OK everyone, this is my last lesson. I hope you have learned a lot. At least I know Susie has and Sondra has learned about lighting which is actually the thing that will most make your pictures better. I still want to see more pictures when you get the chance.
On Camera flashes are built in flashes that automatically go off when the camera meter senses that it is too dark. Some are built right into the camera and some are pop up flashes. Most photographers try to avoid using these because they create “deer in the headlight” type photos with dark backgrounds. I know that I have never been real happy with mine, but I would rather have those pictures than not. All those years that I was using mine, I wish I would have known of a few tips that can make them more helpful.
On Camera flashes:
1- One of the best ways to use on camera flashes is for fill flash. Most cameras have fill flash, just make sure you read your manual and know how to manually turn it on. Fill flash is when you are shooting on a bright sunny days and you can see that there will be dark shadows on your subject. You will manually turn on your fill flash and be able to brighten up those dark shadows. Flash strengths are all a little different though and you will have to pay attention to how close or far away you are, to get the correct amount of fill.
2- Other great uses for on camera flashes are to stop or freeze motion of nearby moving subjects that are in low light or to emphasize a foreground subject on a gray or overcast day. That would include brightening a subject in front of a sunset.
3- To stop the motion of falling rain drops or snowflakes.
Emerald took this picture with her point and shoot
External Flashes:
An external flash is one that you can manually connect to the top of your camera, but then the flash on top will swivel. This makes is possible to diffuse the light in the room. You can bounce the light off of different walls or even the ceiling. You will want to make sure it is the right model for your camera.
So how do you meter manually with an external flash? You would set your ISO and aperture like you normally would and then set your shutter speed last. Your flash will light up your foreground but your shutter speed is going to decide what the other ambient light in the room looks like. If you want to have a more natural lit up back part of the room, then you will want a slow enough shutter speed to lighten it up. If you have a faster shutter speed then your foreground subject will be lit up and the room darker. The camera’s have a maximum sync mode of around 250 so you won’t be able to set your shutter speed any higher than that. I like to try around 1/25 at first and then check my picture and compensate. Remember that your flash will be helping your shutter speed freeze motion and so you won’t have the blur you might have otherwise had at the slow of a shutter speed.
If you have an external flash you will want to set it to take into consideration the ambient light in the room and so if you have a Nikon it would be TTL BL or Canon ETTL. You can also set the light compensation on the flash. Start at 0 and then see if you need to go higher or lower. Mine goes up and down in 1/3 increments. So I just experiment until I like it.
These photos were taken at night with the flash bounced off the back wall behind me. ISO 640, f/4, 1/60
I haven’t had my flash very long and so I still have a lot of experimenting to do with it, but so far I have loved the results! I know you can buy diffusers that attach to your flash also to give you that soft look.
Reflectors: Reflectors reflect light onto the face to give you that little extra boost you might need. You can buy reflectors. Different colors will give you different looks; you can use fences, doors, walls or other things to reflect light. For example, we could have used that white door on the White’s shed when the light was shining on it. You can also use just plain, old foam or poster board. Just remember that distance and angle is what matters most when using reflectors. If it’s too close it will wash out the face. If it’s too far away it won’t help you. You would also want to make sure that the angle is such that the light reflects evenly on the face.
The flash was bounced off the ceiling at night with Abby’s photo – ISO 640, f/4, 1/60 and a silver reflector was used with Megan’s in the morning with the room lit fairly well, but she was not facing the window- ISO 640, f/4, 1/25 (can you tell I sometimes forget to change my ISO?)
Assignment:
Experiment with whatever flash you have. If it is on camera, try some fill or rain shots. If you have an external flash, experiment with bouncing it off the different walls and the ceiling. Try using a reflector even if it is only some poster board.
Some Extra tips-
1- When shooting people with glasses, have them angle their heads to one side or the other and you won’t get glasses flare. Or you can take two pictures of them one with glasses and one without and fix it in photo shop. Scott Kelby’s book tells you how.
2- Try setting up your sprinklers on some flowers or some subject and get some rain shots. Try stopping the rain with flash and then try a longer shutter speed without the flash and maybe a tripod to get long raindrops. Post your best shots on the blog.
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