Flash photography tips – Start with the ambient exposure
An icy cold day in the Meatpacking District in Manhattan … and a brave model that insisted on going bare feet during this Photo Shootout in New York. There were many familiar faces in today’s group amongst the new. Thank you to everyone who came up to me to introduce themselves, or re-introduce themselves.
I gave some instruction on some of the basics of manual off-camera flash to the group. We worked with a Q-flash and a softbox (and sometimes without the softbox), and a bunch of Pocketwizards that I handed to anyone in the group who didn’t have. It was a bit of the Wild West out there with the huge groups of photographers firing away. Hopefully everyone got some images they like, and even learned something about lighting.
And a little something for everyone else who wasn’t there – more info about the image at the top:
Start with the ambient exposure
Since we already had soft available light there, we used flash with the softbox to control our lighting better. While the available light might have been soft, it was top-heavy. To effectively use only the ambient light, we would’ve been limited to posing our model in specific ways. But with using flash in a softbox, we now had control over the quality of light.
The approach there in using flash in this scenario, was to figure out the available light exposure. Once we had agreement on what our settings would be … we under-exposed by a stop. Here’s the resulting under-exposed available light image. You can see that our model’s eyes would’ve been shaded.
settings: 1/250 @ f5.6 @ 200 ISO
Now we have to add manual flash (in a softbox), at f5.6 @ 200 ISO … by controlling the other two variables – distance and power.
And there you have it- correctly exposed flash that enhances the available light. It looks subtle and natural.
Related articles
- tutorial: Balancing flash & ambient exposure
- Various scenarios: Balancing flash with ambient light
- Flash + Ambient light
Photography workshops
- More info about upcoming photography workshops.
- Recap of previous photography workshops.
I wish that I lived closer to New York, it sure looks like the kinda event that many of your followers would have given their (pocket wizard?) to attend. I have a question. Could this have been shot in TTL at -1 stop and FEC on the flash for +1 stop with much the same results?
Allan
Allan .. Nikon and Canon handle exposure compensation differently for the automatic modes. And overall exposure compensation isn’t available with Canon when you shoot in manual.
I honestly have no idea how any particular camera would react in an auto mode, with EC and FEC set with TTL flash.
I strongly believe we just make it more difficult for ourselves then, since we now have to second guess the camera manufacturers’ algorithms they wrote for the camera and flash .. and then have to adjust both the EC and FEC. There are just too many variables.
For that reason, I find it simpler to work with manual exposure on my camera. Then my ambient exposure is whatever *I* say it is and should be. THEN I can add flash to the equation, whether manual flash or TTL flash.
This then eliminates one strong variable … ambient exposure. Then it becomes easier to make an educated guess about the TTL flash exposure. (As opposed to trying to figure out what TTL flash is going to do on top of an automatic exposure.)
So, sorry then. I can’t answer your question. I choose the simpler option. : )
Allan, that wouldn’t have been possible because there was nothing to bounce your flash of in that spot behind the photographers where the softbox was placed. If strange enough there had been that possibility to bounce I think you could’ve managed keeping the exposure for ambient (-1 stop) and leave FEC at 0. If not play a little with the FEC ;)
Neil, please correct me if I’m wrong :)
Jonas .. bounce flash has nothing to do whether we use manual flash or TTL flash.
Bounce flash is a choice regarding technique. As is the decision to use a softbox. Or any kind of light modifier.
Manual flash / TTL flash .. that’s an entirely different decision.
We could just as well have used TTL flash here with the softbox if we had used wireless TTL controllers.
Awesome shot! You make it all seem so easy! Hope to be able to attend a workshop one of these days!
Neil
“The approach there in using flash in this scenario, was to figure out the available light exposure. Once we had agreement on what our settings would be … we under-exposed by a stop. Here’s the resulting under-exposed available light image:”
Did you spot meter on the white dress to find this available light setting or chimp to satisfaction then under expose, leaving the shutter speed at 1/250 sync speed?
I could have. That would work. (Keeping in mind that we can’t simply spot-meter of this dress. We would have to push the exposure a bit to get correct exposure since the dress is white.)
What I did, (and instructed the group to do), was to take a general meter reading of the scene.
Neil,
Love the website and blog. I’d like to sign up for one of your two day workshops later this year. Any objection to non-Canon/Nikon gear? (I shoot Olympus). I’m assuming the concepts matter more than the specific dials and knobs?
Thanks,
Jeremy
Jeremy … using Olympus gear wouldn’t be a problem. I’ve had workshop attendees who use Olympus and Pentax and Sony as well.
The only limiting thing might be if you only had f/5.6 zooms.
Neil, Thank you so much for teaching and sharing that day.
Neil, thanks again for coming down and teaching us again. Its always great to hear what you can do with off camera flash.
Thanks Neil! It was great meeting you! My fave quotes from you were “guys…guys…breathe!”
William .. it was bemusing to watch some (actually most!) there just start firing away at a rapid rate without confirming what they’re getting. It also didn’t help my Q-flash in keeping up with so many people firing away … especially when they use the continuous mode / motor drive. You rarely ever would do that with manual flash in a static setup.
So yes, good advice then! Breathe inbetween firing shots off.