Single Speed-Light (hotshoe flash): Creative examples...

flash behind

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The final result from the photo shot last weekend.

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very nice!

Thanks, Toby!

If only I can shoot like you guys..
Bare flash on camera right, through a white paper. A white shopping bag on camera left to reflect some light to the left of the can.

Nothing wrong with your lighting. Maybe a better test subject

jmaher wrote in post #17620140
Nothing wrong with your lighting. Maybe a better test subject

Thanks. Yeah, sorry for that.

I just tried again on a bread, then suddenly realized that pictures of food usually look brighter and more pleasing than what I got..
Using a bare flash is not easy..

zhangzh wrote in post #17620382
Thanks. Yeah, sorry for that.

I just tried again on a bread, then suddenly realized that pictures of food usually look brighter and more pleasing than what I got..
Using a bare flash is not easy..

It's not that it's bare that's the issue, you're using a single light source directly to the side of your subject which is too bright on some points and too dark on others and you've focused on the least appealing part of that subject.

simonbarker wrote in post #17621176
It's not that it's bare that's the issue, you're using a single light source directly to the side of your subject which is too bright on some points and too dark on others and you've focused on the least appealing part of that subject.

Totally agreed.
How can I achieve even lighting without large modifiers, or should I not try to achieve that with one bare flash?

zhangzh wrote in post #17621295
Totally agreed.
How can I achieve even lighting without large modifiers, or should I not try to achieve that with one bare flash?

Small light sources like a bare flash are hard and contrasty by their nature. Even is a vague term, just meaning that the light is the same intensity from one place to another. The size of the light source and its closeness to the subject determine softness, bigger is softer, closer is softer. It woukd help if you could describe what you want to achieve.

As has already been said larger and closer are your friends. Putting a larger diffuser ( a white sheet would work) closer to the object with your bare flash held back about 6 or so inches from the sheet would work as DIY. Any inexpensive softbox placed close would work as well.

Ive never posted in this thread....

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