Author Topic: Using Fill Flash in daylight portraits (Read 2236 times)

Em5 Pete · « **on:** August 22, 2011, 12:56:55 PM »

OK, These are a test with a flash I haven't used for a while.. It was used as a Studio Fill originally, until I got a 2nd 320ws mono-light.

Should have used this with Shayla.... anyway....
not hard to do...

Here is what I did... F/stop varies according to your needs, I used f/8

1) Set the flash on "Auto" and f/8 at full power
2) Set the lens at f/8, on "Aperture Priority
3) Stay within the longest working distance for f/8 and full power. Or whatever f/stop you are using...
4) this will allow a natural balance with your person so they are not too dark because of the Exposure system setting, OR if the scene having a too large a dynamic range. That Is: High Contrast caused by the Direct Sun Light on your subject.

Results Follow..

Details

The bright blown out highlight on her chest/blouse seam is where the hats shadow ends....And her wrist is exposed to the Direct Sun Light...

Details

adash · « **Reply #1 on:** August 22, 2011, 01:07:54 PM »

That's a great one, great use of Fill Flash in daylight portraits.
Some underestimate the contrast that direct sunlight causes in portrait shots, but the situation is easy to rectify with fill flash. The only downside is that the aperture has to be closed down a bit in order for the exposure to be correct at max. sync speed, 1/180 in the case of E-P1 and most mid-range DSLRs.

Em5 Pete · « **Reply #2 on:** August 22, 2011, 01:55:37 PM »

Yes, I used 1/160s (highest sync speed), and f/8. basically to have the BG look natural.

I guess if used f/16 as my auto f/stop, the BG would be darker, and make a more dynamic portrait. My flashes range would then be to 13' not 26'.

This is NON-TTL flash when on my Camera, it is for a Canon ETTL (5 pins). So I use a Safe-sync hot-shoe to hot-shoe to make sure the 3 pins that may connect with the flash directly mounted on the Panny's have no way to do so. Although, the flash is safe without the safe-sync.. just that the pins are almost the same configuration.

adash · « **Reply #3 on:** August 22, 2011, 03:15:29 PM »

Quote

I guess if used f/16 as my auto f/stop, the BG would be darker

You could then lower the speed. That's a neat way to control how much of the light is natural and how much comes from the flashgun. Normal 1/focal length considerations are still in effect, unless you want a sharp portrait and a motion-blurred background.

Centauri27 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 22, 2011, 03:21:10 PM »

Will just setting the flash to TTL-Auto do the trick? I've had very mixed results in my limited trials of portrait fill flash with my Olympus flashes. Invariably, TTL-Auto results in a photo very similar to a no-flash shot (meaning, you can barely see the flash effect), whereas regular Auto gives a distinct "flash" look. I don't want to have to fiddle around with manual flash. I could play around with the flash exposure compensation I suppose. I seem to recall my old P&S Panasonic did a great job simply by forcing the flash to fire outdoors.

Em5 Pete · « **Reply #5 on:** August 22, 2011, 04:12:09 PM »

Quote from: Centauri27 on August 22, 2011, 03:21:10 PM

Will just setting the flash to TTL-Auto do the trick? I've had very mixed results in my limited trials of portrait fill flash with my Olympus flashes. Invariably, TTL-Auto results in a photo very similar to a no-flash shot (meaning, you can barely see the flash effect), whereas regular Auto gives a distinct "flash" look. I don't want to have to fiddle around with manual flash. I could play around with the flash exposure compensation I suppose. I seem to recall my old P&S Panasonic did a great job simply by forcing the flash to fire outdoors.

My flash has ETTL, but, that is for Canon DSLRs, So, I used it on Auto instead, and I am pleased with the results. I also used "A" mode my camera (G3), And the EXIF does show that the flash was fired, even though it was used as a non-ttl flash on a Wien Save-Sync shoe. But, using the camera's "A" mode, the G3 set the shutter speed to 1/160s anyway.

lisandra · « **Reply #6 on:** August 22, 2011, 09:02:31 PM »

ND filters for the world m5. Also, from a fellow panny shooter, panasonics suck at flash metering from the GH2/gf2 forward (the white balance at least), people come out looking super pale and muted. A bit of a nudge towards the warm side and maybe a bit of boost on the reds help tremendously.
TTL will do the trick as long as its TTLing on the right thing, if its metering on the brightest of the spots it wont work

Centauri27 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 23, 2011, 09:08:29 AM »

Quote from: lisandra on August 22, 2011, 09:02:31 PM

TTL will do the trick as long as its TTLing on the right thing, if its metering on the brightest of the spots it wont work

lisandra, are you saying that I might have better luck with my outdoor TTL fill-flash shots if I switched to spot metering and metered off the person's face before shooting?

Em5 Pete · « **Reply #8 on:** August 23, 2011, 09:59:24 AM »

TTL works better with center weighted metering. Since most the time, your subject will occupy that area more.

As far as ND filters, I guess you mean on the lens... that would allow a smaller f/stop at a higher sync speed, but, do nothing for bright Sun hot spots. That is the photographers job to [catch] that, and move the subject.

