If you take an incident reading of a subject on the \"direct lit\" side and again on the \"overhead sky lit\" (i.e. shadow), you\'ll see that it is typically around 2.5 stops delta during EV15 (Sunny 16) conditions. As you move toward golden hour lighting (am or pm), EV15 reduces to EV14 / EV13, etc. and the delta reduces somewhat from 2.5 stops (toward more evenly balanced) from front to back as the strength of the \"direct light\" diminishes more than the indirect overhead sky. In those conditions, you might want to change how much fill you need to add.
Also, the use of the fill flash can help change the \"quality\" of the light from a scenario where the direct lit areas are receiving the more contrasty specular light, and the overhead lit areas are receiving diffuse light only. Part of the problem with the \"on camera\" flash look is that the small specular flash is ususally too much contrast.
By dialing it back (or diffusing it), it also keeps it from \"telling on itself\" by not overpowering the the diffuse overhead sky lighting, but rather blending with it. It is usually that contrast \'mismatch\' that makes on camera flash \"tell on itself\" in addition to the exposure variance.
Bruce Sawle wrote:
I prefer off camera flash or reflectors but when I need it in a pinch i have no problems using it on camera. If done right you can\'t tell. This photo was shot with the 24 f1.4 wide open with the flash on camera dialed down and feathered a bit.
1.4 @ Sunny 16 ... with flash ... @ what shutter. Assuming 100 ISO, the 7 stops from 16 to 1.4 would mean a shutter @ 7 stops faster than 100 to 12,800. Did I miss something ?? Even if it was 1 or 2 EV below Sunny 16, that would still be a shutter @ 6400 or 3200.
Mar 08, 2012 at 08:44 AM
Previous versions of RustyBug's message #10418988 « Fill Flash for Outdoors. Why? It looks bad. »
@ what shutter. Assuming 100 ISO, the 7 stops from 16 to 1.4 would mean a shutter @ 7 stops faster than 100 to 12,800. Did I miss something ?? Even if it was 1 or 2 EV below Sunny 16, that would still be a shutter @ 6400 or 3200.