billnourse Loc: Bloomfield, NM

I use lights outside all the time for fill, as well a reflector cards. White lens was probably a 70-200. That is one of the very popular portrait lenses.

Bill

mawyatt Loc: Clearwater, Florida

Gavin Hoey (Adorama Learning) has a good video on "turning day into night" with strobe lights in the field. He used a Flashpoint 600WS strobe and a 28" Glow Octal Softbox, his results were excellent. His videos are all exceptional IMO, easy to understand, fun to watch and filled with really good information. He doesn't use lots of expensive equipment, and likes to use manual camera & light modes which really helps with the understanding of "whats really going on".

Mike

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I have never approached a photographer that was not kind enough when I asked questions. The behaviour of this "photographer" came as a surprise to me.
Flash is used in daylight to fill-in shadows. The intended use is not to eliminate them but to add enough light to reduce contrast.

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

I use on camera flash (sometimes with a ring light) to shoot flowers all the time. I usually handhold too. I get all kinds of strange looks from others there with tripods and reflectors and no flash. Some will ask me about what I am doing. I will tell them I have it set for fill light to remove shadows and to get the light inside (usually dahlias) to get the color details and their form to show up.

I was doing a presentation and I said that best time to use flash is mid-day in bright sunlight. I also got resistance about that because several said that any good photog would not shoot at mid-day. I replied that is why you use your own light to create good light to shoot in. Or those people who say they are "natural light" photogs, when they are really saying that they do not know how to use other light sources.

It is always a pleasure to watch another photog use light to create something that would not be otherwise.

tomcat

Strange, I looked at this video about 4 times and I still don't see the flash you are talking about. Are there supposed to be any tips about using fill flash?

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Fill flash. Probably.

Strong sunlight causes deep shadows and fill flash can make a huge improvement in images.

Basically fill flash is a mix of ambient light for the majority of the scene, then fill light from the flash(es) to "open up" the shadows.

You can do similar with a single portable flash or even a reflector panel. Each method has it's own "look". This photographer just prefers the look of flash bounced out of an umbrella (which is especially soft and subtle).

Personally I use flash far more often in strong midday sun, than I do in low light situations.

Although fill is probably the most common use of flash/strobes in daytime, there are some other midday lighting techniques... For example a stronger flash source can be used to make the background go dimmer or even completely black. It's just a matter of setting your camera to underexpose the ambient light and rely upon the flash as the primary light source. Or, dissimilar color of light from the different sources can be used to make a subject "warm"and the background "cool", or vice versa. These are tricks that can be used to make a subject stand out from a background.... might be more necessary "on location" than in a studio, where you have more control over what's behind your subject.

Sorry the photographer was rude... But I can understand it, too. I can't count the number of times I've had some passerby come up to me with questions or comments (or, worse, suggestions), sometimes ruining my shots or just breaking my concentration. When you've been stalking a critter since the crack of dawn or miss a shot you've spent a lot of time setting up or have a paycheck waiting for you at the end of a big job on a really tight deadline, it can be frustrating to be interrupted. I try not to be rude with my responses, though.

Weddingguy Loc: British Columbia - Canada

Aren't all of you people responding to this thread noticing your leg getting longer??? He has to be pulling your leg with these questions . . .

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Fill lights, accent lights, hair lights, rim lights... I'd have to see the setup to know.

There is a whole science of photographic lighting. As a portrait photographer, the first thing you learn is that the direct sun is a problem! It is probably the least flattering light source on the planet, unless it is diffused, reflected, or supplemented.

Umbrellas for lighting come in white, silver, gold, translucent ("shoot through"), and many sizes. The effect is different with every type and size!

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Doubtful.

Semper Fi.

Zone-System-Grandpa Loc: Springfield, Ohio

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

He was probably a Goth photographer !

rocket111

amphoto. I knew he was working. I stood very far back behind hem. When I said hi I was going to offer helping hem with the umbrellas. He didn't give me a chance though. But I have learned a lot about day time flash. So as far as I'm concerned it's all good. As for rude people all your have to do is go to Wal-Mart Customer Service