I'm looking for help with an upcoming "pictures with Nana" shoot at my parents house. Since i'm the only photography in the family, i've been nominated. My parents are throwing my grandmother a birthday party. My grandmother will give all her children/grandchildren a framed 8x10 for Christmas.
Here's the problem. I have a Canon 50d with a Canon 70-200 2.8 lens and that is all. I was wondering what a good flash for indoors would be or do you think I can get away with just using the flash on my camera. I want these pictures to be great and I am willing to buy a flash. Thanks
What looks "normal" is based on what we see most of the time. Flash becomes more flattering when its angle mimics that of natural and indoor sources which come from overhead. Flash on camera comes from too close to the lens axis to be flattering and can't be tilted to be bounced off the ceiling, a basic strategy for getting it to come from overhead.
A Canon 430exII or 580exII flash would allow you to shoot direct and tilt the head and bounce. The 580 has .8 stops more power and can act as a Master in a two flash configuration. Adding a bracket and OC-E3 cord would get it up off the camera where more flattering results can be obtained with very little effort. You can make a very effective diffuser in about 15 min for a few dollars with stuff found at Walmart, or with a couple sheets of paper and a stapler.
Click the WWW below and take a look at my Canon flash tutorials, in particular the one on using 1-2 or 3 flashes which has some examples of the results you can obtain.
If you want a chance at great forget the on camera flash and the 580 would take a lot of practice to begin to get something that looks professional. Sure a diffused flash and reflector both away from the camera can look good but you would have extra cost and a learning curve.
I would open a front door and place the subject in a chair. Shoot at 200-400ISO and atr around F4-5.6 with a tripod. Perfect soft light for free. Done right it can look like a very expensive studio light set-up. I know since I do both at my studio. Sometime just too lazy to move the lights around for headshots so I walk over to my floor to ceiling window which is the same as a normal front door being open. If cold shoot fast. You will get more natural looking shots. 4-5 clicks and you should be done in a minute or two! PM if you want to see samples.
If you don't can't do what Jefferies suggests, another alternative is to bounce the flash into the wall and ceiling to one side with your Grandmother seated, or standing. Try bouncing it about 1/2 way between the camera and the subject to start. Position the subject so there is not a shadow on the wall behind her.
A reflector might help too.
Hopefully you will have time to test some scenarios before the big event.
