In the recent article — The simplicity of on-camera bounce flash — the flash was used as fill light to "clean up" the light and give a sparkle to the eyes. In that scenario, as fill-flash the flash didn't really add directional light or shape the light on our subject. Where on-camera bounce flash is our only / main light source, then we can get creative with the direction of light and shape an interesting, dynamic light pattern on our subject. We can even create short lighting for our portraits created with only on-camera bounce flash. To Read more inside...
When photographing wedding receptions, I would ideally like to get away with just one on-camera flash that I bounce off surfaces behind me. A venue with (close to) white ceilings and walls are just perfect. Super easy. Even with really high ceilings, I try to make it work. Here for example, I used a single bare on-camera flash to light up the entire place -- Wedding reception lighting with one flash. No diffuser cup or white bounce card. Bare flash with the Black Foamie Thing. But occasionally I reach the dead-end of a venue with black Read more inside...
How to make your on-camera flash NOT look like on-camera flash
I was quite honored to be invited by the team at Zeiss Camera Lenses Americas, to take part in their series of Youtube Live events, appropriately called 'Conversations'. My friend, Tracy, who you might remember from a previous "Two Perspectives" video, where we photographed headshots on location in New York. The topic that Tracy asked me about, is one that regular followers of the Tangents blog will be familiar with - How to make your on-camera flash NOT look like on-camera flash. This Youtube Live event was held via a Read more inside...
Many of the tutorials and articles on the Tangents blog deals with getting the best from your on-camera flash. My approach has always been one of - what technique would give me the best light? Of course, there are so many different scenarios we could find ourselves in - so we have to adapt to where we are, and what we want to achieve.
With on-camera flash, I've always pushed back against the idea of there being a single do-everything device that will make your flash photography look better. Specifically with light and lighting, We Read more inside...
Bounce flash vs. Available light vs. Using the videographer's light
The expressive trumpet player in the band at a wedding - a simple portrait of this musician, sweetened with some bounce flash. The light on his face, is by now perhaps predictably, on-camera bounce flash with the black foamie thing. Looking at the light pattern on his face, you'll see there was no direct flash of any kind.
camera settings: 1/60 @ f2.8 @ 2000 ISO // TTL flash
Nikon D3; Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 AF-S VR II; Nikon SB-910 Speedlight
In comparison, here are a few other images. One with no flash, Read more inside...
an example of using on-camera bounce flash outside
This photograph of our model, Precious, taken during a flash photography workshop, is an example from the practical session where we used areas outside to bounce our flash off. By adding that bit of light from our on-camera speedlights, we can sweeten the existing light.
Working in the early evening in lower light levels, it becomes easier to get effective light from our speedlight even when bounced off the side of a building.
camera settings: 1/60 @ f3.2 @ 800 ISO - on-camera TTL flash, bounced.
Nikon D3; Nikon 24-70mm f2.8G Read more inside...
This photo of Precious, a model at a photography workshop, was taken during part of the practical session where emphasis was placed on getting soft directional light from an on-camera speedlight. The trick here is to absolutely have no hint of light coming from the camera's view-point. To do this, I once again used the Black Foamie Thing to control the light from my on-camera speedlight, shielding the light from the flash. I pointed my speedlight 90' to my left, so that the light reflected back towards our model from that Read more inside...
When I am stuck in an area where there aren't any white or near-white surfaces to bounce my flash off, I will look around for alternate areas. In the image above, I bounced off the wood paneling and brick walls in this large enclosed entrance area of a restaurant.
As most of you already know, the problem with the bounce flash technique, is that you will pick up the color cast of the area that you are bouncing your flash off. When this color cast is slightly warm, it is often simple enough just to switch to a Daylight White Balance. This Read more inside...
There is a fundamental principle in lighting : the larger your light source, the softer your light.
Using any of the myriad of flash modifiers that are on offer, helps in achieving that - spreading the light from the on-camera Speedlight much wider, thereby creating softer light that direct flash would've given. However, (and this is a big however), these flash modifiers also throw light forward. Ultimately all flash modifiers do the same thing - they disperse a lot of light around the room, while throwing some measure of light directly Read more inside...
