Really high ceilings? flash help

[siddr20]

Hi all,

So went to a friends wedding last night.. I thought i bring my camera along and get a bit more experience and just have fun taking photos..

So i took with me my only camera equipment that i own (40d, sigma 17-70f2.8-4.5 and 430EXII)..


The venue i was at, had really really really high ceilings. Which made bouncing off the ceiling impossible. I tired various things like direct flash at 90degrees at the subject and or just leaving the flash straight up into the air.. Trying not to overexpose the shot.

I mean i did take some alright shots (lighting seemed great), but at other times it was just way overexposed. I did use a difuser also btw..

Just wanting to know what you all do in this situation.

Do you just shoot the flash in manual and reduce the flash output, or do you all have fancy primes and just shoot with high iso? Would love to hear your thoughts and what you do in this situation (with really really really really high ceilings).


I was enjoying myself and didnt really notice what the professional photographers were doing. I did however notice that they didn't use a flash most of the time.. Plus they were using nikon gear so i couldnt identify the bodies or lens they used.


Hope you can help me out and give some good insight in your techniques etc.

Cheers

[Peacefield]

I did a bat mitzvah party a few months back. The ceilings were ~30' high and the walls were kind of pink/purple. A very poor environment for bouncing. I used a home-made foam light scoop (~$3 in supplies and 10 minutes of my time). I got the link from here but never remember where it is when this topic comes up. Maybe someone knows what I'm talking about and can offer it up?

Nonetheless, the results are not as good as off-camera or bouncing, but they're pretty good and certainly better than just straight direct flash when there's no better alternative. A few samples below:


http://photos.robertwaynephotography.com/img/v1/p606812618-4.jpg

http://photos.robertwaynephotography.com/img/v5/p866491469-4.jpg

http://photos.robertwaynephotography.com/img/v3/p1064180382-4.jpg

[Jammet]

your images say "content protected by owner".

[tim]

With high ceilings zoom the flash head to 105mm manually, and use a higher iso. I've done this with ceilings 2 and 3 stories high. It works ok.

[siddr20]

Peacefield - Hi, your images are not working :( Could you please post it up again. thanks


Tim - Would love to see some shots you have taken by doing this!! Thanks :)

[tim]

Tim - Would love to see some shots you have taken by doing this!! Thanks :)

They're older weddings and they're in my archives, it'd take too long to dig them out. Higher iso and zoomed flash is just common sense anyway, the photos won't look different because of it.

[laychengjin]

Interesting to see what other people say about this cos I have the same issue with high ceilings

[egordon99]

High ISO + fast (f/1.4-2) aperatures=ability to bounce off of REALLY high ceilings.

My standard "bimah" setup at our synagogue (with really high and wooden ceilings) is f/2, ISO400 and my 580EXII is able to pump out enough (bounced) light to light the subject(s).

[Peacefield]

Sorry 'bout that. I copied them to an open gallery and the pics should appear now. Again, not preferable to bouncing, but I think quite an improvement over direct flash.

I'm always a little reluctant to hang client images out in open galleries so will keep these images available for as long as this string stays active and probably not more than a few weeks.

[siddr20]

High ISO + fast (f/1.4-2) aperatures=ability to bounce off of REALLY high ceilings.

My standard "bimah" setup at our synagogue (with really high and wooden ceilings) is f/2, ISO400 and my 580EXII is able to pump out enough (bounced) light to light the subject(s).

I guess i dont have a suitable lens in the first place.

Hopefully once i graduate and find a job i will start purchasing these lovely lens :)

Cheers for that..

[siddr20]

Sorry 'bout that. I copied them to an open gallery and the pics should appear now. Again, not preferable to bouncing, but I think quite an improvement over direct flash.

I'm always a little reluctant to hang client images out in open galleries so will keep these images available for as long as this string stays active and probably not more than a few weeks.

You got any pictures of your home made light scoop?

[Peacefield]

You got any pictures of your home made light scoop?

Found the link: http://super.nova.org/DPR//DIY01/

I built the foam one described a few pages down. Real cheap, real effective. In my view, better than any store-bought diffuser. Enjoy.

[shaggymatt]

With high ceilings zoom the flash head to 105mm manually, and use a higher iso. I've done this with ceilings 2 and 3 stories high. It works ok.

The zoom ranges of your flash make a huge difference. The base GN for the 580exII is like 45'. When you go to max zoom is when you get the max GN of 174'.

And the fast glass is key. So many officiants are flash in/flash out only.

[Terri400D]

Hi,
I have just got the lumiquest pocket bounce, its brilliant gives really nice results without having to worry how high the ceilings are

[siddr20]

I will try and zoom the flash in manual.. see how it turns out.. Will try and experiment!! thanks for that tip!!


Terri-- whats that? ANy more info or pics? cheers

[Terri400D]

This is the pocket bouncer http://www.lumiquest.com/lq871.htmI have only done 1 wedding with it, but have been using it a lot indoors and it is fab

Terri
xxx

[siddr20]

Thanks for the link.. checking it out now :)

ta

[Peacefield]

I will try and zoom the flash in manual.. see how it turns out

Zooming the flash can certainly help and will improve the results, but it is less effective than some of these other solutions/suggestions. The problem is lack of control. While the flash may have enough fire power to cover the distance, it scatters. One of the things that makes bouncing so effective, especially when done off of walls, is that it's directional. If light has to travel 30' up and 30' back down, that's quite a distance. Imagine shining a light 60' and illuminating your target, oh BTW, while hitting a deflection angle.

Of course, it can be done with decent enough results, but there are better options out there.