snapping up

pictures
for a wedding. He was using his flash for all of his pictures, regardless
if they were taken inside, outside, in the sunshine or with the sun

blocked.
I hate using the flash because I find it very difficult to use. I've
started reading about various techniques posted on peoples' webpages but
found no beginner's guide type of article on using a flash / fill flash.

My
question is, all things being equal, can someone describe the proper

method
of taking pictures using a flash. I have been taking pictures here and
there for many years using the following equipment (which is hopefully on

a
long term loan): Nikon F2as with all major Nikkor lenses (favorites

consists
of 85mm f2, 135mm f2.8, and 50mm f2, 35mm f2.8). My flash is a Image
TB-100. It has 2 flashes (1 can be angled) and a wide, normal, and
telephoto dispersion. This flash has a lot of settings but I started
experimenting using the manual setting. For example, I took some pictures
using the full flash power in an outdoor setting with partial cloud
coverage. I noticed that my subjects' legs came out well but their faces
were too bright. I wonder if there's some kind of table I can use to

adjust
the flash's settings. For instance, assume that my camera meters at f8,
125s in partial sunlight at 10ft (for example). Is there a table that can
tell me what to set the flash at? E.g. 1/16th power, or 1/4 power or full
power? That photographer made it seem so easy ;-)

Regards,

Domenico







  #6  
Old August 24th 04, 12:59 AM
hawkaye19
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Default

Hi,
Just caught mention of the tb-100 flash....I have one, but do not have the
instruction manual...do you have one

 




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