WIL first time using 580EX II

[Not4you]

After each event when I race my car, a group of us will go onto our club forum and post our WILs - "What I Learned" - from that day on the track. I thought I'd adapt that for this forum and post my WILs for the first time using a flash that I had rented ...

1) they are quite easy to figure out, even for a novice like me
2) the improvement in quality over not having one is unbelievable
3) I really need to buy one now!!

I was asked to shoot my brothers family portrait but was concerned that I couldn't pull off the quality without adding flash. I rented a 580EX II to put onto my XTi. The light in the room was from the right side through a large window and it was cloudy outside. I had my camera on a tripod and was using a remote shutter switch. Here are the test pics that I did while the kids were getting ready ...

Flash straight forward,
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p184/Not-4-you/CousinsChristmasNov232008_0029.jpg

Flash to the left bounced off of a set of glass doors,
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p184/Not-4-you/CousinsChristmasNov232008_0030.jpg

Flash bounced off of the white ceiling 45 degrees forward, but still no success, worry is setting in,
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p184/Not-4-you/CousinsChristmasNov232008_0031.jpg

Finally bounced off of the white ceiling 90 degrees with the catchlight panel up and it worked great!
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p184/Not-4-you/CousinsChristmasNov232008_0033.jpg

So the resulting image of the family as shot,
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p184/Not-4-you/CousinsChristmasNov232008_0077.jpg

And the final image after some post processing,
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p184/Not-4-you/CousinsChristmasNov232008_0077pp.jpg


It was my first attempt at this and I was pretty impressed with the whole deal, the trial & error, the posing and shooting and the post processing. I'm sure most on here can do this in their sleep but I thought I'd post anyway.

Any C&C on my process, compositon, original image and post processing is welcomed, I am here to learn.

Also, please post some of you own "WILs" ...

Thanks for looking.

[MinhThien]

well done! I love how the way you PP it! Lovely family too!

[MinhThien]

How about a lil bit sharper?

[Katzer1]

I hear you.
I just got my 580exII last week, and I am blown away by the results. I stay at iso 100, even with slow lenses, bounce the flash against the wall behind me - never things looked so well.
Using the catchlight is tricky, it gets really bright and my wife hates it.

Your photos look great, I second the comment wrt to sharpening though.

Cheers,

Erez

[Not4you]

that is such an improvement!! what exactly did you do to sharpen? I'm new to CS3 so I haven't figured it all out yet and some of the Sharpening tools seem pretty complicated with all the sliders and settings.

[bobbyz]

Focus? Wish exif was present. Don't know why PS strips it. Must be save for the web thing.

[Not4you]

sorry, here is the exif for the last group shot.

[f/3.5] [1/60] [ISO 200] [AWB] [35mm]

Post processing included:
- cropping
- rotating CCW slightly
- levels
- curves
- colour balance +10 Red
- Red photo filter 25%
- heal/clone over facial blemishes

[bobbyz]

For next time, use some smaller aperture, like f5.6 or even f8. And focus using center AF point only on the subjects face. You should also move in closer. Focus-recompose so that there is not much empty space over their heads.

[MinhThien]

Focus? Wish exif was present. Don't know why PS strips it. Must be save for the web thing.
exif was there when i open it in cs3!

[MinhThien]

that is such an improvement!! what exactly did you do to sharpen? I'm new to CS3 so I haven't figured it all out yet and some of the Sharpening tools seem pretty complicated with all the sliders and settings.
I just did unmask sharpening!

[bobbyz]

exif was there when i open it in cs3!

Sorry, I only looked at the #5 image which didn't have exif.

[MinhThien]

Sorry, I only looked at the #5 image which didn't have exif.

Wow thats weird! Do you have CS3? I just check all of them(1-6) and they all have exif :)