Need better lighting for baby pictures... Will this work?

ozzmodan wrote in post #17093977
The problem with any continuous lighting is that it doesn't throw nearly as much light as a flash or strobe. You can get a larger light source by throwing a flash through a couple layers of diffusion (such as a softbox or softlighter).

That's why I was wondering about this item. A flash is too much for what I'm wanting. I just need a little more light sometimes.

For your own baby, open up the blinds and use window light with a simple reflector during the right time of day. Hard to beat that, honestly, without a big octabox.

That LED light will be garbage worse than a pop up flash and blinding light.

reefvilla wrote in post #17094034
That's why I was wondering about this item. A flash is too much for what I'm wanting. I just need a little more light sometimes.

are you using ETTL or Manual flash settings?

reefvilla wrote in post #17094034
That's why I was wondering about this item. A flash is too much for what I'm wanting. I just need a little more light sometimes.

Yes, but you can turn a flash way down if you like. You can also use a much bigger modifier to give you a much softer & more wrapping light. The light from a flash isn't harsh or overbearing if properly diffused.

As tkbslc said, if you have access to a large window, that would be the ideal (& free!)

reefvilla wrote in post #17094034
That's why I was wondering about this item. A flash is too much for what I'm wanting. I just need a little more light sometimes.

1/128th from a Speedlite shouldn't be too much. If anything, I think you'd be at 1/32 or 1/16th... at roughly f/4, 1/200th, ISO 100.

I'll have to toss up some pictures I took later this evening...

ETTL..

I'll give it another try and mess around a bit. I have a look in my head I'm going for and I haven't been able to achieve so far.

Have you dialed in any -FEC?

Are you shooting with your flash on-camera or off-camera?

reefvilla wrote in post #17094132
ETTL..

go to Manual flash settings and as said above, dial it down to 1/64 (or 1/128 if it goes that low), bounce it off the wall or ceiling and see how much of an effect it has vs no flash. It may not be exactly what you are looking for, but i think you will see that it is pretty low power.

I think you'd be wasting your money with that LED flash you asked about. I say that for a variety of reasons too cumbersome to list here and I think you'd come to the same conclusion once you have some experience with both flash and natural light under your belt.

This guy knows his stuff.

http://neilvn.com …-flash-and-ambient-light/

Any time I have shot my twins it is either natural light with reflectors or I use a 40" brolly box with the speedlight at the lowest setting typically. The large brolly box makes it where they don't even notice the light really.

Sample pics....

Small lamp on the left....

IMAGE LINK: http://s33.photobucket​.com …a/2a_zpsf41c500​6.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://s33.photobucket​.com …a/1a_zps8ec132e​6.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://s33.photobucket​.com …ia/5_zpsaba2b01​1.jpg.html

woah, you have either a white balance problem or a color profile problem on those first two images. Looks like a white balance issue but it's hard to tell because the embedded EXIF thumbnail looks okay.

you have the flash, go ahead and slap it on the camera and point it over your shoulder to see what happens. Also, zoom in. It will mean the flash is farther away from your kid that might help. I would be using the 70-200 II for dang near every shot i could. The 24-105 is no good for close portraits under 50mm and besides, you have the Sig 35 for that.

cute little bugger.

I use my Linco Flora for babies. I packs 6 100w equivalent LED bulbs. It is 36" so it provides a large light source. A reflector on the opposite side if needed. But you could use a 60" umbrella for an even larger light source. Babies don't seem to mind constant light, but flash can be upsetting.

BrickR wrote in post #17096147
I use my Linco Flora for babies. I packs 6 100w equivalent LED bulbs. It is 36" so it provides a large light source. A reflector on the opposite side if needed. But you could use a 60" umbrella for an even larger light source. Babies don't seem to mind constant light, but flash can be upsetting.

This all sounds great but I'm just wanting to take some nice candid shots with even lighting, not a full on "session".
I really just need to learn how to use my flash. I'm using an older 430ex ii but I just ordered a 600ex-rt so that will give me some motivation to figure it out.