How did *you* learn to use flash?

[SkipD]

Originally Posted by DHPHOTO66

I remember this....and we had those things called BOOKS with diagrams and illustrations to help us....One way to get the flash thing is to watch the videos, read the books/blogs and get out there and try the stuff....

Believe it or not, I still have several of the books that I used when first getting serious about photography back in the mid 1960s.

Except for things like choosing film types that don't exist today and using today's camera automation, almost everything else in those old books STILL APPLIES to photography today. Because I use my modern cameras in manual mode most of the time, most of my techniques from the "olden days" still apply today.

[drvnbysound]

Like many, coming from shooting ambient only, when I first started tinkering with Speedlites I was getting exposures that I couldn't always explain. So, I would turn some dials and knobs and get similar results over and over; luckily digital exposures are free, otherwise it would have been pretty expensive. Realize that it's a whole lot easier to figure out what settings control what part of your exposure if you only adjust one of them at a time.

The single, biggest piece of information for me, which took me a few months to find, was the concept that shutter speed controls your ambient exposure, and aperture controls flash exposure... and ISO will increase or decrease both of them.

[DHPHOTO66]

Originally Posted by drvnbysound

Like many, coming from shooting ambient only, when I first started tinkering with Speedlites I was getting exposures that I couldn't always explain. So, I would turn some dials and knobs and get similar results over and over; luckily digital exposures are free, otherwise it would have been pretty expensive. Realize that it's a whole lot easier to figure out what settings control what part of your exposure if you only adjust one of them at a time.

The single, biggest piece of information for me, which took me a few months to find, was the concept that shutter speed controls your ambient exposure, and aperture controls flash exposure... and ISO will increase or decrease both of them.

When I shot ambient only I used AV, as I started to progress, I started adding flash...streching that TTL cord was a B*@ch....lol. I spent many a day in Central Park filling my notebook with settings...

[drvnbysound]

Originally Posted by DHPHOTO66

When I shot ambient only I used AV, as I started to progress, I started adding flash...streching that TTL cord was a B*@ch....lol. I spent many a day in Central Park filling my notebook with settings...

Same here... and since I was most comfortable with Aperture Priority (Av), I tried to do the same when I added a flash both on and off camera. Overall, it was tough going starting out, until I learned that statement I bolded above

A few weeks ago I started reading the Speedliter's Handbook by Syl Arena, and have really just started to wrap my head around ETTL, and at times it's almost like learning a new language... and I'm not sure how often I will ever really use it, but it's definitely good to know how to...

[DHPHOTO66]

Originally Posted by drvnbysound

A few weeks ago I started reading the Speedliter's Handbook by Syl Arena, and have really just started to wrap my head around ETTL, and at times it's almost like learning a new language... and I'm not sure how often I will ever really use it, but it's definitely good to know how to...

TTL has its uses, but its always good to learn as much as possible and store it in that data base on the top of your neck...or write note if you are as forgetful as I can be....
And remember photography is ART, what may be perfectly exposed may not be ARTISTIC, and whats ARTISTIC may not be perfectly exposed

[windpig]

It's art, what a bogus fall back response

Learn manual first. Then understanding how ETTL and TTL work will make more sense. Not that I did it that way, wish I had though.

[madjack]

I am very glad I read this post. I have 3 speedlites in the mail and no knowledge in my cabeza. I have been reading posts and watching video clips and searching internet articles and basically have that 'oh boy' feeling.

Drvnbysounds post alone gives me a great head start.

Thanks

[Curtis N]

Originally Posted by drvnbysound

shutter speed controls your ambient exposure, and aperture controls flash exposure... and ISO will increase or decrease both of them.

I think generalizations like these just confuse people.

It makes no sense that changing the ISO will change both exposures but changing the aperture affects only flash. Truth is, aperture, ISO and lens filters affect all of the photons coming in, no matter the photon source.

Combine that with the fact that a dedicated flash will automatically compensate for aperture or ISO adjustments and you're left with total confusion. And since today's flash units can be manually adjusted to the nth degree, there are better ways to control flash exposure than adjusting the aperture.

There are critical concepts that must be learned and understood, but unfortunately they can't be condensed into three simple statements.

[madjack]

dang..more confusion.

[Curtis N]

Madjack,
Imagine this scenario:
You're in a completely dark room (no ambient light at all).
You take a flash photograph with a 1/200 shutter speed.
You take another flash photograph with a 30 second shutter speed.
Will the exposures be different?

When you can answer that question correctly and confidently, then you have passed the first test.

[madjack]

I would say if there is no ambient light ( absolutly no light source at all) then the answer would be no, which Im pretty sure is going to be incorrect.

[charro callado]

I learned through Pham's behind the scenes photos and lighting information he posts in tandem with finished photos.

[peabody2468]

How did *I* learn? Like many others, I started at the Strobist site. Then I pretty much ignored David's gear recommendations - too pricey for me - but quickly collected less expensive versions of the same stuff, and started taking off-camera flash portraits with a shoot-through umbrella. Self-portraits first, then imposing on some friends to model. And it was actually surprisingly easy to get a handle on it. And the pictures were a revelation. They actually looked like I knew what I was doing.

There are some key concepts you need to learn, but with everything in manual mode, that comes pretty quickly with experience. I guess I consider myself lucky that I started with manual flashes, rather than ETTL, for off-camera flash work. I think ETTL for that use would have been very frustrating and confusing, and wouldn't have taught me much, and would have cost a fortune compared to the inexpensive manual stuff.

I would just say - jump in with both feet. This CAN be learned by pretty much anybody, and it isn't rocket science. Just stay with manual stuff to start with - that's how you learn. But start with David Hobby's Strobist site and the related Flickr group.

[drvnbysound]

Sure... there are always exceptions to generalizations, but if you can understand the theory behind the generalization you can also recognize the exceptions.

You are right, there are other methods to make an adjustment to your flash exposure, such as simply adjusting the power or just moving the light. However, there are situations where it's good to know that it can be adjusted via aperture as well... I think the power is more in knowing that if you adjust your aperture for a desired DOF, it will more than likely alter your flash exposure.

[Curtis N]

Originally Posted by madjack

I would say if there is no ambient light ( absolutly no light source at all) then the answer would be no, which Im pretty sure is going to be incorrect.

The correct answer is the exposures would be the same. Since flash is the only light source, and shutter speed does not affect flash exposure. The shutter opens, the flash fires, the shutter closes. Leaving the shutter open longer won't give you more exposure.

So your answer of "no" is correct, and your prediction that your answer would be incorrect is incorrect, because, well, your answer was correct.

This is why we say "shutter speed controls ambient light." You can adjust your shutter speed to alter the ambient exposure while having no affect on flash exposure. It's really a critical first step in learning to use flash.

Now when we start talking aperture and ISO, things get more complicated because they will affect both flash and ambient exposure. And if you're using E-TTL then the camera will (theoretically) compensate to keep flash exposure constant. Try the Flash Photography 101 link in my signature and hopefully you'll make some progress.