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

similae wrote in post #15409838
Not sure how creative this is..

I was happy with the results. Not too much time to set up, but I got the balancing of the flash / ambient I wanted! You can't say that happens too often..

Natural light from the windows camera right, Nissin Di622 mkII on top of camera bounced to wall camera left.


Family portrait by msimila, on Flickr

You have good balance with the ambient, but instead of bouncing left it would have been nice if you had directed a little light back toward the subjects to avoid the dark eye sockets that they have here. A bounce card will redirect a small portion of the light forward to give them a bit of twinkle in the eye.

Some fantastic shots on here that I never would have thought possible with only one light!

Self portrait. Zero ambient light. Camera mounted 580EXII facing left and reflected off a large white curtain. Black background is a shaded, OOF 40" flat screen TV. 100mm 2.8L IS. Tricky part was getting my face in the right place in the dark.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/aaroncawsey/8​314305299/

I tried:

Single yongnuo yn460ii and a cheap umbrella, yongnuo triggers

gonzogolf wrote in post #15412334
You have good balance with the ambient, but instead of bouncing left it would have been nice if you had directed a little light back toward the subjects to avoid the dark eye sockets that they have here. A bounce card will redirect a small portion of the light forward to give them a bit of twinkle in the eye.

Thank you for the tip!
Background first: I have taken approx 34k pics within the ~2 years I've had my DSLR. first 550D, now 7D. 99% of the pictures are without flash, and I'm just starting to get a feel of the process of taking pics without flash. Now I have started practicing my flash skills and I keep crawling back to basic photography without flash.. It is so frustrating to start from zero again! So every tip is welcome!

About the bounce card: I didn't have (don't own any..) external bounce cards, the only one is the one integrated to the flash unit. The camera was landscape, flash mounted on top, flash head turned 45 of 60 degree left. If I would have pulled the card out, it would have only bounced a little bit more to ground camera left. It comes from the top part of the flash head. I cannot figure how I could have used it in that position. Or do you mean I should have had bounced main flash up (to ceiling) + flipped the card(which would have bounced to front then)?

I have not tried to use that bounce card a lot. It seems every time I try to use it I get too "white" pics: both over bright and WB is too cold. There might be several reasons for this: Nissin is not smart enough, 7D is bad, moon position was not good, subject was misbehaving or lastly the least possible reason: I just don't know how to use flash.. I wonder which is the correct reason? Must be something wrong with the gear.

similae wrote in post #15413201
Thank you for the tip!
Background first: I have taken approx 34k pics within the ~2 years I've had my DSLR. first 550D, now 7D. 99% of the pictures are without flash, and I'm just starting to get a feel of the process of taking pics without flash. Now I have started practicing my flash skills and I keep crawling back to basic photography without flash.. It is so frustrating to start from zero again! So every tip is welcome!

About the bounce card: I didn't have (don't own any..) external bounce cards, the only one is the one integrated to the flash unit. The camera was landscape, flash mounted on top, flash head turned 45 of 60 degree left. If I would have pulled the card out, it would have only bounced a little bit more to ground camera left. It comes from the top part of the flash head. I cannot figure how I could have used it in that position. Or do you mean I should have had bounced main flash up (to ceiling) + flipped the card(which would have bounced to front then)?

I have not tried to use that bounce card a lot. It seems every time I try to use it I get too "white" pics: both over bright and WB is too cold. There might be several reasons for this: Nissin is not smart enough, 7D is bad, moon position was not good, subject was misbehaving or lastly the least possible reason: I just don't know how to use flash.. I wonder which is the correct reason? Must be something wrong with the gear.

The white card in the flash might have been enough. If not almost any larger white surface would have reflected a bit of light forward. If you google DIY bounce card you will find lots of options, including one where you can print a template to cut out of stock card or craft foam.

