Want to help me understand light better?

[thegaa]

Here is a photo Out of Camera- no modifications but cropping. I was experimenting with a somewhat setting sun and trying to figure out how to light the face within reason.

I have been reading about flash- off camera flash that is and wondering what is needed to accomplish a shot that is lit right? I have a 580 ex flash and would like to make it useful. I am very new, but have been reading and trying to study. Any constructive direction would be much appreciated.

Would I use an umbrella, a reflector? How to fill the other side of the face/body.

**Please excuse the sloppy picture, I'm super pregnant and was using a timer- I know the face is OOF.. Just am taking time to learn and experiment.

EXIF photo here too...

[SIMPLEPHOTOLT]

I think overall, your picture is a little over exposed. Here is what I would do:
- Lower the overall exposure a little bit. Maybe increase the shutter speed a bit, or lower the ISO.
- Use the flash to fill the other side of the face. (using the flash is the most simple thing to do out of all the things you mention). Usually automatic flash exposure is good enough. But if you want, you can test out different setting for the flash power to get the right amount of light.

Another thing is to be careful not to have too different spots on your face being lit by the sun. Make sure the sun is completely behind you, then use the flash to light up the other side. This way, there is minimal over exposed area cause by the two light sources. Also, make sure you match the color temperature of the flash with the sun.

Have fun
LT

[blissonearth]

Just a suggestion.. to understand lighting, I ended up buying strobist lighting seminar DVD set. This package is a must to learn lighting. I learned so much from it.

[chauncey]

This link will help with what has been suggested
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/02/welcome-to-strobist.html

[griptape]

Aside from flash, your other options would be a reflector (with someone to hold it, or a stand if there's little wind, so it doesn't turn into a kite) or to take the picture at another time of day. Neither are as fun as buying and learning to use flash, and they won't give the same look as flash.

[thegaa]

I think overall, your picture is a little over exposed. Here is what I would do:
- Lower the overall exposure a little bit. Maybe increase the shutter speed a bit, or lower the ISO.
- Use the flash to fill the other side of the face. (using the flash is the most simple thing to do out of all the things you mention). Usually automatic flash exposure is good enough. But if you want, you can test out different setting for the flash power to get the right amount of light.

Another thing is to be careful not to have too different spots on your face being lit by the sun. Make sure the sun is completely behind you, then use the flash to light up the other side. This way, there is minimal over exposed area cause by the two light sources. Also, make sure you match the color temperature of the flash with the sun.

Have fun
LT

Thank you everyone for your answers!

LT, would you use the flash off camera? If so, what simplified set up would you use? I will go again an experiment with the sun behind me and the flash to fill front...

griptape: you are right! I want to learn to use flash and be able to function in any lighting condition...

...I do love the strobist site and find myself very overwhelmed by it...

[Dermit]

Flash off camera will almost always be better than on. If you fire the flash straight on it will give you too flat of lighting. So it will be better off-axis/off-camera. But with the sun not hitting any of your face this may mean one side of you face has too much shadow with the off camera flash not lighting your whole face. Sometimes the ambient light is enough to fill the shadow side. Sometimes you need a reflector. Or if you have another flash you can use it on-axis, on-camera, and dialed way down as to just fill the shadows a little. It should not light up the face a much as the off-camera flash.

Also, sometimes competing with a bright sky is a losing battle. The shot you posted, may have been better if it was shot from a high angle as to exclude more sky and include more dark foilage background to give the subject to background more contrast and help the subject pop more. Sometimes instead of shooting from a higher angle you can just shoot from a different angle, like if there is a tree/foilage closer to use as a background, etc.

The tricky part with balancing flash with outdoor daytime sun is you bang into the max sync speed of the shutter with the flash. So you do what you can but keep im mind that when doing all this you will learn more and get more consistant if you shoot it all in manual mode, camera and flash.

[thegaa]

...Here is the scene with the sun directly behing, bear right.

So a flash, a 580 ex, will handle the lighting. Would a reflector be needed as well? If so, at what angle/where.

THANKS!!!

[Max Demian]

Hi Samantha, welcome to POTR, I'm pretty much new as well.

I would've used a reflector for this shot positioned to the right of the camera and below the waistline of the subject pointed to the dark side of the face, neck and torso (or in your case that beautiful tummy). Under these circumstances a reflector is better than a fill flash in the sense that it will match the light source's temperature so you don't have to fix too much in post.The downside of this is that you need an assistant to hold it or a stand to have it secured in place which is somewhat of a turn off for spontaneous shots.

If a reflector is not practical then put your ol' 580 EX to good use and get some fill-flash into your subject to soften the harsh shadows made by the setting sun. Try different "flash exposures" as well as exposure compensations on your camera (try bracketing also) to see what works better under what conditions. Don't be afraid to experiment. Keep shooting!

