rickeyt699

Any suggestion for eliminating shadows when using flash in low light situations.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Studios have large softbox diffusers to soften shadows for portraiture, and macro-photographers use 6x8-inch softbox diffusers on standard speedlights, 'off-camera', for the same softening of shadows, with subjects at
Working Distances of 6-inches to 24-inches. Some shadowing is desirable to preserve 'roundness' of subject; flat lighting is not complimentary.

What is your typical subject, and how far from camera? Are you in a low ceiling room? Consider bounce flash. Outdoors or large room (gymnasium)? Powerful speedlight with large diffusion (not a small plastic globe).

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

Bounce the flash off the ceiling or a wall. Use multiple flashes. Use a flash diffuser.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Make sure the background is well behind your subjects as well as bouncing the flash or using a diffuser.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Totally eliminating shadows produces a flat image. It isn't always a good thing. Shadows give dimension and sometimes separation. I shoot real estate and I reduce shadows by bouncing a strobe off a ceiling or at a joint of a wall and ceiling or off a wall. Sometimes I need to use several lights. You need to be careful of color casts. When I make head shots I strive to produce shadows where I want them on the subject.

Haydon

Use the flash off camera will allow you to control which shadows will be resident in the frame you're making.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

That question is more complicated than you probably thought.

For just a single flash, about the best you can do is either to bounce the light off a ceiling, thus emulating a "room light", or if that is not an option raising the flash above the camera as far as possible and maybe going to one side or another if that looks helpful. Using even a small diffuser on the flash is beneficial too, and can be as simple as an piece of white paper held to the flash with an elastic "hair band".

If you are thinking of multiple flash units, whether speedlights or studio strobes, where you can control virtually all aspects of the light, that is a much larger topic! Diffusers, soft boxes, main vs fill, background and "hair lights" etc etc. Lots to think about.

But regardless of what you specifically want to do now, learning more about all of what can be done will be the greatest single help. Use Google or go to YouTube and search for topics like "One Light Portraits" or "Two Light Portraits".

This is one of the best starting point:

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html

Start there, but be absolutely sure to also read their Lighting 102 article too.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

I usually use flash to create shadows!

SBW

All good advice you are receiving, bouncing, diffusing, etc. etc.

A caution and a couple of other simple things to do if the environment is right. Bouncing off of the ceiling works pretty good if your ceiling is low enough. Caution: make sure the ceiling is white or close to white. If not your photo will have a color cast.
In addition if you are bouncing off of the ceiling, tape or use a rubber band to secure a white index card to the back of the flash (in bounce position, flash tilted up). This will also help diffuse light if you are bouncing and will send just enough light towards your subject to eliminate any shadows under the eyes that certain bounce angles can cause. The index card also works pretty well to diffuse light if the ceiling is too high for bounce.
Also, in an emergency, Saran wrap or some other uneven surfaced clear or translucent material secured to the front of the flash will diffuse enough light to prevent any real harsh shadows. Just make sure that the material is of a type that will not be melted by a hot flash.
Always carry a flash extension cord (to get the flash off camera) in your bag and a small supply of white index cards. Those two small items greatly expand your lighting options with just a single flash.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Try useig a flash diffuser like Gary Fong's Lightsphere. http://www.garyfong.com/products/lightsphere-collapsible-speed-mount

Does a fantastic job bouncing flash off the ceiling and providing softer illumination.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Which shadows are you trying to eliminate? Post an example.

Howard Pyle, describing the use of light and shadow in painting, got it right - "Paint your picture by means of the lights. Lights define texture and color – shadows define form." Use the shadows creatively. Otherwise your images will be flat and lifeless. Another way to look at light is Rick Sammon's favorite quote - "light illuminates, shadows define." Hmm . . .

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

Everybody is talking about bouncing off the ceiling, but bouncing off a wall can be good also, and give a more directional light. Again, white or neutral walls work best, and it works best in smaller rooms or with subjects that are near enough to the wall to work. I often point my flash in between the wall and the ceiling.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

OK, I'm the odd-man out here.
Say your shooting a single person against a wall, any color.
If you bounce it, it will only soften the shadow but it will still be there but the light itself will be better.
To eliminate the shadow completely, you need to have the light right in front of, or just above you and shoot directly at the person and the wall.
This will not actually eliminate a shadow but it puts it directly behind the subject where you can't see it from the camera front.
But even just a slight angle will bring the shadow back!!!
SS

WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio

My flash has a built in diffuser, just slide it out and drop it down.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

There are several gadgets on the market that soften the light from the built in camera flash. They snap on and make the light source larger. It's also super easy to make one yourself. Here is one example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O0qOJM0K4g