As for the issues of too white, and too bright. Using flash exposure compensation will help with that to some degree, also using shutter speed/ISO to achieve a balanced look will help with the brightness as well. As for color a simple set of gels (search here for rosco gels) will correct that.

yudi13 wrote in post #15392206
I don't remember where I got the picture style, but you can try googling it, the file name is RVP-100F(Neutral).pf2
A quick googling, brings me this address http://www.edgeinterio​r.com/ps/ with some picture style including the RVP Neutral, I tried to download the file and the downloaded file is the same to the file that I have
I hope it is not against the forum rules to post this link, otherwise I'll remove it

are any of these other picture styles worth having on the camera? thanks

hyogen wrote in post #15415276
are any of these other picture styles worth having on the camera? thanks

Just try and see it for yourself, for me the RVP Neutral is used in over 90% of my JPG, I like the color it produce, if I'm not mistaken it was designed to replicate colors produced by fujifilm fujichrome velvia hence the name

gonzogolf wrote in post #15413229
The white card in the flash might have been enough. If not almost any larger white surface would have reflected a bit of light forward. If you google DIY bounce card you will find lots of options, including one where you can print a template to cut out of stock card or craft foam.

I still don't understand how it could work. It would direct the light into wrong direction, but I can test it! Wouldn't be the first time I have thought something wrong.

Yes, I have read a lot about DIY things. Too bad I started too late: I had already bought the Gary Fong Lightsphere before I found out I could have done the same thing a lot cheaper. Must do a simple bounce card I could turn from side to side.

gonzogolf wrote in post #15413229
As for the issues of too white, and too bright. Using flash exposure compensation will help with that to some degree, also using shutter speed/ISO to achieve a balanced look will help with the brightness as well. As for color a simple set of gels (search here for rosco gels) will correct that.

Yes, I use FEC and I try to do my best to balance with ambient. Mostly I find the flash working nicest when I bounce to ceiling and back from camera. If I turn it to front the flash comes too obvious in the pictures. Probably I should dial down the FEC even more in those situations. Have to practice more.

I have also thought getting some simple set of gels, I think some yellow would be the most useful. It would help with the mixed colors when using flash outdoors in sunlight, i guess. I'll check the "rosco gels" you mention.

Here's 3 samples of pictures I like. All from same family gathering. All shot in manual, f/4, 1/160, ISO 400, FEC +1/3 if I remember correctly. They are all bounced up and little back from camera.

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similae wrote in post #15415872
I still don't understand how it could work. It would direct the light into wrong direction, but I can test it! Wouldn't be the first time I have thought something wrong.

Yes, I have read a lot about DIY things. Too bad I started too late: I had already bought the Gary Fong Lightsphere before I found out I could have done the same thing a lot cheaper. Must do a simple bounce card I could turn from side to side.

Yes, I use FEC and I try to do my best to balance with ambient. Mostly I find the flash working nicest when I bounce to ceiling and back from camera. If I turn it to front the flash comes too obvious in the pictures. Probably I should dial down the FEC even more in those situations. Have to practice more.

I have also thought getting some simple set of gels, I think some yellow would be the most useful. It would help with the mixed colors when using flash outdoors in sunlight, i guess. I'll check the "rosco gels" you mention.

Here's 3 samples of pictures I like. All from same family gathering. All shot in manual, f/4, 1/160, ISO 400, FEC +1/3 if I remember correctly. They are all bounced up and little back from camera.

Flash sample 1 by msimila, on Flickr


Flash sample 2 by msimila, on Flickr


Flash sample 3 by msimila, on Flickr

Those are all very well lit.

Youngback wrote in post #15412617
Some fantastic shots on here that I never would have thought possible with only one light!

Self portrait. Zero ambient light. Camera mounted 580EXII facing left and reflected off a large white curtain. Black background is a shaded, OOF 40" flat screen TV. 100mm 2.8L IS. Tricky part was getting my face in the right place in the dark.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/aaroncawsey/8​314305299/
Self portrait by Youngback, on Flickr

Impressive! Way to use your surroundings and improvise!

JPepus wrote in post #15416128
Impressive! Way to use your surroundings and improvise!

Thanks a lot! Was in my hotel in northern Tanzania. Never underestimate the power of boredom . Also, it is straight out of the camera. Not cropped or photoshopped in any way.

yudi13 wrote in post #15415595
Just try and see it for yourself, for me the RVP Neutral is used in over 90% of my JPG, I like the color it produce, if I'm not mistaken it was designed to replicate colors produced by fujifilm fujichrome velvia hence the name

really liking it so far!