20d owners, need your help !! Blessings

[johneric8]

What are your suggestions for taking a picture with the 20d when the subject is in front of a very bright window and they are slightly dark?? I was taking a picture of my wife today and didnt have a clue how to set the camera without using the flash. I was trying to expose her properly without using the flash and I couldnt. What settings should I use? which metering setting? Or, should I have parial metered on her face? she was very dark compared to the glass blocks with the sun shining through it. I know it wasnt the best place to get a picture but I really didnt have a choice because that is where she wanted to be photographed. I ended up with the pic that I attached using the flash and I wasnt very happy with it.. I do have a sunpak 5000af that I wasnt using. I know how to use it and aim it up at the ceiling for really good lighting. But, I was trying to do it natually without a flash. the flash I used was the on camera flash. I have to admit since I was in a hurry I had the camera set to P mode !! yikes...

[thomascanty]

You pretty much have to use fill flash in a situation like this. Using partial metering might help, but I think she would still end up too back-lit and dark.

[mbze430]

yes, this is true. Without the fill flash, the window behind will be even more blown out.

[johneric8]

You pretty much have to use fill flash in a situation like this. Using partial metering might help, but I think she would still end up too back-lit and dark.

Thanks for your reply.. I was kind of thinking that. I wasnt sure! By the way, the picture that is posted has been saved several times and been compressed to the hilt .. I look much much better in it's raw form... I would apreciate more opinions on this type of shooting situation

[mbze430]

that depends whether you are just taking candid or setting up for a portrait. Because with enough lights you can balance out the window's light.

[Maureen Souza]

I pretty much stay away from facing the window...try making your subject face the window and you won't need flash...just open up your aperture and you'll get a lovely natural light photo

[johneric8]

I take nice pictures in a studio setting for sure. I can also take good ones with a window facing the subject. I guess my dilema was being forced to take the pic with my wife sitting on the tub with the bright window behind her. The reason that I took the picture of her in front of the window was because she wanted to send some pictures of herself to a friend to show her our jaquizi tub and it had to be done quickly! LOL... I know it was a nasty setup for a good picture.. I just didnt know if there was something I was missing in regards to getting a better exposure... Again, thanks for the help everyone!! I love this forum so much.. I just hope I can help someone soon like you all have helped me!

[Marshall]

My advice is, she is overdresssed for the Jacuzzi! how are we proprly able to judge skin tones dressed like that ?.Seriously the only other way without the use of fill flash is to angle the camera downwards & lock the ae,then re-compose.

[johneric8]

My advice is, she is overdresssed for the Jacuzzi! how are we proprly able to judge skin tones dressed like that ?.Seriously the only other way without the use of fill flash is to angle the camera downwards & lock the ae,then re-compose.

I'm not sure if your comment was funny or rude? LOL.... by saying overdressed did you mean she should be wearing less clothing? If thats what you meant, shame on you LOL..... Be kind, she just had a baby a few months ago! heheheh... You guys have to keep in mind, I had to take the picture fast, she asked me to do it on the spot and I wasnt prepared. Here is a shot of a model I did using decent lighting. I know there is a shadow on her leg. I ran out of lights..

[Mark Kemp]

To be honest I think you did the best you could. There is too much difference between the face and the window to expose them both properly. If you didn't want to use fill flash you had to sacrifice something. You wanted your wife and the jacuzzi to be properly exposed as they were the point of the picture. So you had to let the windows burn out. The 20D is a great camera but no DSLR or film has that much exposure latitude, some things just can't be done.

[johneric8]

Thanks for your helpful comments!!

[johneric8]

To be honest I think you did the best you could. There is too much difference between the face and the window to expose them both properly. If you didn't want to use fill flash you had to sacrifice something. You wanted your wife and the jacuzzi to be properly exposed as they were the point of the picture. So you had to let the windows burn out. The 20D is a great camera but no DSLR or film has that much exposure latitude, some things just can't be done.

Thanks for your comment.. I actually did use fill flash on that exposure. (the 20d falsh) I wanted to work on getting the exposure by locking it down on her but I didnt have the time so I poped up the flash. If I wanted it to look better I could have metered on the window and locked that exposure then, dialed in the flash exposure compensation to fill in my dark subject. I have done this before with my cat siting in the window and it worked very well. I basically just set the exposure on the camera to present the window with proper exposure while using fill flash to illuminate my subject. The white balance can be tricky in this situation but it can be done..

[WestFalcon]

I run into stuff like this frequently as a wedding photographer. I put the camera on manual , say 200th of a second and use 1/4 power on my flash. If that doesn't work, I back off to 1/8 or add more depending upon how the exposure looks. Y ou can get a nice shot this way. If you let the camera decide, the back lighting will almost always fool it and give you underexposed subjects. This method is tested and it works beautifully but you have to be able to control the power of the flash manually which I do with the 550ex and 580ex flashes. Sigma? Don't know if you can adjust that one. Good luck Brian

[gary_hendricks]

You pretty much have to use fill flash in a situation like this. Using partial metering might help, but I think she would still end up too back-lit and dark.

I agree - fill flash is the way to go.

[Mark Kemp]

Thanks for your comment.. I actually did use fill flash on that exposure. (the 20d falsh) I wanted to work on getting the exposure by locking it down on her but I didnt have the time so I poped up the flash. If I wanted it to look better I could have metered on the window and locked that exposure then, dialed in the flash exposure compensation to fill in my dark subject. I have done this before with my cat siting in the window and it worked very well. I basically just set the exposure on the camera to present the window with proper exposure while using fill flash to illuminate my subject. The white balance can be tricky in this situation but it can be done..


Thats one of the good things about digital, in a situation like that you can look at the results and get a good flash to daylight balance quickly