To buy a flash or not? (Page 6): I am trying to take pics with the flash and they blow out outside and i know that it is suppose to take away the shadows and another problem the people...

kurme Loc: Sudbury, Ont

I am trying to take pics with the flash and they blow out outside and i know that it is suppose to take away the shadows and another problem the people have a weird colour to them which i know is wb issue what am i doing wrong? Just bought this so it is oddvious i don't know what i am doing anyone have advice?

SteveR Loc: Michigan

MT Shooter wrote:

Math? There is math in photography???
Oh crap! Now I will never be any good at it!!!

Hah....Remember the good old days of guide numbers???

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

kurme wrote:

I am trying to take pics with the flash and they blow out outside and i know that it is suppose to take away the shadows and another problem the people have a weird colour to them which i know is wb issue what am i doing wrong? Just bought this so it is oddvious i don't know what i am doing anyone have advice?

Advice? Yes, use periods please.
:lol:
Now on to your photography question.
Without seeing your photos I'll take a guess that you haven't dialed the power down on your flash to use it as a fill light. I usually go down maybe 1.5 to 2 stops and I use a big diffuser to help soften the hard-edges shadows a bare strobe gives. I sometimes use a big softbox made for studio strobes but yours doesn't have to be that big. As for your white balance... could be that your camera is sensing that you have a flash on and is giving you a WB based on the output of the flash. Use a custom or preset white balance based on the ambient light. You may need to filter your flash to match. Your SB700 may have come with some, though I'm not sure which color you will need.

nitejdp53 Loc: ATX

Are you shooting in TTL or TTL-BL mode.

Jon Boy Loc: Missouri

Someone in the posts used the term diffuser. If you are using your flash on the camera, the diffuser will greatly inhance your picture by reducing shadow and also give you fill under the eyes if you are doing outdoor portraits.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Jon Boy wrote:

Someone in the posts used the term diffuser. If you are using your flash on the camera, the diffuser will greatly inhance your picture by reducing shadow and also give you fill under the eyes if you are doing outdoor portraits.

Someone recommended the Lite Genius: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Shop-by-Brand-Lite-Genius/ci/4/N/4294255798/phd/4185058480
Looks great, only problem with it, and others, is that it can create shadows on its own unless you can move it closer to the lens. I think I'll try one.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

SteveR wrote:

MT Shooter wrote:

Math? There is math in photography???
Oh crap! Now I will never be any good at it!!!

Hah....Remember the good old days of guide numbers???

Stop it! You're making my brain hurt!
It's almost as bad as saying f/7.1!

kurme Loc: Sudbury, Ont

I am using TTL. The flash came with a orangy color and green. I know the orange is for ambiant but what is the green for? the guy at the camera store didn't know.
If i am taking a custom white balance should i have the flash go off while making one or just the camera? Thanks for the help

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

kurme wrote:

I am using TTL. The flash came with a orangy color and green. I know the orange is for ambiant but what is the green for? the guy at the camera store didn't know.
If i am taking a custom white balance should i have the flash go off while making one or just the camera? Thanks for the help

Ambient is a name for whatever the existing light is: daylight, fluorescent, tungsten, a mix, etc.
The orangy one is for tungsten lighting.
The green is supposed to balance fluorescent. There are many types of fluorescent and the one provided may or may not work. I think the sb 900 knows what filter you have on and does the color correction based on that. With yours probably not. You want to balance for the predominant lighting and correct the strobe for that since you're just filling in. If you go to the Strobist site they may cover that in the "101" section. Midwest Photo Exchange sells Strobist filter packs that will balance just about anything.
Keep us posted!

Coker Loc: Havana, IL

Absolutely! You will use an external flash way more than a telephoto lens. Go for it!!!

kurme Loc: Sudbury, Ont

Nice PIC!!!thanks for sharing:)

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Rosco filter pack $2.50

Shipping might be more than the product!

This is an amazing value:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/45184-REG/Rosco_950SBCNG0103_Cinegel_Swatchbook.html

While you're there, order Sanyo Eneloop AA rechargable batteries & charger. They are fantastic. I maintain 10 loaner camera kits where I work and wouldn't use anything else.