I just bought a 430ex

So now the questions, first of all, I did read the book, it was short and just went over what the controls where, but not really how to use them.

So, Im using the 430ex in a club tonite (Hard Rock Cafe) I was in a bar the other nite and tried the following settings and failed:

Lens: 18-55mm Kit Lens
Mode: M
Appeture: f/6.7-8
Shutter: 1/60
ISO: 200
Diffuser: Sto-Fen Omni Bounce

I had the flash set on what I thought was manual. Please help me out.

I have the 430EX and have success leaving the flash in program mode but using the camera in manual mode. I'll set the camera settings myself and let the flash figure out what it wants to do. Maybe you can try that next time. I used it inside my apartment when I was practicing with the flash unit.

Can we see the shots?

I'm new to flash photog too...just got my Sigma last week.

If your flash is set to manual, and your camera is set to manual...how are you planning to meter the scene? Wouldn't you need to use a lightmeter to do this? Why not set your flash to E-TTL?

lhoney2 wrote in post #2688180
Can we see the shots?

That would be a good ideal so that folks can see what is going on. I don't use flash alot so I practiced what I typed earlier before doing an indoor event.

here one of the pics:

You said you failed and i was expecting a poorly lit image. The image is exposed. Did you point the flash straight on or at a 45* angle? How close were you? I see a hot spot on the young lady's face, but I like the exposure. I'm sure others will chime in now that they have an image to see.

ChrisBlaze wrote in post #2688012
I had the flash set on what I thought was manual. Please help me out.

Manual flash requires a thorough understanding of the relationship of light, distance, aperture and ISO. Even those with this understanding would rarely use manual flash in a dynamic situation as you describe. The Sto-Fen makes use of manual flash even more problematic.

Start with the camera in Manual mode and the flash in E-TTL mode. Take it one step at a time. Get a feel for direct flash first, then graduate to bouncing and using the Sto-Fen.

Every shot you take with flash is a double exposure: An ambient light exposure and a flash exposure. Using flash effectively requires knowing how to manage both exposures. There is a definite learning curve.

Chapters 1 and 3 of Flash Photography 101 (link in my signature) should be of value, as well as the EOS Flash Bible.

The image you posted looks pretty good to me. Tell us what you don't like about it.

Curtis N wrote in post #2688386
Manual flash requires a thorough understanding of the relationship of light, distance, aperture and ISO. Even those with this understanding would rarely use manual flash in a dynamic situation as you describe. The Sto-Fen makes use of manual flash even more problematic.

Start with the camera in Manual mode and the flash in E-TTL mode. Take it one step at a time. Get a feel for direct flash first, then graduate to bouncing and using the Sto-Fen.

Every shot you take with flash is a double exposure: An ambient light exposure and a flash exposure. Using flash effectively requires knowing how to manage both exposures. There is a definite learning curve.

Chapters 1 and 3 of Flash Photography 101 (link in my signature) should be of value, as well as the EOS Flash Bible.

The image you posted looks pretty good to me. Tell us what you don't like about it.

sorry I meant to say I thought I had the flash in Auto.

Also, if I put the camera manual and the flash in ETTL, does the camera's exposure account for what the flash can and can not do? The only reason I used the Sto-Fen was because I was told that using the flash without a diffuser causes a harsh look.

I will be reading Flash Photography 101 tomorrow evening.

ironbelle wrote in post #2688329
I see a hot spot on the young lady's face, but I like the exposure. I'm sure others will chime in now that they have an image to see.

No spot healing, I shot RAW so I sharpened and converted it to jpeg in PS.

Okay, sounds like you did what I do when I use the flash. The flash was on auto and the camera in manual mode. Curtis seems to know alot about flash work and also thinks the image is fine. There's always going to be a bright spot somewhere when you use a flash(IMO) but I wasn't pointing out the women's face for that fact. That was the only thing I could find to pick at on the photo so to me, the photo is fine. I think you did fine inside the HardRock. I too will be reading the flash bible. I'm not a flash person, but if I want to start taking more of the pictures that I want to take(fashion) I need to know flash. I just got into flash since buying my digital SLR.

When the camera is in manual mode, it does exactly what you tell it. It opens the shutter and stops down the aperture according to what you set. The E-TTL flash system will account for any ambient contribution and attempt to properly expose the shot as long as it has enough power. If your combination of distance, aperture and ISO require more power than the flash has, the shot will be underexposed and you'll need to adjust accordingly.

ChrisBlaze wrote in post #2688423
The only reason I used the Sto-Fen was because I was told that using the flash without a diffuser causes a harsh look.

This just proves you can't believe everything you hear. If your shots look "harsh" (and that's a somewhat vague term that means different things to different people), it's usually not the flash unit's fault, and it's not necessarily something a plastic diffuser can solve. If those things magically improved every shot, they would be standard equipment on flash units.

The Sto-Fen can be useful when you have low-white ceilings or other suitable surfaces to bounce some light off, but they also waste a lot of light and reduce the flash unit's effective range. Such devices need to be used with care.

When I shoot in manual mode without a flash, I keep an eye on my exposure meter and adjust shutter speed/aperture as necessary.

When I shoot with flash in E-TTL mode....does the meter on the camera reflect the flash being used or is it still showing a reading for non-flash?

lhoney2 wrote in post #2688550
When I shoot with flash in E-TTL mode....does the meter on the camera reflect the flash being used or is it still showing a reading for non-flash?

The meter measures only ambient light, and will indicate the potential ambient light contribution to a flash photograph.

Curtis N wrote in post #2688504
The Sto-Fen can be useful when you have low-white ceilings or other suitable surfaces to bounce some light off, but they also waste a lot of light and reduce the flash unit's effective range. Such devices need to be used with care.

So I should be shooting with the diffuser off and it should only be used when bouncing?

Also, when shooting in low light ( like the picture above), in manual the best way to go? Or should I use Av or Tv?

More questions:
1.In E-TTL mode on your flash, what information does the flash use to determine how much power it needs to output? Is it solely based on focal length and angle of attack?

2. When shooting in dark handheld conditions like the OP was...your ambient light meter becomes useless, right? With your camera in manual mode, do you just use a f-stop/shutter speed that you have found, through experience, to be good in this setup?

3. How does your flash allow for being bounced...or does it? Does it automatically put out more power when used at different angles?

Thanks,
Lonnie