I don't own a TTL external flash, only a Olympus T32, and Sunpak 5000AF for a Canon DSLRs. But the Sunpak as 1/1 to 1/32 power, +/- adjustments on the unit.

lisandra · « **Reply #9 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:35:38 PM »

Quote from: Centauri27 on August 23, 2011, 09:08:29 AM

Quote from: lisandra on August 22, 2011, 09:02:31 PM
TTL will do the trick as long as its TTLing on the right thing, if its metering on the brightest of the spots it wont work

lisandra, are you saying that I might have better luck with my outdoor TTL fill-flash shots if I switched to spot metering and metered off the person's face before shooting?

you'll definitely have more consistent results with spot or center metering, do a test shot and adjust from there. You'll get exactly what you want. Especially if you're using that fl36

Centauri27 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 23, 2011, 03:16:10 PM »

Quote from: lisandra on August 23, 2011, 12:35:38 PM

you'll definitely have more consistent results with spot or center metering, do a test shot and adjust from there. You'll get exactly what you want. Especially if you're using that fl36

Thanks, lisandra. I'll give this a try--like many others, I've fallen into the trap of sticking with evaluative metering far too often. Do you think using spot/centre metering is a good idea for all flash shots? I've noticed the FL-14 (and maybe the FL-36R) has a terrible tendency to underexpose if there's anything bright/shiny in the frame--be it a white tablecloth or even someone's bald head! I'm guessing spot/centre metering will help me avoid this problem?

lisandra · « **Reply #11 on:** August 23, 2011, 10:11:15 PM »

I spot meter on the persons face and usually get very balanced results, face detection is supposed to do this and sometimes work remarkably good. Center weight works on portraits in the person is filling most of the frame. The trick here is practicing because every camera is different, but once you got it down the results are amazing. Dynamic range waaaay over the cameras reach (apparent dynamic range) and evenly lit everything without blown anything.

Centauri27 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 24, 2011, 09:31:57 AM »

Quote from: lisandra on August 23, 2011, 10:11:15 PM

face detection is supposed to do this and sometimes work remarkably good.

I find the E-P1's face detection to be remarkably weak--it frequently fails to find faces once the person is more than a few feet away, unlike Canon and other systems, where their face detection is tenacious. But yeah, when it detects, the pictures (esp. flash shots) are noticeably better.

Thanks for all the tips, lisandra--I'll be sure to try them out.

lisandra · « **Reply #13 on:** August 24, 2011, 02:54:08 PM »

canon have this down like theres no tomorrow, theyre on eye detection by now, where the camera focuses on the eye exactly and meter on the middle tone of the face

Centauri27 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 24, 2011, 03:29:23 PM »

Wow. The power of algorithms. I guess Oly is stuck using old technology in this regard.

peterb666 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 24, 2011, 06:18:41 PM »

Quote from: Centauri27 on August 24, 2011, 09:31:57 AM

Quote from: lisandra on August 23, 2011, 10:11:15 PM
face detection is supposed to do this and sometimes work remarkably good.

I find the E-P1's face detection to be remarkably weak--it frequently fails to find faces once the person is more than a few feet away...

I always had the face dectection turned off on the E-P1 as I perferred centre-weighted metering on that camera anyway.

On the other hand, the matrix metering and face dectection seem to work very well on the E-P3 and I am quite happy to use them.

lisandra · « **Reply #16 on:** August 31, 2011, 02:07:59 AM »

Im gonna hijack this thread since theres no point in making a new one about basically the same thing. I have a HSS flash (metz af48) so I can keep apertures moderate. This is at f5, ISO 200, click it to get the sharpness
This is from a sweet 15 BTW, waaay more work than a wedding, have you ever had a 15 year old for a boss?

Details

Em5 Pete · « **Reply #17 on:** August 31, 2011, 04:49:35 AM »

No Hijack....
I started this thread to discus "Fill-Flash" in daylight...

Never done a "Sweet #" shoot... but, I can believe it is a lot of work.
Nice shot.

Centauri27 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 31, 2011, 09:02:14 AM »

"Sweet 15"?? OMG--these kids can't even wait another year for the real thing!

Great fill flash in the shot though--this was spot metered off the face, with an on-camera flash?

lisandra · « **Reply #19 on:** August 31, 2011, 04:24:53 PM »

Quote from: Centauri27 on August 31, 2011, 09:02:14 AM

"Sweet 15"?? OMG--these kids can't even wait another year for the real thing!

Great fill flash in the shot though--this was spot metered off the face, with an on-camera flash?

Its a cultural thing, we dont do sweet 16s, we do sweet 15s (quinceañeras). A sweet 16 is done on the rare occasion a sweet 15 couldnt be done. But its the same thing.

Spot metered and spot focused on the face, with the metz AF 48 and a +0.7 on the flash itself. Gary fong diffuser with the dome on pointed towards her (instead of up).

I cant WAIT to have that 35-100...

Author Topic: Using Fill Flash in daylight portraits (Read 2236 times)

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