Fill flash when outdoors

I've been reading the various stickied posts and stuff off Google queries, but I wasn't entirely sure about this issue.

If outdoors and using an external flash unit for fill light, is the operator simply using direct flash? Since it's just open air/sky, pointing the unit up didn't seem like it would do anything.

Generally speaking, direct flash is best for outdoors. If you are in the shade, you may find you get better results with the in flash bounce card, but your basically just reducing the power of the light.

I just came back from Disney, and spent the entire trip with my 580 mounted to my camera. I shot on AE with the flash set at -2/3 compensation, as a guide.

Below are two before and after shots.

The first, no fill:

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO

My fill flash is generally on camera flash, direct.

The earth's atmosphere generally won't bounce much light back into your field of view. Diffusers waste light and won't help you in that environment, either.

Use direct flash outdoors.

Yeah I was going to say you would be hard pressed to bounce off the sky. When using my pop up flash on my 20D apparently you can set it to fill but I'm yet to work out how.

ThomGascoigne wrote in post #6602094
When using my pop up flash on my 20D apparently you can set it to fill but I'm yet to work out how.

Adjust your Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC) to get the results you want.

You'll want to use high speed sync a lot of the time outside during the day too.

solinger wrote in post #6602175
You'll want to use high speed sync a lot of the time outside during the day too.

...but unfortunately the HSS renders the flash quite weak in its ability for the light to reach out much distance, relative to the ambient light

Curtis N wrote in post #6602143
Adjust your Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC) to get the results you want.

Choice!

Thanks mate

Wilt wrote in post #6602737
...but unfortunately the HSS renders the flash quite weak in its ability for the light to reach out much distance, relative to the ambient light

Very true. My flash use is 99.99% of time time solely for enhancing the ambient light so it's the standard setting for me. I often live life believing my way is the only way

solinger wrote in post #6603405
I often live life believing my way is the only way

... But I thought you were married?

Curtis N wrote in post #6603623
... But I thought you were married?

Yeah, my philosophies sometimes cause a little friction