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Beau Arnold Offline Upload & Sell: On p.1 #1 · 580ex overexposure question I shot this couple in P mode with Chuck's diffuser and got a call from the lab telling me it was badly overexposed. This was my first time out with Chucks diffuser so I did a few test shots looking at the image and the histogram. Because I was uncomfortable with M settings I put the 40D in P mode. I believe the exif is attached but I'll give you the settings anyway. 60 @ 3.5 400 iso 6000K. Looking at the image I can see the faces are hot but the lab guy was like you will not be happy with this even though I have corrected it. He asked me the camera used and when I told him a 40D and a 580ex he said the P mode always is hot due to ambient light leaking in. He said to try the 8's method. 80 @ 8 800iso 5700K. I went back and looked at the histogram in Zoombrowser and it was did not show the overexposure to be nearly as bad as my lab described. Are they just hitting me up for color correction. Dec 10, 2008 at 03:25 PM

jwp721 Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #2 · 580ex overexposure question Nope... not hitting you up for anything. The girl's face is very bright. John Dec 10, 2008 at 04:09 PM

cgardner Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #3 · 580ex overexposure question A histogram is pretty useless for judging exposure it there is nothing big and white in the shot. A better tool for judging exposure is the Over Exposure Warning and a white terry towel. Adjust exposure until clipping occurs in the towel, then reduce exposure by 1/3 stop (one click). The clipping warning is based on the JPG display image, but you can corollate the point where you see clipping on the camera OEW with when a loss of detail begins to occur in the RAW file. Indoors M is always better on the camera for consistent control. To show the lights in the tree you'd want to use a tripod, lower the ambient room lights and drag the shutter to about 1/30th sec. at f/5.6 or whatever aperture you select until the lights show OK in an ambient-only shot. The room will be dark. The turn on the flash in ETTL mode. Using the crumpled towel next to the face as a guide adjust exposure via FEC until the towel is 1/3 stop (one click) below clipping. I normally wind up with FEC around +1-1/3 with the diffusers. Here's an edit of your shot... It was overexposed with too much red saturation (skin tones clipping in red) so I first reduced saturation in reds with hue/saturation then adjusted exposure with a multiply adjustment layer. Chuck Edited on Dec 13, 2008 at 01:45 PM · View previous versions Dec 10, 2008 at 05:44 PM

Beau Arnold Offline Upload & Sell: On p.1 #4 · 580ex overexposure question This portrait stuff is hard compared to sports. Thanks Chuck I'll try it tonight at home. Dec 10, 2008 at 06:56 PM

Carmen Miranda Offline Upload & Sell: On p.1 #5 · 580ex overexposure question Beau Arnold wrote: This portrait stuff is hard compared to sports. Maybe, but this "portrait stuff" and lighting is a whole lot more predictable than sports. Once it clicks, you can do this in your sleep. Try that with sports. While your at it, get that camera off P (even if your flash is in TTL) and take some control back. The quickest way to learn is through your own mistakes, not the cameras. See Chucks excellent tuts for more details. Good luck Dec 10, 2008 at 07:32 PM

jcolman Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: On p.1 #6 · 580ex overexposure question Beau, Do you have Photoshop? This pic could easily be fixed in PS, in fact it really needs some PS work to help correct the exposure and take out some of the reds, before you send it to a lab. I took the liberty of doing a quick and dirty edit on your shot. I'm in no way an expert but I thought you might want to see. I also don't have access to my full blown edit computer at the moment. Dec 10, 2008 at 07:36 PM

Beau Arnold Offline Upload & Sell: On p.1 #7 · 580ex overexposure question Thanks all. Like I said just learning the portrait stuff. I appreciate your input to help me get better. That ps work makes it look alot better. Dec 11, 2008 at 03:49 AM

CanAm Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #8 · 580ex overexposure question I recommend using more bounce when shooting up close, and also I recommend higher angles for more "heavyset" customers. Light cast down on their face is more flattering that eye-level light that gives hard shadows. Dec 13, 2008 at 11:30 AM

adamdewilde Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #9 · 580ex overexposure question Take your 40D out of P mode.... It's very simple, you want ambient light in your shot, and you're in a normally lit, to dimly lit settings, you'll do something like 30th 800-1250iso with 2.8-5.6 depending on your DOF needs. Then keep your flash on ETTL mode, and you'll get good shots. If you want less/no ambient light, just take your ISO down to 400 and put your shutter up to 60th... The flash does the job for you in all situations, just think a little about what you want the shot to look like before you set the camera settings.. If the flash blows out your subjects a bit, or makes them a little to dark, try just setting the flash compensation up or down as needed, it takes a second then you can reshoot the shot. If you don't want the dear in headlights look, then bring up that little white card and angle your flash one setting upward away from the people. Else, get yourself a little ste-fen thing on ebay for like 5 bucks, it works wonders.. I use it for the odd time I have to shoot events work for clients. Best, aDam Dec 13, 2008 at 01:22 PM

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