On-camera flash

dbruno

Hi - I would like opinions from people as to what they don't like about this photo. Straight out of the camera, no nothing, no corrections, only the LR correction for the lens. Please don't be shy. When I get a few opinions, I will give some details, and also why I was asking.

Thanks - Dave

CanonJay

I will take a stab at it. The yellow between the ladies. Also the misc people to the right of the photograph and/or the partial head in the lower right of the frame. All together a nice photo and nothing wrong with it at all. 

-Jay

dbruno

Jay - Thanks. Completely untouched and not yet cropped. Dave

dbruno

So, I haven't really gotten much of a response, but I do appreciate what was suggested.

The biggest thing I was for was "Oh Geez, the lighting is Awful!" The reason for that, and I know it's a big no-no on here, is that I used direct on-camera flash through a small, 8-inch octagonal softbox.

I do this a lot. When I was first starting out, I saw an Adorama lesson about on-camera flash portraits outdoors. The instructor faced the person away from the sun/bright sky, exposed for the background (it was nice, not unpleasant), and used direct flash to fill (no modifier whatsoever.

Neil has told me in situations like this, he has camera in one hand, Speeddite in the other on a cord. When I asked about that being difficult for a long event, his response was "Tough it out".

I continue to use this method in the bright outdoors. But never, since I joined this forum, indoors. I've tried it once, and it's not good.

Now, if I can only find something like what I have which is easier to take on and off, it would be great. Here's the link to what I have (I bought mine on EBay):

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fotodiox-SB-Fldbl-8Oct-8-in-Octagon-Foldable-Flash-Softbox/879397528?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1148&adid=22222222227078657286&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=192080094193&wl4=pla-302481200831&wl5=9001881&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=112562587&wl11=online&wl12=879397528&wl13=&veh=sem

Dave

Neil vN

You did fine there with the flash. 

Not every situation warrants the 'big production' of off- camera flash. 

I often use direct on-camera fill-flash like this ... when I just want a touch of fill-flash. 

Here are the two extremes:

On-camera TTL fill-flash 
How to overpower bright sunlight with on-camera flash

and more on the topic: On-camera flash outdoors

dbruno

Thanks, Neil. Sometimes I just can't see any way around it.

Dave