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Archive 2015 · On camera flash snap shot sucks...advice??

  
 
gqllc007
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · On camera flash snap shot sucks...advice??


Ok I always take photos outside and not inside so here goes as this is just a snap shot but it sucks. I used a 5Dmk3 in one shot at ISO 400 1/60 f/4 24-70 2.8MkII at 70mm. Flash was a Canon 600ex with spinlight 360 clear dome and larger white reflector card for bounce. Flash was set on ETTL. There was no real ambient light to speak off. I focused on her left eye or in the photo the one on the right as we look at it. I had to add one stop of exposure in lightroom. My thoughts was the whole image is underexposed by a stop or more. Would shooting the flash with +1 1/3 exp compensation on the back of the flash help? Ir the flash in manual? I would have expected the image to be "much clearer"?? Sharper?? I think it is the underexposure being an issue but that is why I am asking for help. It was just a two second snap shot but I expected it to be better. Outdoors the photos from this set up are gorgeous so I am assuming it is all about the light. The flash was on camera and bounced to the right with a spinlight 360 let me see if I can find the link to show you how it was done. Fourth picture from the left but my camera was in vertical position so the flash really was looking like pic number 1 on the left. Flash was bounced straight up. I am hoping that makes sense












Oct 07, 2015 at 08:15 AM
jeremy_clay
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · On camera flash snap shot sucks...advice??


Your subject is closer to the background then the image you posted, so your shadows will be more pronounced - but regardless, bouncing is always a better option then forward-facing with the flash - those diffusion tupperware pieces in all honesty are pretty useless overall.


Oct 07, 2015 at 08:27 AM
Zenon Char
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · On camera flash snap shot sucks...advice??


So it really wasn't bouncing much to the right very much because you still got the shadow on the right. This to me is the most annoying part of the image. Here is something to think about for future shots. Never put your subjects back or so close to a wall. Put your back to the wall. That wall is pretty distracting as it is pretty busy.

There was probably some spill to the right which actually may have helped the right side. The image does have depth because of the difference in light on the left an right side and that is pretty good. That is what people strive for on camera flash. Was that planned and repeatable? I ask because of that device on the flash which some may talk about more.

If it needed more flash then just add FEC or put it on manual. Really up to you. ETTL is a good tool but just ball part and if you bounce you usually need to adjust FEC. For indoor shooting many like to put the cam on manual whether you have the flash on manual or ETTL. AV did not cause you problems but it can shooting indoors if you don't do something about slow shutter speeds. If the flash was the dominant light source then a slower shutter speed in this situation would have not been a problem, but it can be.

Sharper? I can read her name plate. Over all not bad. A little refection on the chin. The histogram would have been a very helpful tool in this this shot to help you with the flash exposure with all that white in the frame.

Edited on Oct 07, 2015 at 11:44 AM · View previous versions



Oct 07, 2015 at 08:59 AM
Zenon Char
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · On camera flash snap shot sucks...advice??


I depend on my histogram if I'm not using my light meter. Not perfect but a good ball park. Scroll down and look at the gent with the white towel.

http://super.nova.org/DPR/Histogram/

Also. If you really want to get into on camera flash scrap the gizmo and read everything on this site.

http://neilvn.com/tangents/using-the-histogram-to-determine-exposure/

My flash guru. Start here. Only site you may ever need.

~original[/IMG]



Oct 07, 2015 at 09:06 AM
ScooberJake
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · On camera flash snap shot sucks...advice??


Hard to tell sharpness from the image posted on the web, but if sharpness is an issue my first thought is your shutter speed is too slow. 1/60 at 70mm can cause problems. With the 5d Mk III there is no reason to shoot at ISO 400 indoors, you should have been at least at 800 if not 1600 to avoid those issues. Underexposure by 1 stop will not cause sharpness issues.

I don't think you really understand what is going on with your light. You say you are bouncing it to the right (then you say up), but the shadow clearly shows the main light source is coming from just slightly left. You are not bouncing. The white reflector is the brightest thing and main light source, so you essentially have direct flash. That is why the image looks so flat and harsh. The most any bounce could do with that reflector attached is a little bit of fill in the shadows. Furthermore, that device on your flash makes it difficult to get a good flash bounce even without the reflector, since the dome will diffuse the light all around (for bounce you want to direct your light to a specific spot on a wall or ceiling).

And frankly, all of those images showing use of the flash modifier look bad except for the fifth from the left. And in that one the catchlights show there are clearly two light sources (one on each side) which would not be possible with that device. There is something fishy going on there.

As for generally getting a better shot indoors here are some things to try:

1. Put as much space as possible between subject and background.
2. Shoot at f/2.8 instead of f/4.
3. Bump ISO as required.
4. Put subject near a window to get nice lighting. Maybe flash for fill if needed.
5. If no good windows available, or this creates other problems (like background) bounce your flash (bare) off a wall to one side or the other, or maybe the ceiling (if close enough).



Oct 07, 2015 at 10:09 AM
gqllc007
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · On camera flash snap shot sucks...advice??


Sorry about the miscommunication. My flash was turned to the right like in pic 4 BUT in the portrait position the flash presents itself like in pic 1 so the flash wasn't set to the right of the person it was vertical. The other issue is the A frame we live in the left side of the A part was to her left bouncing the light from left to right contributing to the shadow. We live in a contemporary A frame. After I typed this I realized it. We have 23 foot ceilings so I figured I had to use something to help direct any of the bounced light towards her


Oct 07, 2015 at 10:22 AM
mogud
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · On camera flash snap shot sucks...advice??


I've tested many third party diffusers and I find that all of them don't do the job I expected. The Gary Fong diffuser is probably the best. The bounce card on the Canon 600ex flash works very nice with a +1/3 to +2/3 FEC which should reduce the shadow effect to the right of the subject. The only way to eliminate the dark ugly shadow is to raise the flash higher than the model or use a two flash setup with the main flash to the right of the model and the second flash at the camera as a fill at about a 3:1 ratio. I would also up the shutter speed and the f-stop to f5.6 and disable the Lighting Optimizer in the camera.

I agree that the #1 photo is the best but the softness you are seeing is the effect of the diffuser. The diffuser tends to eliminate contrast which the human eye sees as sharpness. The Canon white bounce card in the 600ex, to my eyes, gives a better balance between too much diffusion and leaving some contrast in the image. The two flash setup would have a diffuser on the main light and no diffuser on the fill light near the camera.



Oct 07, 2015 at 12:00 PM
Dark Slider
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · On camera flash snap shot sucks...advice??


Your Canon flash system works hard to avoid overexposure, especially for people wearing white. The pre-flash result was analyzed and the exposure adjusted to ensure that detail would be present in these areas. Few things are worse for a pro photographer to have to do than present a wedding album with none of the truly subtle and terribly expensive detailing in the bride's dress visible. You may have to adjust the curves in post to bring up the exposure to your liking (a somewhat overexposed lab coat is probably acceptable.)




Oct 07, 2015 at 12:28 PM
hotdog12
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · On camera flash snap shot sucks...advice??


Move away from the wall so the shadow doesn't hit it. My primary camera strobe technique is the old photojournalist's trick: put a heavy rubber band on the flash head, put a white card on the back of the flash head, and use bounce flash.

This way you get nice bounce flash + fill flash from the light reflecting from the card. I've been doing this for 35 years and was using this same technique last night.



Oct 07, 2015 at 01:29 PM





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