Any photographers use natural light only?

adam8080 wrote in post #5782521
Direct flash flash sucks. The only time I use it is when I have nothing to bounce it off of, and it is too dark not to use it. Bounce it off anything you can find, you shirt, your hand, the wall behind you, but be aware of what those will do to the light.

Open up your aperture. The larger your aperture, the more ambient light you will let it and allow the scene to look more natural.

Bump up the ISO. Just because you are using a flash doesn't mean that you should shoot at ISO 200. Use the flash in addition to the light that is already there. I normally shoot at ISO 1600 at 2.8 with a flash; just make sure you don't under expose the image. And shooting RAW will help your mistakes.

Slow down your shutter speed. Do you really need to shoot at 1/60 or can you get away with 1/30. Lean up against a wall or use a tripod/monopod to steady your shot. A little motion blur never hurt anyone. Watch our for camera shake though.

Did I mention bounce the flash!

thanks for the tips. i'll try them and see how i go. btw, why do you use flash at ISO1600? is that cos you're using a shutter speed of 1/30? what's the benefit of that?

It will allow more natural light to enter the frame. I can normally get away with just using a touch of flash, and you can hardly tell.

adam8080 wrote in post #5782568
It will allow more natural light to enter the frame. I can normally get away with just using a touch of flash, and you can hardly tell.

silly me...of course! can't wait to try it out tomorrow. i think i'll practise on the dogs!

Bartek wrote in post #5782150
Do you think these two photographers are "limiting themselves"?

www.jessicaclaire.net
www.jasminestarblog.co​m

yes, I know who they are and I've actually shot Jasmine and her hubby JD in Santa Barbara years ago. They are great at what they do. And yes, I think if they opened up more to flash, they would open up a whole new world of opportunities to kick even more ass with.

cricketboy75 wrote in post #5782574
silly me...of course! can't wait to try it out tomorrow. i think i'll practise on the dogs!

If you don't like noise in your shots, try ISO 1250 or 1000 instead. If you have to use a lot of flash for each shot, the high ISO trick won't make much of a difference.

adam8080 wrote in post #5782610
If you don't like noise in your shots, try ISO 1250 or 1000 instead. If you have to use a lot of flash for each shot, the high ISO trick won't make much of a difference.

thanks for the tip!

Bartek wrote in post #5782150
Do you think these two photographers are "limiting themselves"?

www.jessicaclaire.net
www.jasminestarblog.co​m

*AHEM* Jasmine does use off camera lighting, so no she is not limiting herself
http://www.jasminestar​blog.com/index.cfm?q=p​hotoflex&x=0&y=0

Bartek wrote in post #5776739
We do!

Nice work

I think you need to learn how to use both so you can effectively decide when its appropriate to stay with available or use strobes or a combo of both. I tend to use available when on location when ever possible. Sometimes the lighting will not allow it I then try to match color gels with the available. I shouldn't be a debate of one of the other but whats best in which situation and then the photographer needs to have the knowledge of which is best.

i used to use natural light exclusively. within the last year i've gotten into off camera flash...i'll occasionally use a stofen on camera and bounce the flash, but i hate direct flash, and i'm not a big fan of on camera flash either.

scorpio_e wrote in post #5785031
Nice work

Thank you sir!