Trying to get fill flash that doesn't look flashed. Is this ok?

forgive me, for I pointed the flash directly at my wife! We were hiking and she really didn't want her pic taken, either.

I'm trying to get fill flash down outdoors with darkened BG, illuminate subject but not give the obvious appearance of being flashed. Looking for more of a natural look and not overly bright nuked flash look.

Am I getting there? Any help and direction would certainly be appreciated. thank you.

looks good to me.

I think it looks ok. But if you really don't like it, i think it is because your fill is a bit strong. dial it a bit down may help. And i think since the sun is behind her, so you are literally using your flash for main exposure, not so much filling.

cheungupdt wrote in post #10872305
I think it looks ok. But if you really don't like it, i think it is because your fill is a bit strong. dial it a bit down may help. And i think since the sun is behind her, so you are literally using your flash for main exposure, not so much filling.

I had a feeling we still had a bit of room to dial the flash power DOWN a notch or two. Thanks for confirming for me.

At some point, it's going to become a matter of taste when balancing the ambient light, underexposed BG and the subject with what makes the most sense to the photographer. Also, I'm definitely a 'less-is-more' guy by nature, but you've confirmed to me that perhaps more 'less' is needed. And this was the LEAST obviously flashed of the set!

Thanks for your comments. Appreciate your input.

dave

c2thew wrote in post #10872261
looks good to me.

Thanks. I think I'm getting there. Practice. More practice!

dave

Fill flash looks obvious because of the position, colour and the size of the light source, not just how bright it is. Your shot looks even and not overdone, but it still stands out as being flashed - there are no shadows at all under the eye-sockets and the highlights are specular and crisp.

If you really want to overcome it, get the flash off camera (at least an off-shoe cord - the yongnuo & similar ones on eBay are v/cheap and work just as well as the original) and learn to add light in a way that fits in with scene. On the beach I bounce light off the sand or the water just in front of the model. Indoors you can bounce light off the ceiling or shoot it through net curtains. Avoid the small-bright catchlights that direct flash produces - very large, soft-edged & dim catchlights are what you'd expect to see in a non-flashed shot.

snyderman wrote in post #10872189
I'm trying to get fill flash down outdoors with darkened BG, illuminate subject but not give the obvious appearance of being flashed. Looking for more of a natural look and not overly bright nuked flash look.

It sounds like you don't like the harsh look of the direct flash. You can either bounce it, like was suggested, or you could get a flash mount diffuser that would greatly help soften the flash.

Try setting your WB for flash, it'll warm up the skin tones a bit and have it look more natural.

GenuineRolla wrote in post #10874382
Try setting your WB for flash, it'll warm up the skin tones a bit and have it look more natural.

Thanks for the tip. WB was wierd on that shot. Because my wife was surrounded by green foilage, (trees on all sides, grass, etc.) guess what color here skin was?!!! She really picked up a green cast that was difficult to eliminate in post-processing!

dave

I personally think that this is very well done. Most lookers here will recognize that it was flashed with the fill characteristics and specular in her eyes, all signs of a well done portrait. As far as white balance, gelling may be the answer.

As suggested, getting the flash off-camera would change it also. Typically, setting the flash up at an opposing angle to the sun. Another option would be to use a gelled flash (or reflector) from, in this example, camera right kind've wrapping the existing light source around from the big giant yellow ball.

Unless you already have, you could try playing around with pp in lightroom, specifically the exposure, recovery and fill light sliders

off camera, reduce exposure when you r that close, and get a diffuser. stofen works well...

you are getting there. Pretty model by the way....

scubthebub wrote in post #10873108
...or you could get a flash mount diffuser that would greatly help soften the flash.

pictureperf wrote in post #10892884
off camera, reduce exposure when you r that close, and get a diffuser. stofen works well...

Diffusers such as the Stofen product or Fong's products will do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to "soften" the light in a situation like that shown in the sample photograph in the first post. The reason is that the effective size of the flash source is not changed, and it's simply size of the effective light source that "softens" light by allowing light to reach the subject from a wider set of angles to put some light into the shadows.

Plastic diffusers such as the Stofen do very little more than waste light and thus battery power when used in places where there are no nearby reflective surfaces at the sides and rear of the diffuser to bounce the light back toward the subject.

Moving the light and/or using a large reflector could improve the look in the sample photo.

^ 150% agreed with Skip's explanation...