{"id":81,"date":"2007-10-25T02:52:26","date_gmt":"2007-10-25T02:52:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/planetneil.com\/tangents\/2007\/10\/25\/directional-light-from-your-on-camera-flash\/"},"modified":"2017-08-24T16:58:38","modified_gmt":"2017-08-24T20:58:38","slug":"directional-light-from-your-on-camera-flash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/directional-light-from-your-on-camera-flash\/","title":{"rendered":"Directional light from your on-camera flash"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Directional light from your on-camera bounce flash<\/h1>\n

Most often when photographers start using their flashguns out of the directly-forward position, they move the flash head to point 45\u2019 or 90\u2019 upward. The idea here is to bounce flash off the ceiling. Even though this is an improvement in most cases over using the flashgun pointing directly forward, this is also most often not ideal. We can improve on this.<\/p>\n

If we consider how studio lights are set up, we\u2019ll rarely see a light source directly overhead of our subject. Top lighting just isn\u2019t as flattering as light coming in from an angle to the subject. And in the same way, why would we want to bounce flash directly overhead of our subjects?<\/p>\n

The subtitle of this post should be: You don’t really need that Lightsphere<\/a> <\/em>.
\n(Or whatever is the flavor of light modifier for this particular month.)<\/p>\n

We need to consider the direction of our light carefully. <\/strong>This is one of the areas in which we can really set ourselves apart as photographers \u2013 by carefully choosing the direction our light falls onto our subject, we can control the mood of the photograph completely.<\/p>\n

We have to think of the actual area that we\u2019re bouncing light off, as our light source \u2013 and not of the flashgun as our light source.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"On-Camera<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>
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On-Camera Flash Photography – revised edition<\/h2>\n

This book is explains a cohesive and thorough approach to getting the best from your on-camera speedlight.<\/p>\n

Particular care was taken to present it all with a logical flow that will help any photographer attain a better understanding of flash photography.<\/p>\n

You can either purchase a copy via\u00a0Amazon USA<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Amazon UK<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0or can be ordered through Barnes & Nobles and other bookstores. The book\u00a0is also available on the Apple iBook Store, as well as Amazon Kindle.\nAlso check out the Amazon Kindle store.<\/p>\n

Learn more about\u00a0how\u00a0the cover image<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0was shot.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>

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Looking at this, we can see that the direction of light <\/strong>came from slightly behind the subject to the camera\u2019s left. The light falling on the bride was from a single on-camera<\/strong> speedlight.<\/p>\n

A very important point here is that there is there is no light coming from \u2018camera\u2019s viewpoint\u2019. \u00a0In other words, from our viewpoint (which is the camera\u2019s viewpoint), there is no light coming from directly forward. \u00a0Therefore, instead of a flat even light, we have directional light. Light is coming in from the side, and creating that interplay between light and shade that creates shape and gives dimension to our subjects.\u00a0The exact way that flash was bounced here, was by pointing the flashhead 45\u2019 swiveled to the camera\u2019s left, and tilted about 30\u2019 up.<\/p>\n

To stop any direct flash falling onto the bride, I blocked the strobe with my left hand. This way I shielded the light from her, and the light from the flashgun fell onto the wall to the camera\u2019s left, and slightly behind where she was sitting. \u00a0So in effect, our light source is coming from above and slightly behind our bride. This way we\u2019re mimicking the effect that a large softbox would\u2019ve given us. \u00a0It is crucial here that we see that the light was not bounced on the ceiling, or even behind us.<\/p>\n

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Another very important point here to remember is, if your subject can see any part of your flashhead, then you are indeed getting direct flash. Or at least a measure of direct flash. Most often this is not flattering. The entire reason why we are bouncing flash, is to create softer light. And direct light from your flashgun will most often not be flattering and negate the quality of light we\u2019re trying to achieve.<\/p>\n

Bouncing the light on the ceiling would\u2019ve given darker eye-sockets and that \u2018raccoon eyes\u2019 effect. Bouncing light behind us, would\u2019ve given us much softer light from our flashgun than direct flash would\u2019ve given us \u2013 but this would\u2019ve produced light that is too flat.<\/p>\n

Any off-the-shelf light modifier would\u2019ve thrown too much forward, spilling directly on the bride\u2019s face. That direct light would\u2019ve been unflattering.<\/p>\n

No flash modifier was used, aside from my hand blocking light. That introduces a color cast, so since then, I’ve started using\u00a0the black foamie thing<\/a>\u00a0as my choice of on-camera light modifier to get this quality of light.<\/p>\n

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On-camera flash modifier \u2013 the black foamie thing<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
I use the black foamie thing (BFT) as a truly inexpensive flash modifier to flag my on-camera flash to give me lighting indoors that truly look nothing like on-camera flash.The\u00a0piece of foam<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(Amazon<\/em>), can be ordered via this link. I cut the sheet into smaller pieces.

The BFT is held in position by two\u00a0hair bands<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(Amazon<\/em>), and the BFT is usually placed on the\u00a0under-side<\/strong>\u00a0of the flash-head.

The linked articles will give clearer instruction, especially the\u00a0video clip on using the black foamie thing<\/a>.<\/div>\n

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Camera settings &\u00a0photo gear (or equivalents) used<\/h2>\n