falcon1961 Loc: Ruskin, Florida

This weekend I was with my family at Busch Gardens, Tampa, and I used my Bower SFD926N mounted on a Nikon D3000 to take some night photos at Christmas Town. I had the flash in TTL mode, and had the camera shooting in AUTO, Aperture Priority and Night mode. Because the majority of the event was outside, it was not possible to use bounce flash. This flash has a diffuser on it, but I forgot about it until after we returned home.

I did a search for flash on this site, but there was a lot of material and I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. I guess what I want to know is, besides using a difuser, how do I reduce the intensity of the flash when shooting portraits at night?

With Flash


Without Flash

Rader Loc: Northwest Missouri

I am not sure about your flash but on my canon 550EX is has flash exposure compensation you can use the auto flash and either reduce or increase the power. or you can use manual power flash

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

The diffuser does NOT reduce intensity of the flash. The TTL system will just increase the output to get what it thinks is the right exposure. That diffuser has absolutely no use for outdoor photography. Zero. All a diffuser does outside is require the flash to put out almost two stops (about 3.5 times) more light.

You can use FEC - Flash Exposure Compensation - to dial down the flash output.
The reason for the look you got was all the dark areas in the image. TTL just saw all the average light return and decided for you that you needed more light. You didn't, but the TTL was thinking for you. That large white sign is the killer. Looking at your image again, it looks like your subject is pretty well exposed. It is that large ugly white sign that adds absolutely nothing to the image that is the problem.

To address your issue here, you need to do one of two things: evaluate the scene before you even shoot it and realize how all that dark background and white ugly sign is going to affect the metering for the TTL system and reduce the flash output accordingly; OR, you can shoot and then evaluate what you see on the LCD. But be aware that the LCDis not a good way to judge exposure.

Ditch that diffuser outside - you are making your flash work MUCH harder for no gain.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

I should add that if the purpose the image is your kissing couple, why on earth include that sign? It does nothing positive for the image.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Actually, the couple looks pretty well exposed.
What you needed to have done was stand off to the side slightly so the light didn't bounce strait back at you, creating the glare or specular like highlight off of the sign.
SS.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

You can select the flash power output to match the overall lighting or a specific need. Use that and you are making a good improvement. (As CC instructs)

The other thing is the sign that is washed out. It always will be washed out unless you expose for it and adjust everything around it.

Better select another angle to avoid a full-in-your-face reflection...

Just saying...

Gary Truchelut Loc: Coldspring, TX

You should be able to help the exposure with a little post processing in almost any program you might have. It's all you can do at this point.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Although it does show where and when.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Yes it does - and it ruins the image. I guess one has to decide if what one wants is a nice photo of the subjects or not. This is a not.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Sometimes it's not art - just a memento.

strikerazde Loc: Phoenix, AZ

I'll camp onto what CaptainC said. When shooting in TTL, defuser will have no effect as the camera will just raise exposure compensation. You could learn to shoot your flash in manual and dial in the correct exposure, you could dial down -1 stop on your exposure compensation.

I also agree that the sign does nothing, but could have been used effectively to bounce your flash!!

Ront53 Loc: Maryland

You could have used the camera/flash sync mode, and gotten it all. Check your manual to see the results and how to use it.

falcon1961 Loc: Ruskin, Florida

Thank you CaptainC. Your information was most helpful, but I don't think I'll pass along to Busch Gardens your opinion of their signs. LOL! I just bought the flash recently, so I'm still learning the ins-and-outs of using it.

falcon1961 Loc: Ruskin, Florida

Thanks to everyone for the replies to my question. Everyone seems to be so knowledgeable on this site, and I'm so glad that I stumbled upon it one day.