Off camera flash photo session: I am trying something new. I have my D800 and 28-300mm lens. My daughter, grandson, and son-in-law are in town from San Diego, so all three grown kids...

SteveR Loc: Michigan

I am trying something new. I have my D800 and 28-300mm lens. My daughter, grandson, and son-in-law are in town from San Diego, so all three grown kids and two grand-kids are here. I'm renting a 910 flash, which will work off the on camera flash, a stand and a tripod. This is my first venture into off camera flash portrait type photography. Any advice or suggestions?

Jusoljoe Loc: Texas

Difuse that light for sure....no direct flash. This even goes for outdoor use as well. Much better results.

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

Practice first. (If this is new to you)
Use KISS principle (Keep It Simple-Stupid)
Use a bed sheet or a reflector to soften that flash.
Do some quick homework online (youtube is good)
Have fun, try lots of different settings and take lots of photos.
(make sure you have an empty memory chip)
Best wishes for a great reunion!

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

How are you going to trigger the flash?

Make sure it is higher than the subjects by at least 24".

SteveR Loc: Michigan

CaptainC wrote:

How are you going to trigger the flash?

Make sure it is higher than the subjects by at least 24".

I got great help from one of the pros at Arlington Camera. I took my D800 along. He actually set up my on camera flash to work as the commander and not to flash. The flash is already set up as the remote and he did a demo for me. All my gear was pre-packaged for me in a carry-all. I wanted to talk to this particular pro since he's the Nikon specialist for the store, but I had to wait for over 30 minutes while he helped an elderly gentleman prepare for a special vacation. He had all kinds of questions and I don't even know if he bought anything, but the pro took all the time the man needed, despite the store being bustling with customers. When he got to me, he helped me with questions I had as well as my rental equipment. Great place to drop your photography money.

bvargas Loc: Palm Harbor, Florida

Try this. Aim the Flash at the back corner of the wall and use it as a bounce.
Also, try bouncing in at the side wall. This creates a big soft box. See, which you like best. You do not need to put it on a stand, just leave it on the camera.
White wall is preferred, if not color correct. Shoot on Program and vary your ISO. Keep it simple. Great results, try it, you'll like it.

marty wild Loc: England

I have used a off camera flash when doing portraits. I set the flash at the back of my subjects and bounce it of a large white disk which is at the back of me go some good results here one of my grandson

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

marty wild wrote:

I have used a off camera flash when doing portraits. I set the flash at the back of my subjects and bounce it of a large white disk which is at the back of me go some good results here one of my grandson

Great shot.
Very cute grandson.
Fantastic combination. :thumbup:

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

If you set the flash at the back of your subject, how is it that you have absolutely minimal back lighting falling on the face? I see a very slight rim light on the right cheek but virtually nothing on the hair or ear. I would have thought you would be getting much stronger fall off of light onto the back of your subject from being positioned at the back of the sitter. Very well done light set up though.

I see the large white disk as the catch light in the eye. Is it one of those folding spring out circle types of reflectors?

Squint Loc: Stockton, CA

marty wild wrote:

I have used a off camera flash when doing portraits. I set the flash at the back of my subjects and bounce it of a large white disk which is at the back of me go some good results here one of my grandson

I like it - diffusion bounce and nice catchlights!

anotherview Loc: California

Interesting technique using simple gear. Being off to one side a little, the reflector gives direction to the lighting. This technique puts a very flattering soft lighting on your subject.

I suppose you could get a similar result with an on-camera flash unit bouncing its flash lighting off a wall surface behind the camera. But then of course the light would pick up any color from the wall surface and introduce it into the exposure. The large white disk obviously provides a better white balance to the bounced flash lighting.

Now I want to try your technique. Thanks for describing it and showing a fine example of its result.

You may wish to review the work and technique of Neil van Niekerk, a wedding photography who uses bounced flash lighting for beautiful effect:

http://neilvn.com/tangents/2011/05/20/off-camera-ttl-flash/

marty wild wrote:

I have used a off camera flash when doing portraits. I set the flash at the back of my subjects and bounce it of a large white disk which is at the back of me go some good results here one of my grandson

Flowers (using bounced flash lighting)

marty wild Loc: England

Yes correct! Since that photo I have been to a garage sale and picked up a small projector screen,I all so use that as well. In that shoot of my grandson I cranked the the ISO up think it must have tick the camera some how because the shoot was dark. I wanted to my grandson to keep his eyes wide open. My flash was on full power the image is not grained and my grandson has no redeye all so not squinting.

anotherview Loc: California

Right, the bounced flash technique involves no pre-flash reaching the eyes of the subject. The pre-flash causes the pupils to contract. Some subjects blink in response to the pre-flash. The lack of pre-flash paired with the bounced flash lighting produces that soft quality of light on the subject with pupils dilated for the ambient lighting. As a result, the exposure takes on a natural look without obvious flash lighting. The ambient and the flash lighting become blended for a flattering, satisfying exposure.

The picture below I took about 2 1/2 years ago not long after I started practicing bounced flash lighting. Here, the flash bounced off a sign (camera right) in a hotel lobby.

Again, doing photography with flash lighting opened up more photograph opportunities for me. If you own a flash unit, you just have to mount it in the camera's hotshoe, and angle the flash head to bounce the flash output off a nearby surface so that the lighting will reflect onto the subject. Give it a try.

marty wild wrote:

Yes correct! Since that photo I have been to a garage sale and picked up a small projector screen,I all so use that as well. In that shoot of my grandson I cranked the the ISO up think it must have tick the camera some how because the shoot was dark. I wanted to my grandson to keep his eyes wide open. My flash was on full power the image is not grained and my grandson has no redeye all so not squinting.

marty wild Loc: England

Brilliant image, well done! I do like the shadow stuff. I have photographed Kat from Nottingham England on a shadow shoot she is a beautiful woman. Kat is on my on my flickr page. In folder second shoot in Nottingham

anotherview Loc: California

Thanks for kind words. Let me say I owe plenty to Neil van Niekerk for his introducing me to the technique of bounced flash lighting. This kind of lighting can produce very interesting and useful results.

anotherview wrote:

Right, the bounced flash technique involves no pre... (show quote)