cgardner
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 p.1 #2 · SB900 - Need Flash Help! | |
Indoors you are better off setting the camera to manual. Set aperture for the amount of DOF needed, then adjust shutter speed based on: 1) the slowest speed you can hold without blur, and 2) the amount of background ambience you want. 1/125th and f/5.6 at ISO 200 is a good starting baseline.
Set your flash on automatic and control foreground exposure via flash exposure compensation using the clipping warning of the camera and highlights in the scene such as white shirts as your guide. Shoot RAW but set camera WB to flash. Do not use auto white balance.
The problem with the background ambient light isn't so much intensity, but the fact its a different color temperature. If you slow the shutter too much in an attempt to make the room look normal your flash will fire less and the skin tones of the people in the foreground will become an odd mix of yellow from the tungsten overhead and normal from the flash (assuming camera WB is set to flash). The better strategy in terms of flattering photos of the people is to select a shutter speed which eliminates the ambient. The background winds up dark, but that helps the faces in the foreground contrast more.
If bouncing the light watch out for how the color of the ceiling changes the color temp and how the downward angle of the light creating dark eye sockets. In about 15 min you can make a very effective diffuser. See this LINK. The exact size and materials are not critical, but you can find the ones in the tutorial at most Walmarts or craft stores. A couple of sheets of photo paper, a stapler and a rubber-band will work. The advantage of putting the diffuser on the flash vs bounce off the ceiling is consistency and predictability and less loss of power lighting up parts of the room not in the photo.
The most critical thing with respect getting correct flash exposure is to compose every photo so what you want correctly exposed is CLOSEST to the flash and everything you want correctly exposed is the same distance from the flash. The bigger and more centered things are in the viewfinder the better the automatic metering will be able to expose them correctly. Unimportant stuff in the foreground will fool the metering resulting in the faces further back becoming under-exposed.
When you have more time click the WWW button and read my tutorials. I use Canon but the concepts for flash use are the same.
Chuck
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