p.1 #1 · do u prefer flash photography or available light?
hey guys. just wanted to know your opinions. i just picked up a 580ex on friday and i can't believe i waited so long to get a flash. i've been shooting a 5d for almost a year now and am amazed at what i've been missing out on. maybe its just my style of shooting as i shoot mostly people mainly using my 50 1.8 for low light situations, but now i can really open up new possibilities indoors w/my 17-40.
p.1 #2 · do u prefer flash photography or available light?
Can't stand using flashes myself.
"Avoid making a commotion, just as you wouldn’t stir up the water before fishing. Don’t use a flash out of respect for the natural lighting, even when there isn’t any. If these rules aren’t followed, the photographer becomes unbearably obstrusive." - Henri Cartier-Bresson
p.1 #3 · do u prefer flash photography or available light?
It's not about how much light or where your light comes from, it's about the quality of light. Whether that's available light or flash light or both doesn't really matter imo.
I do a lot of events and club work and if I find I can't bounce or get nice soft, even flash light, I use available light instead. But seeking good available light is tough especially in indoor venues so where I can, I use flash...out of convenience
The Cartier-Bresson quote neglects to consider that there is a tradeoff between being unobtrusive, and getting the shots required. How about telling a wedding couple that shots were not obtained during the ceremony because the click of the shutter button was too intrusive?
p.1 #5 · do u prefer flash photography or available light?
I am with Dawei. I think at lof otimes we use what we can but flash when used correctly can make some really nice results. That's why while I do like having better hi ISO it's not the be all and end all for me .
Particularly the cgardner posts, after seeing some of the "diffuser" ideas, I played around with my 380EX(el cheapo) but definately "sheds light" on the situation, and similar to yourself in my findings, I found a couple of effective ways to use it successfully. I can't wait to actually put it to real use. Good Luck...Reno
p.1 #12 · do u prefer flash photography or available light?
I prefer natural light, however when you can have complete control over the lighting (like in a studio environment) the results (with the right techniques) can be stunning.
p.1 #13 · do u prefer flash photography or available light?
stanj wrote:
Flash is for the desperate. That's the main reason why I have all the fast primes...
I do use fill when the enemy is high in the sky, though. In a way that does count as desperation, of course.
I don't agree, that's taking the view that flash is used when there is an absence of light quantity - however flash is often used when there is an absence of light quality, to clean up and supplement the existing light. Even having a slew of f/1.2 and f/1.4 primes will still deliver a crap image when the light quality is not there
p.1 #15 · do u prefer flash photography or available light?
rogie wrote:
hey guys. just wanted to know your opinions. i just picked up a 580ex on friday and i can't believe i waited so long to get a flash. i've been shooting a 5d for almost a year now and am amazed at what i've been missing out on. maybe its just my style of shooting as i shoot mostly people mainly using my 50 1.8 for low light situations, but now i can really open up new possibilities indoors w/my 17-40.
some fill can certainly help a lot at times
and they can be of great, great help for macro
and they can be ok as main lighting and for certain things really bring the pop out
but they often leave a boring tunnel look or just kill all the mood and special lighting or shock people into weird looks etc. and for most shots i avoid flash like a serval avoids water
so in the most general case i hates them nooooo not my precioussssss
nasssty bitses flashes are
Obviously I have posted skewed examples to justify my point of view and the results are not generalizable to all situations - but hopefully the point is that flash has its place in certain situations. It's not just about light substitution but light quality.
p.1 #18 · do u prefer flash photography or available light?
I highly prefer using natural light, and even the artificial light in the room. It looks so much more natural than a flash. I only use flash out of neccessity, and ocassionally, out of creativity.
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. Sometimes the depth of field at f/1.4 just won't cut it. And in desperation,