Red-Ringed Tupperware Party with (ineffective) Tin Foil Hats (4)

Okay... I finished editing my daughter's first outing with the 20D. She was adamant about having me set the focus to custom fn 4 but now I wish I hadn't let her sway me.....she forgot to use it more than half the time!
Her job was to take photos of her friend's guests as they arrived at the reception. I gave her my 50mm lens and she did a decent job (all but four came out in focus).

OK...this has only been cropped to 8x10 format for composition purposes...and then a touch of USM....300/.7/0

Sized to 800 pixels and posted...the original looks quite sharp...as does a test print.

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif'

Woolburr wrote in post #4160253
Use the bracket if you have it...you will like the results.

I do. I got the one you recommended to Permie (except mine is the much more attractive gold).

Should I still bounce it, or go direct? If I go direct, should I use the diffuser.

T.D. wrote in post #4160273
I do. I got the one you recommended to Permie (except mine is the much more attractive gold).

Should I still bounce it, or go direct? If I go direct, should I use the diffuser.

Bounce it....otherwise you will have unwanted shadows. I use my diffuser 90% of the time. The only time I use direct flash is outdoors where the background is endless and I usually set the FEC to -1.

I bounce and use a Stofen Omni-bounce...Yoda uses direct...

Maureen Souza wrote in post #4160302
Bounce it....otherwise you will have unwanted shadows. I use my diffuser 90% of the time. The only time I use direct flash is outdoors where the background is endless and I usually set the FEC to -1.

Woolburr wrote in post #4160310
I bounce and use a Stofen Omni-bounce...Yoda uses direct...

Thanks guys. I appreciate the input.

Luckily, I'm just doing this for fun, so the results aren't critical.

Maureen Souza wrote in post #4160302
Bounce it....otherwise you will have unwanted shadows. I use my diffuser 90% of the time. The only time I use direct flash is outdoors where the background is endless and I usually set the FEC to -1.

One more clarification. When you use the diffuser, you don't dial down the flash do you (inside)?

Sounds like the perfect opportunity to do some experimenting then!

Woolburr wrote in post #4160329
Sounds like the perfect opportunity to do some experimenting then!

Zactly!

I use ETTL...and don't dial in any comp when bouncing.

I need to pick up a diffuser before Thurs. I have no idea what to buy. And I need to be able to get it local, because I never thought about it until today. Suggestions?

Permagrin wrote in post #4159998
What was wrong with your computer?

I was attempting to transfer a large amount of data (over 100 gigs) over the network from my network drive, to my external usb drive that i use for redundant storage before archiving to DVD.

ANYWAYS, my network connection would drop at random intervals and I would have to re-enable it to get it to work again, frustrating.

But I got it fixed, (and I will try to make this simple for the non-geeks...) basically I had set the NAS to send the data in a larger chunk than my computer was ready to receive thus, the computer threw a fit. I made the computer ready for the larger size and it seems to be working again.

Of course, just as I finished writing this it crapped itself after working for 2 solid hours... Hmmm.

Permagrin wrote in post #4160345
I need to pick up a diffuser before Thurs. I have no idea what to buy. And I need to be able to get it local, because I never thought about it until today. Suggestions?

Permie, I have the stofen. It is easy and works great. I also have a little blow up thingy by Photoflex that I got used one time. Never really used it, but I'm going to start.

You are totally welcome to borrow my stofen if you want to. I'm serious. It's yours if you want it. I only need it today.

T.D. wrote in post #4160368
Permie, I have the stofen. It is easy and works great. I also have a little blow up thingy by Photoflex that I got used one time. Never really used it, but I'm going to start.

You are totally welcome to borrow my stofen if you want to. I'm serious. It's yours if you want it. I only need it today.

Oh, and did I ever show you my RRN homemade versions that I made? I saw these diffusers for sale for about $30. I made one from stuff I bought at the craft store for less than $2. They work!

Personally I would play with direct flash indoors as well, play with balancing the exposures and you can get some awesome results.

a la, http://strobist.blogsp​ot.com …ncing-light-twilight.html

Bouncing is great for when you don't want to think about the flash work though imho (I.E. Weddings.)