BTW, congrats on your pregnantness.... boy or girl? :)

EDIT: Ooops! Sorry, just noticed that your join date says Nov 07. I just assumed you were new due to your low post count. :D I guess you should be welcoming me instead. HAHA!

[thegaa]

Hi Samantha, welcome to POTR, I'm pretty much new as well.

I would've used a reflector for this shot positioned to the right of the camera and below the waistline of the subject pointed to the dark side of the face, neck and torso (or in your case that beautiful tummy). Under these circumstances a reflector is better than a fill flash in the sense that it will match the light source's temperature so you don't have to fix too much in post.The downside of this is that you need an assistant to hold it or a stand to have it secured in place which is somewhat of a turn off for spontaneous shots.

If a reflector is not practical then put your ol' 580 EX to good use and get some fill-flash into your subject to soften the harsh shadows made by the setting sun. Try different "flash exposures" as well as exposure compensations on your camera (try bracketing also) to see what works better under what conditions. Don't be afraid to experiment. Keep shooting!

BTW, congrats on your pregnantness.... boy or girl? :)

EDIT: Ooops! Sorry, just noticed that your join date says Nov 07. I just assumed you were new due to your low post count. :D I guess you should be welcoming me instead. HAHA!


Hi Max! No, I am new.. I joined awhile ago, but have been so busy, I have neglected my camera. I am back "on" again and eager to learn, so thanks so much for the advice...

This will be our third boy coming! Our first is named Max just like you... love that name.

So, when using the reflector, do I point the on camera 580 toward the reflector then? Silly question?

[Max Demian]

Hi Max! No, I am new.. I joined awhile ago, but have been so busy, I have neglected my camera. I am back "on" again and eager to learn, so thanks so much for the advice...

This will be our third boy coming! Our first is named Max just like you... love that name.

So, when using the reflector, do I point the on camera 580 toward the reflector then? Silly question?

No, you use the reflector for the available sunlight. The flash (if necessary) will fill in straight from the camera's POV evening out all of the shadow casts. You could point the flash to the reflector but you most probably end up with a severe white balance difference between both sides of the subject, kinda hard to correct in PP. Remember that in sunsets/sunrises the temperature of the sun's light cools down and drops some hundred °K (Kelvin degrees) way past below your flash's temperature. Sometimes it's a desirable effect but it depends on your intention of what you want to achieve.

Yes, I noticed you're not new, hehe. I edited my post later. :D

Congrats on your third boy! Sadly my real name is not Max. :( My name is Carlos. I just took the screen name from a novel by Hermann Hesse. Keep shooting and put a camera in that boy's hands as soon as he can say mama!

[LarryD]

I think that fill flash would work fine on your last shot..the sun is almost directly behind so the shadow across the body is evenly shaded. You could stop down a bit more so the sky is not quite so overexposed.

Going back to the first shot, overall exposure seems fine, you just want to fill in the shadows caused by the side-lighting.. As has been suggested, a reflector on the shadow side, reflecting available light back into those shadows can be pleasing. You could also set your flash on a tripod there to fill from the side rather than straight on..

I'm afraid that exactly where to place reflectors and auxiliary lighting is pretty much trial and error to achieve the best results..

[Bill Boehme]

...Here is the scene with the sun directly behing, bear right.

So a flash, a 580 ex, will handle the lighting. Would a reflector be needed as well? If so, at what angle/where.

THANKS!!!

I think you misunderstood the post from Ron (SIMPLEPHOTOLT) about the sun behind you -- it was a bit confusing because you were BOTH the photographer and the subject. I believe that the intent of the comment of having the sun behind you meant from the perspective of the photographer and not the subject (although with proper care, it can be done with backlighting of the subject). As a general rule, it is not good to shoot towards the sun. To restate things -- the sun should be behind the photographer -- not the subject. However, taking a picture of someone's face in direct sunlight will be problematic because of the extreme contrast between light and shadows. It would be much better to find some open shade or to have an assistant who can hold a screen to block the direct sunlight from the subject.

[thegaa]

I think you misunderstood the post from Ron (SIMPLEPHOTOLT) about the sun behind you -- it was a bit confusing because you were BOTH the photographer and the subject. I believe that the intent of the comment of having the sun behind you meant from the perspective of the photographer and not the subject (although with proper care, it can be done with backlighting of the subject). As a general rule, it is not good to shoot towards the sun. To restate things -- the sun should be behind the photographer -- not the subject. However, taking a picture of someone's face in direct sunlight will be problematic because of the extreme contrast between light and shadows. It would be much better to find some open shade or to have an assistant who can hold a screen to block the direct sunlight from the subject.

Oh! Thank you...:oops: