580 EX II At The DeSoto Parade In Bradenton, FL

[CameraLens]

Looking for critiques...

I think some shots came out too bright. http://www.flickr.com/photos/37856753@N08/sets/72157617269505919/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3392/3478076704_ee01a5940c_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/3478075630_7196203ff4_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3315/3478076300_095f6f6827_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3663/3492066371_72f8ae1f71_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/3478079606_635ffa07de_o.jpg

...

[juise]

Did you use direct flash? If not, how was the flash utilized?

[Celestron]

Actually they look great too me ! First one may look alittle bright but the rest of them are ok . I think the 580 EX II has a 190' reach if i'm not mistaken . That could very well count for the shadow on the walls in your images . I've borrowed the 580 EX II from a friend and they are certainly powerful ! Someday i will be buying a flash also but since i do not take images professionally i'm not sure i need the 580 EX II just because it's better than the 430 EX II . Matter of fact i will not use a flash often at all .

[CameraLens]

Yeah, those wall shadows are hideous. I'll have to pick a spot with no walls next time.

Did you use direct flash? If not, how was the flash utilized?

I had the flash set on ETTL, auto zoom, and FEC +1.

[vadim_c]

Yeah, those wall shadows are hideous. I'll have to pick a spot with no walls next time.



I had the flash set on ETTL, auto zoom, and FEC +1.
Why + 1 ?

[Nathan]

Exactly, why +1? You could have checked to see how your images were turning out, then dial down the flash output or FEC. Point your flash. up and consider some diffuser - those shadows hurt.

Bright is better than dark. You can use DPP and tone it down

[CameraLens]

I did the +1 to make sure the pictuers would come out bright enough, but I guess I overdid it.

[Nathan]

2, 4, adn 5 I think are okay. The light reflects off of objects and show that it's a very direct flash, however. If you shot RAW, then you can probably recover some of the detail where some of the harsher reflections.

Look at that sign above the girl's head in the 1st photo. That is completely blown and it destroys any detail above her head, including the tiara and the hand of the girl who's waving. That part of the photo is worse than the shadows cast on the wall of the building.

The third photo is okay, but the background elements catch the flash, as well. I'm wondering why you cropped it this way, as well. You don't have to get in so close... some of the bystanders in the shot can add to the overall mood.

[cdifoto]

Exactly, why +1? You could have checked to see how your images were turning out, then dial down the flash output or FEC. Point your flash. up and consider some diffuser - those shadows hurt.

Bright is better than dark. You can use DPP and tone it down
Up? Into the sky? bw!

Sometimes direct flash is necessary. It's not always perfect but it gets the job done.

[cdifoto]

2, 4, adn 5 I think are okay. The light reflects off of objects and show that it's a very direct flash, however. If you shot RAW, then you can probably recover some of the detail where some of the harsher reflections.

Look at that sign above the girl's head in the 1st photo. That is completely blown and it destroys any detail above her head, including the tiara and the hand of the girl who's waving. That part of the photo is worse than the shadows cast on the wall of the building.

The third photo is okay, but the background elements catch the flash, as well. I'm wondering why you cropped it this way, as well. You don't have to get in so close... some of the bystanders in the shot can add to the overall mood.

The first one is indeed a tad bright BUT that sign is reflective so it's going to blow out if you use a flash setting that exposes the subjects properly. There's no way around that. Same goes for the tiara. It's specular so you can't expose for it AND the subject at the same time.

The last one is definitely overexposed but if OP shot RAW there should be plenty of room to pull it down.

[Curtis N]

Point your flash. up and consider some diffuserEither of those techniques are pointless outdoors, waste light, increase recycle times and eat batteries.

Reflective signs can be a problem when shooting a parade. Their reflections often cause E-TTL to underexpose. Try to avoid them when possible.

As a group, these really aren't too bad. No flash metering system is perfect, so expect to do some correcting in post. Generally you need less FEC outdoors than indoors since the background isn't close enough to affect the metering.

[Nathan]

Woops. I forgot this was all outside. :oops:

As far as the blown out sign... just a comment. Could have been worth him taking a couple shots from that vantage point and waited for the car to move ahead of the sign. If you can't avoid the sign altogether, it could at least be away from her head.

[cdifoto]

Woops. I forgot this was all outside. :oops:

As far as the blown out sign... just a comment. Could have been worth him taking a couple shots from that vantage point and waited for the car to move ahead of the sign. If you can't avoid the sign altogether, it could at least be away from her head.
Yeah. She's looking in the wrong direction anyway so who cares about her. Blondes. :rolleyes: :p

I find it more effective to walk right out in front of the car, shoot, then walk away. :D

[CameraLens]

It looks like I can use flash sync and get away with 1/500 without making the shots any darker. This would be good for freezing those flying beads in the air.

[Nathan]

I admit not to be great with flash photography, but wouldn't the flash freeze the beads even at a slower shutter (1/100ish)?

[CameraLens]

I admit not to be great with flash photography, but wouldn't the flash freeze the beads even at a slower shutter (1/100ish)?

I believe the way it works is that are two exposures with flash photography: the flash and the ambient light. The flash only takes something like .001 seconds to fire which happens while the shutter is open. A shutter speed of only .01 would allow for an additional .01 - .001 = .009 seconds worth of motion blur under ambient lighting. But a shutter speed of .002 (1/500) would only allow for .002 - .001 = .001 seconds worth of motion blur.

[Curtis N]

It looks like I can use flash sync and get away with 1/500 without making the shots any darker. This would be good for freezing those flying beads in the air.For shots like this with little ambient contribution, it's better to let the flash freeze the action.

That means keeping your shutter at X-sync speed and avoiding HSS. The duration of the flash (roughly 1/1000 or less) will be your effective shutter speed.