(help) total manually fill flash

i hope by setting up a example to let me get really understand of fill
flash.

supposing i am shooting a group of objects, some are sunlit others are
backlit. all gears i have are a manual camera, which sync-x conntected
to a manual flash ( without TTL, without automatic sensor ), a handheld
meter with incident, reflective and flash measureing capabilities.
and, a ASA100 film has already loaded in.

by spot metering the subjects, i found the sunlit parts are 4 EVs
lighter than the backlit parts. now, for those sunlit parts, i wannt
settle them to zone VI. if not using flash, i know the backlit parts
will fall in II. now, my purpose is to using flash and settle those
backlit subjects to zone IV. my question are,

1) how do i do it?
2) after the backlit subjects are settled to what i wanted zone IV, can
i then predict what zone those sunlit subjects will fall in?
3) am i free in the whole procedure to select a apperture what i prefer
for DoF controling?

thanks.

-
woody

"Steven Woody" wrote in message
oups.com...
i hope by setting up a example to let me get really understand of fill
flash.

supposing i am shooting a group of objects, some are sunlit others are
backlit. all gears i have are a manual camera, which sync-x conntected
to a manual flash ( without TTL, without automatic sensor ), a handheld
meter with incident, reflective and flash measureing capabilities.
and, a ASA100 film has already loaded in.

by spot metering the subjects, i found the sunlit parts are 4 EVs
lighter than the backlit parts. now, for those sunlit parts, i wannt
settle them to zone VI. if not using flash, i know the backlit parts
will fall in II. now, my purpose is to using flash and settle those
backlit subjects to zone IV. my question are,

1) how do i do it?
2) after the backlit subjects are settled to what i wanted zone IV, can
i then predict what zone those sunlit subjects will fall in?
3) am i free in the whole procedure to select a apperture what i prefer
for DoF controling?

thanks.

-
woody


I think the first thing I would do is to move the subject(s) so that the
lighting is consistent over all of them!

If you are shooting with a focal-plane shutter camera that only flash-sync's
at a certain speed, you will have some difficulty in achieving what you
want. If you are shooting with a between-the-lens shutter type camera that
flash sync's at various speeds, it will be easier. Set the f-stop so that
the flash provides the proper exposure to the darker (backlit) objects, and
set the shutter speed so that the combination of shutter and f/-stop
provides the proper exposure to the sunlit objects.

Generally, when doing fill-flash, the shutter speed isn't important for the
darker object-- just set the f/-stop so that the "filled" area gets the
proper exposure. Then determine what shutter speed goes with that f/-stop
for the lighter areas.

If you are dealing with print (negative) film, an exposure that is off by
one stop probably won't be much of a problem. Also, if you are doing the
printing yourself, you could touch it up in the darkroom with burning in or
dodging. I once shot a group photo of 150 high school kids on the steps of
the school. The front three rows were in full sun, the back three rows were
shaded by the porch roof. I tried unsuccessfully to get the school to move
the group to the other side of the building, where the entire group would be
in open shade. I ended up shooting with an exposure based on the middle
rows. The front rows were about 2 stops over exposed, the back rows about 2
stops under exposed. By manipulating the darkroom printing I was able to get
a decent photo.

Ken Hart

Ken Hart wrote:
"Steven Woody" wrote in message
oups.com...
i hope by setting up a example to let me get really understand of fill
flash.

supposing i am shooting a group of objects, some are sunlit others are
backlit. all gears i have are a manual camera, which sync-x conntected
to a manual flash ( without TTL, without automatic sensor ), a handheld
meter with incident, reflective and flash measureing capabilities.
and, a ASA100 film has already loaded in.

by spot metering the subjects, i found the sunlit parts are 4 EVs
lighter than the backlit parts. now, for those sunlit parts, i wannt
settle them to zone VI. if not using flash, i know the backlit parts
will fall in II. now, my purpose is to using flash and settle those
backlit subjects to zone IV. my question are,

1) how do i do it?
2) after the backlit subjects are settled to what i wanted zone IV, can
i then predict what zone those sunlit subjects will fall in?
3) am i free in the whole procedure to select a apperture what i prefer
for DoF controling?

thanks.

-
woody


I think the first thing I would do is to move the subject(s) so that the
lighting is consistent over all of them!

If you are shooting with a focal-plane shutter camera that only flash-sync's
at a certain speed, you will have some difficulty in achieving what you
want. If you are shooting with a between-the-lens shutter type camera that
flash sync's at various speeds, it will be easier. Set the f-stop so that
the flash provides the proper exposure to the darker (backlit) objects, and
set the shutter speed so that the combination of shutter and f/-stop
provides the proper exposure to the sunlit objects.

Generally, when doing fill-flash, the shutter speed isn't important for the
darker object-- just set the f/-stop so that the "filled" area gets the
proper exposure. Then determine what shutter speed goes with that f/-stop
for the lighter areas.

If you are dealing with print (negative) film, an exposure that is off by
one stop probably won't be much of a problem. Also, if you are doing the
printing yourself, you could touch it up in the darkroom with burning in or
dodging. I once shot a group photo of 150 high school kids on the steps of
the school. The front three rows were in full sun, the back three rows were
shaded by the porch roof. I tried unsuccessfully to get the school to move
the group to the other side of the building, where the entire group would be
in open shade. I ended up shooting with an exposure based on the middle
rows. The front rows were about 2 stops over exposed, the back rows about 2
stops under exposed. By manipulating the darkroom printing I was able to get
a decent photo.

Ken Hart

thank you Hart, i am thinking your input and it seems your are right.
for your information, i do have a leaf shutter camera and sync speed is
not a problem. and, this example assumes that i am shooting slides and
get no way to move subjects :-)

thank you again.

-
woody