The previous post about metering modes was all set to be part of the on-going theme where I look at search engine queries, answering a selection of 10 questions more specifically. But then it expanded into something longer than just a quick reply. Same with today’s post. It was going to be a short explanation, but then expanded into something which is probably better as a stand-alone post. The question was stated in an interesting way:
do natural light photographers always use fill flash?
The question curiously implies that you might not find natural light which is perfect. However, as photographers, that is something we’re constantly searching for: perfect light. It is out there, somewhere. So, resisting the temptation to just answer with a cheeky “no”, let’s consider an example of when you would not want or need fill-flash.
The thing with natural light, is that you have to look at it. You have to look at the direction of light. And see whether it gives you the quality of light that you need …
‘Quality’ here could mean a number of things, depending on what we need. Quality could mean how even the light is. As opposed to splotchy dappled light. Quality could mean the color balance. It really comes down to whether the natural light / ambient light is exactly what would make the photograph work.
With this photograph above, I was working with this couple under a high awning outside a train station. No light from directly above. Just light coming in from an angle to the side. Great. I then purposely posed Jessica so that the light comes in over her shoulder and lights up her face. Clean open light on her.
The approach here is a technique which can consistently be used. It is very much the same idea as described in the post on direction of light and choice of background.
I want to emphasize here that I didn’t just have the couple stand in a random spot. If they were half turned away from the light coming in from the side, then the light on her face might have been uneven, and her eyes might’ve been too shaded. The pose here is quite specific in regards to the direction of the available light. With that, we just didn’t need to augment the available light with flash. The light was perfect. But we had to control it.
Controlling the light here was much more easily done by directing how the couple was angled towards the light. Simpler than adding reflectors and softboxes and such. Or alternately, moving the sun and clouds around. You have to work within your capabilities. ; )
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Also join us on the Tangents forum for further discussions.
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Nice simple answer. Sometimes I’ll see photographers trying to *make* a particular outdoor location work for quite a while. Throw up shades, reflectors, softboxes… while these are all wonderful methods of lighting a subject anywhere, I find (as a solo shooter constantly without an assistant) that simply walking a little and finding a location with perfect natural light is more efficient.
Comment by Josh Liba — February 4, 2011 @ 11:43 am
Beautiful example of using of natural light!
Cheers
Comment by Carlos A — February 4, 2011 @ 2:28 pm
Hello there Neil,
Neil, how do you manage in situations that you dont have an assistant to handle the flash out of the camera? (I think this is the most common cenario)
Do you:
– Try to get your ideas with the flash in the top of the camera (easy to handle, but hard to give the exactly idea you want)
OR
– Use a tripod, to put the flash on the right position (good to manage the exactly position of the flash, but hard to handle.. – once you have to go.. change the position.. take the photo… change again the position.. take the photo..)
?
Best regards,
Victor Godinho
Comment by Victor Godinho — February 4, 2011 @ 2:57 pm
Comment by Neil vN — February 7, 2011 @ 12:56 am
Neil,
Please allow me to challenge the Ph.D. of Lighting (?) with a daunting attempt to rephrase his entire post in a single phrase:
“If the natural light comes from the same direction, in the same quality and quantity that you would get when using flash, then the “natural light only”-way is definitely to consider”
Does it make sense to use this as a starting point?
Sorry but I’m a big fan of catch-phrases… ;-)
Best regs,
Roel
Comment by Roel — February 7, 2011 @ 5:13 am
Comment by Neil vN — February 7, 2011 @ 5:39 am
*scratches head*
*mumbles something about Ph.D.’s often being wiseguys…*
*mumbles something ’bout Ph.D.’s also often being damn right too…*
;-)
Comment by Roel — February 7, 2011 @ 4:41 pm
When does the flash become the main light as opposed to the fill in light?
i.e. if I’m shootin and boucing flash of a couple in a dark church but have measure ambient exposure – say 1/30 at f2.8 – I don’t want a shutter speed less that 1/60 – is it the shutter speed that determines when it becomes the main light/fill light? in this case do i ignore the ambient light and just fire the bounce flash using TTL?
Comment by Martin Spence — February 9, 2011 @ 7:20 am
Comment by Neil vN — February 12, 2011 @ 4:15 am