Using Fill Flash

[dennykyser]

How do you use fill flash on your outdoor portraits? I want to keep a blurry background, what setting do I start with. I used to use the Portrait setting on my Elan 7 and let it do the work but if I want to shoot Raw, can not do that. Do you use TV, AV, hope to hear how all you guys use fill.

[Vegas Poboy]

What type of flash are you using?

[dennykyser]

550EX

[dtrayers]

If you want a blurred background then use Av mode with a large aperture (small number). The camera will expose for the background and the flash (via E-TTL) will expose for the foreground (subject). The transition between a full power flash and a reduced power (fill) flash is around 10EV.

If you don't fully understand how E-TTL works you may get unpredictable results. If you haven't seen this you should read here:

http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

[robertwgross]

By "outdoor portraits", I assume you mean that you are not using a background cloth, but rather a background scene that you intend to be very blurry.

Av mode, large aperture, large distance from subject to background.

---Bob Gross---

[billfranklin]

With a focal plane shutter, this is a real challenge. With a leaf shutter, no sweat.

You will need, first, to use the shutter speed to control the background. Next you will need to set the fill flash to balance with the background.

Here are some steps that might help:
1. Set camera to lowest ISO possible, 100 or lower, if possible.
2. Set camera on TV and set camera to highest sutter speed at which the camera will sych with the flash. This is probably 1/200 or 1/250 sec.
3. Take a meter reading of the background and note the f stop at this shutter speed. this is the setting that will properly expose the background.
4. Let's say this reading is 1/200 @ f8.
5. I like my background a little darker than the subject, so I would set my camera on manual and expose at 1/200 at f 11.
6. I would now set my flash on manual and find a setting that would expose my subject at f 11. This is easy if you have a flash meter, if not, it is all trail and error. It really helps if you have some type of difusser on the flash
7. You now have a picture with the background a little underexposed, and the subject properly exposed.

Problem is at f11, the background is going to be somewhat in focus. With a leaf shutter camera, you could go to 1/500 sec. and completely blow out the backgrouond. One more thing, if you use a long focus lens (say a 300mm) this will help to blur the background if you can get back far enough.

This link will show my attempts at what you are trying to do. I think you will see what happens when you use a fill flash. My problem was I could not set my shutter speed high enough to get the results I wanted.
http://www.picturecd.com/system/login.cgi?username=bfphoto&album=64484

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Bill F.

[dennykyser]

That is the first time it has ever been explained to me. Thanks a lot.

[Whaler]

Dave,

The tutorial you linked is incredible. Thanx.

[Ferrari_Alex]

This link doesn't exist anymore. Any similar material?

With a focal plane shutter, this is a real challenge. With a leaf shutter, no sweat.

You will need, first, to use the shutter speed to control the background. Next you will need to set the fill flash to balance with the background.

Here are some steps that might help:
1. Set camera to lowest ISO possible, 100 or lower, if possible.
2. Set camera on TV and set camera to highest sutter speed at which the camera will sych with the flash. This is probably 1/200 or 1/250 sec.
3. Take a meter reading of the background and note the f stop at this shutter speed. this is the setting that will properly expose the background.
4. Let's say this reading is 1/200 @ f8.
5. I like my background a little darker than the subject, so I would set my camera on manual and expose at 1/200 at f 11.
6. I would now set my flash on manual and find a setting that would expose my subject at f 11. This is easy if you have a flash meter, if not, it is all trail and error. It really helps if you have some type of difusser on the flash
7. You now have a picture with the background a little underexposed, and the subject properly exposed.

Problem is at f11, the background is going to be somewhat in focus. With a leaf shutter camera, you could go to 1/500 sec. and completely blow out the backgrouond. One more thing, if you use a long focus lens (say a 300mm) this will help to blur the background if you can get back far enough.

This link will show my attempts at what you are trying to do. I think you will see what happens when you use a fill flash. My problem was I could not set my shutter speed high enough to get the results I wanted.
http://www.picturecd.com/system/login.cgi?username=bfphoto&album=64484

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Bill F.