Help with flash photography: I am totally new to the world of off camera flash. I apologize if this question has been answered before, however I could not find it when searching for...

Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum

Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register ☰

Help with flash photography

Page 1 of 3 next> last>>

Mar 5, 2014 12:49:26 #

Alki7000 Loc: Lacey, Wa

I am totally new to the world of off camera flash. I apologize if this question has been answered before, however I could not find it when searching for it.
I will be taking photos at a memorial service this weekend. The pictures are really for me so perfection is not an issue, however I imagine some pieople may want to have me share the photos.
I have a Nikon D7000. I am renting a SB700 for the weekend. I recently started shooting in manual on the camera and have a pretty good idea of the exposure triangle. The room will be a large hall, higher type ceiling, some natural light but not consistent. I want to keep my ISO below 800, shutter speed above 1/100 and aperture around f4 to f5.6 or so. I think I will be using TTL mode on both the camera and the flash. When I meter the exposure reading I imagine that it will show that I am way underexposed. Do I take the picture anyway and see how it comes out, or do you try to adjust exposure before you take the picture?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Mar 5, 2014 13:26:56 #

I have a D7000 and SB-700 flash (SB-400 also). You don't have to adjust the exposure before you take the picture. The camera will first direct the flash to fire some pre-flashes. Based on the level of light that is reflected back, the camera will adjust the output level of the flash. It will then direct the flash to fire at that newly determined level while taking the picture. It does that even when the flash is being used off-camera through pulse modulation. If you use the flash off-camera you'll need to put your pop-up flash in commander mode in the menus or use the Nikon SU-800 commander unit. If the ceiling isn't too high you can also bounce flash off the ceiling to get a light that isn't harsh. I just got a great book on the subject. The book is: Nikon Creative Lighting System Digital Field Guide 3rd edition, Benjamin Edwards. Another great book is Bryan Peterson's Understanding Flash Photography.

Mar 5, 2014 13:41:45 #

Alki7000 Loc: Lacey, Wa

CO wrote:

I have a D7000 and SB-700 flash (SB-400 also). You... (show quote)

Thank-you. It sounds like the camera and the flash do most of the work for you.

I will look into those books as well.

Mar 5, 2014 14:01:24 #

sbesaw Loc: Boston

Alki7000 wrote:

I am totally new to the world of off camera flash.... (show quote)

Would also suggest that due to high ceilings you look at a Rogue Flashbender or similar which will allow you to bounce the flash.

With Flash bender and TTL I have achieved very acceptable results with little else

Mar 5, 2014 14:09:58 #

Alki7000 Loc: Lacey, Wa

sbesaw wrote:

Thank -you, I will look into these.

Mar 5, 2014 14:13:51 #

sbesaw Loc: Boston

Re-read your post. If using TTL system will do all the work. No need to go 800 ISO although that will put less demand on the flash. Shoot SS 200 to kill ambient light and 4.5 or 5.6 will be great. 5.6-6.5 for broader focus range, DOF. Camera and flash will provide for correct exposure. Only variable will be to soften the light and create a larger light source. Solution is Rogue FlashBender or Gary Fong type diffuser or portable soft box , see lumiquest or light scoop.
My 1st choice for high ceiling would be Rogue or similar or soft box

Mar 5, 2014 14:30:13 #

Alki7000 Loc: Lacey, Wa

sbesaw wrote:

Re-read your post. If using TTL system will do all... (show quote)

Thanks. I knew I would get the help I was looking for on UHH.

Mar 5, 2014 14:57:42 #

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

The D7000 can handle higher ISO than 800.
I shoot several events every year and have used the D7000. Fine camera. For what you are shooting, leave the flash on the camera.
"Off-Camera" means somewhere other than attached to the flash shoe and that's something you're not ready for now.

Below is a shot I did using the Nikon D7000 and an SB 800.
The camera was set on manual at ISO 1250, f/4, 1/20th sec. The flash was ttl...Nikon's system works great.

If I had cranked the shutter all the way to 1/250th, there would be no "ambience" to the photo...it would look like I had shot the photo in a cave, ie: a black background. You will have to strike a balance between what you comfortable hand holding (the flash will freeze the subject), any subject movement and how much you want to show in the background.

A flash modifier like a Lite-Scoop or a Lumiquest will help soften the light by making it bigger.
Those snap-on caps that come with some flashes will not soften the image on their own because they are still relatively small.

Mar 5, 2014 15:16:59 #

Alki7000 Loc: Lacey, Wa

GoofyNewfie wrote:

The D7000 can handle higher ISO than 800. br I sho... (show quote)

Thank-you. It is starting to make sense. Would you leave the camera at Auto WB?

Mar 5, 2014 15:21:16 #

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Alki7000 wrote:

Thank-you. It is starting to make sense. Would you leave the camera at Auto WB?

The camera knows you are shooting with a flash and defaults to that setting.
There are times when you wouldn't do AWB, but that's in a future lesson.

Mar 5, 2014 15:32:54 #

Alki7000 Loc: Lacey, Wa

GoofyNewfie wrote:

The camera knows you are shooting with a flash and defaults to that setting.
There are times when you wouldn't do AWB, but that's in a future lesson.

Thanks again. This will be a real learning experience.

Mar 5, 2014 15:37:15 #

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

The technique of using the shutter at slower than sync-speed to help with ambient light effect is called Drag-Shutter.
More tips here by Neil V.
Here is a tutorial of his on using bounce flash at a wedding reception, similar situation to a lot of events.

Mar 5, 2014 15:57:15 #

amehta Loc: Boston

Alki7000 wrote:

Thank-you. It sounds like the camera and the flash do most of the work for you.

I will look into those books as well.

In a situation like this, you do want to let the camera and flash take care of things for you. The Nikon flash exposure system is excellent, so let it do its thing. If you have the camera on manual exposure mode (and manual ISO), but have the flash on TTL, then you control the ISO (noise), aperture (DoF), and shutter speed (movement blur), while the camera still gets the exposure right. When you look at the meter, it should be (-), so you would need more light, and the flash will supply that. How far (-) the meter is gives you an indication of how the flash and ambient light will balance. If the meter is at -1, then the two will be equal.

Mar 5, 2014 16:10:33 #

Alki7000 Loc: Lacey, Wa

amehta wrote:

In a situation like this, you do want to let the c... (show quote)

Just so I understand (or maybe don't) if the meter was at -2 and I took the picture, the subject would be properly exposed, however the background would be more underexposed?

Mar 5, 2014 16:21:48 #

amehta Loc: Boston

Alki7000 wrote:

Just so I understand (or maybe don't) if the meter was at -2 and I took the picture, the subject would be properly exposed, however the background would be more underexposed?

Correct. With the meter at -2, the ambient light is supplying 1/4 of the light needed to expose the subject, and the flash is supplying the other 3/4. And the background, if it's far enough away, would be underexposed by the two stops.

Page 1 of 3 next> last>>

If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.

Main Photography Discussion

Home | Latest Digest | Back to Top | All Sections

UglyHedgehog.com - Forum