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Fill flash
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Apr 25, 2012 13:42:10   #
overthemoon Loc: Wisconsin
 
I just read an article about using flash when taking a photo into the sun to expose the forground. I like the golden effect the sun has during a sunset and wanted to take photos into the sun without sun flair. The article also suggest using an umbrella as shade. My questions is this, anyone have more ideas on how to do this type of photography. I have a canon 60d and I would be using a 10 20 lens. I also have polarizer filter and a ND filter along with a warming filter.

Overthemoon

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Apr 25, 2012 13:50:58   #
Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA
 
Usually, fill flash is provided by a controllable speedlight, not your built-in flash. In strong sunlight 1/2 power will lighten your shadows. You can also use for sun back-lighted photography, and the output of your speedlight will vary, depending on the effect you want.

The trick is to synchronize your sun-lighted background with your speedlight illuminated foreground. In strong sunlight, a starting point may be ISO 200, 1/200-sec at f/16. If foreground too bright, you can drop speedlight output from full to 1/2. If too dark, increase ISO to 400. Sun back-lighting will be similar, but need larger aperture (i.e. f/11 or f/8) and again balance speedlight output.

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Apr 25, 2012 13:56:58   #
overthemoon Loc: Wisconsin
 
Nikonian72 wrote:
Usually, fill flash is provided by a controllable speedlight, not your built-in flash. In strong sunlight 1/2 power will lighten your shadows. You can also use for sun backlighted photography, and the output of your speedlight will vary, depending on the effect you want.


Sorry explain. Controllable speed light is that an external flash. I never have used flash so this is new to me

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Apr 25, 2012 13:59:18   #
overthemoon Loc: Wisconsin
 
Nikonian72 wrote:
Usually, fill flash is provided by a controllable speedlight, not your built-in flash. In strong sunlight 1/2 power will lighten your shadows. You can also use for sun back-lighted photography, and the output of your speedlight will vary, depending on the effect you want.

The trick is to synchronize your sun-lighted background with your speedlight illuminated foreground. In strong sunlight, a starting point may be ISO 200, 1/200-sec at f/16. If foreground too bright, you can drop speedlight output from full to 1/2. If too dark, increase ISO to 400. Sun back-lighting will be similar, but need larger aperture (i.e. f/11 or f/8) and again balance speedlight output.
Usually, fill flash is provided by a controllable ... (show quote)

The second half of this is helpful. I will have to learn how to use external flash

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Apr 25, 2012 13:59:38   #
rpavich Loc: West Virginia
 
Yes...there are many tutorials on how to do this...lightenupandshoot has a video on it on Youtube also.

you CAN do it with your on-camera flash but it's better and easier using a separate flash unit.

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Apr 25, 2012 14:00:54   #
overthemoon Loc: Wisconsin
 
rpavich wrote:
Yes...there are many tutorials on how to do this...lightenupandshoot has a video on it on Youtube also.


Thanks for the link I am a visual learner so this will be helpful

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Apr 25, 2012 14:28:27   #
Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA
 
overthemoon wrote:
Controllable speed light is that an external flash?
A speedlight is a separate flash unit that attaches by "hotshoe" to the top of your camera. It can also be triggered "off-camera", but that is a different topic.

A speedlight is much more powerful than your built-in camera flash, and will not drain camera battery, as will your built-in flash. A speedlight can better match sunlight for exposure. While a built-in flash can work for fill light, it may be too weak for proper fill in strong sunlight, and is much more difficult to adjust manually, when needed.

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Apr 25, 2012 14:39:07   #
overthemoon Loc: Wisconsin
 
Nikonian72 wrote:
overthemoon wrote:
Controllable speed light is that an external flash?
A speedlight is a separate flash unit that attaches by "hotshoe" to the top of your camera. It can also be triggered "off-camera", but that is a different topic.

A speedlight is much more powerful than your built-in camera flash, and will not drain camera battery, as will your built-in flash. A speedlight can better match sunlight for exposure. While a built-in flash can work for fill light, it may be too weak for proper fill in strong sunlight, and is much more difficult to adjust manually, when needed.
quote=overthemoon Controllable speed light is tha... (show quote)

Ok I understand and I am looking into speed light. I will practice then ask questions again. Thanks for the info it was very helpful

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Apr 26, 2012 06:10:27   #
OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey
 
Reflectors are also a good choice but a bit less convenient.

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Apr 26, 2012 07:50:25   #
barryb Loc: Kansas
 
Strobist is another website that is very helpful on flash. I recently had a mentoring session on this very thing, and have been able to shoot several pics successfully, and there were a couple of points that made all the difference for me. Set on manual (scary) first time, but what do you have to lose. Spot meter for the back ground. As nikonian said, you will probably have to move your ISO lower, and adjust both shutter and F-stop to get the background correct, focus on your subject, then hit the AL button on the back of your camera, which will fire your flash and allow it to calibrate proper light for the near subject. recompose, and shoot. Might sound like a lot of steps, but really only takes 15 sec. at most, and you can take your pics to another level. Use your histogram to verify your exposure is ok, instead of just looking at the pic on your screen. Get a subject, go out and practice, and have a ball. I just recalled that you said you didn't have a speed light yet, so practice after you have gotten your speed light.

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Apr 26, 2012 07:52:33   #
rpavich Loc: West Virginia
 
barryb wrote:
Strobist is another website that is very helpful on flash. I recently had a mentoring session on this very thing, and have been able to shoot several pics successfully, and there were a couple of points that made all the difference for me. Set on manual (scary) first time, but what do you have to lose. Spot meter for the back ground. As nikonian said, you will probably have to move your ISO lower, and adjust both shutter and F-stop to get the background correct, focus on your subject, then hit the AL button on the back of your camera, which will fire your flash and allow it to calibrate proper light for the near subject. recompose, and shoot. Might sound like a lot of steps, but really only takes 15 sec. at most, and you can take your pics to another level. Use your histogram to verify your exposure is ok, instead of just looking at the pic on your screen. Get a subject, go out and practice, and have a ball. I just recalled that you said you didn't have a speed light yet, so practice after you have gotten your speed light.
Strobist is another website that is very helpful o... (show quote)



I second this one. The Strobist is a great resource. Go through the "Lighting 101" part of the site for lessons.

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Apr 26, 2012 08:25:42   #
overthemoon Loc: Wisconsin
 
barryb wrote:
Strobist is another website that is very helpful on flash. I recently had a mentoring session on this very thing, and have been able to shoot several pics successfully, and there were a couple of points that made all the difference for me. Set on manual (scary) first time, but what do you have to lose. Spot meter for the back ground. As nikonian said, you will probably have to move your ISO lower, and adjust both shutter and F-stop to get the background correct, focus on your subject, then hit the AL button on the back of your camera, which will fire your flash and allow it to calibrate proper light for the near subject. recompose, and shoot. Might sound like a lot of steps, but really only takes 15 sec. at most, and you can take your pics to another level. Use your histogram to verify your exposure is ok, instead of just looking at the pic on your screen. Get a subject, go out and practice, and have
a ball. I just recalled that you said you didn't have a speed light yet, so
practice after you have gotten your speed light.
Strobist is another website that is very helpful o... (show quote)


Thanks I'm ordering it today so next week I will be able to practise. I already shoot in manual so that's set your other o fo helpful. To me it's srange to use a flash with the sun but I can't wait to try

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Apr 26, 2012 08:52:33   #
barryb Loc: Kansas
 
Since you already shoot in manual, you are most of the way there! The key is to balance the light, so the flash is just filling in where it has to. Keep backing it off, till you get the detail you want in the subject, without blowing anything out.

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Apr 26, 2012 09:25:20   #
overthemoon Loc: Wisconsin
 
barryb wrote:
Since you already shoot in manual, you are most of the way there! The key is to balance the light, so the flash is just filling in where it has to. Keep backing it off, till you get the detail you want in the subject, without blowing anything out.


I can't wait to try

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Apr 26, 2012 11:45:40   #
jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ
 
Expose for the background in manual and then set the Speedlite for its default setting in ETTL. You should get a nice result. You can underexpose the background more for a different effect. Use a defuser on the front of the Speedlite to soften the light and use an amber gel strip to give the subject a warm glow.

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