Help with Ambiant Light at Reception

<p>Maybe someone can help me figure this out. My 2nd seems to have quite a bit of trouble with her flash. She's wondering if something is wrong with the flash. I've been trying to help her troubleshoot and it came out before the last wedding that the batteries aren't usually changed until the flash won't fire. I was planning to use her flash and see what results I would get, but when I heard she just doesn't changed the batteries I thought the problem would be solved and I didn't take her flash.<br />When I downloaded the pictures I was very surprised to see the dark images compared to mine. Especially as we used almost the same settings for the images. We also recently went to Neil van Niekerk's flash workshop and it was great.<br />I showed her these images and asked her if she had dialed the flash up or down at all during the day / night. She says she did not have it dialed down for these indoor shots. I was wondering if she had forgot and left it dialed down after doing some fill flash outside earlier.<br />If you have any insight I'd love to hear it as I'm pretty confused. It seems to me as these settings are almost the same there should be more ambiant light in her photos. Both these images are SOOC. We also both use Canon 580EX II.<br />Thanks.</p><div></div>

<p>Are you <strong>SURE</strong> the flash fired? I only see ambient light. It doesn't look like it went off at all.<br>

Does she get new batteries out for the start of the reception? I learned the hard way to install a new set of batteries at the start of the day, the ceremony, and the reception, whether I think they are low or not. They will otherwise run out at the wrong moment.</p>

<p>Obviously, the first one is underexposed. It could be that the flash didn't recyle before being fired (you have Quick Flash engaged). Seems like the light is coming to the couple's right--not enough flash power for the bounce needed? Although that seems unlikely with the ISO and aperture used, but possible if the place was extra big and there were only dark surfaces.</p>

<p>Also minus comp as you observed. Have her check both the camera and flash comp settings.</p>

<p>Finally, there is a bigger expanse of white in the first picture than the second, and with ETTL's penchant for underexposure, the shut down could be from that. Or there was something reflective behind the couple in the first picture. Reflective objects or flash back causes pretty big underexposure with evaluative ETTL--doesn't look like it though. It might have been that bright bit of light coming through the door.</p>

<p>What is the EV on the flash? O + or -? zero, plus or minus</p>

<p>She might want to go with manual on the flash (rather than ttl) at 1/2 to 3/4 power so it doesn't drain the flash right away...<br>

and change her setting to 1/60 - was she bouncing flash? if so she might want to try angled with a bounce cap-</p>

 

<p>Linda,</p>

 

<p>If the flash actually fired on that first picture, I’ll eat my lens hood.</p>

 

<p>Batteries are cheap. Rechargeable batteries are dirt cheap. There’s absolutely no excuse

for not doing as Theresa does. The excuses given usually generally distill to some combination of

laziness, forgetfulness, and false thriftiness (<i>aka</i> bad economic calculations).</p>

 

<p>Cheers,</p>

 

<p>b&</p>

<p>I don't think its just the flash not recycling as ALL her reception photos are like this. Here's another example. This time ISO 1600 f4 1/160 I shot again at ISO 2000 f3.2 1/160.<br>

Is there any way to tell from the EXIF data what the flash EV was? I can't find it and would love to see it.</p>

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<p >We went to the Planet Neil workshop and he uses TTL and quite often camera sync speed and I saw this works. Also my shots are taken with almost the same settings and there is much more light. I assume we were both bouncing and she was also using Neil's "black foamie" as was I.</p>

<p >EXIF data shows that the flash did indeed fire.</p>

<p ><a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=529256">Rosina DiBello</a> <a href="http://www.photo.net/member-status-icons"></a>, Oct 02, 2009; 12:37 p.m.</p>

 

<p>She might want to go with manual on the flash (rather than ttl) at 1/2 to 3/4 power so it doesn't drain the flash right away...<br />and change her setting to 1/60 - was she bouncing flash? if so she might want to try angled with a bounce cap-</p>

 

<p><em>EXIF data shows that the flash did indeed fire.</em></p>

<p>But did you <strong>see</strong> the flash firing? A faulty flash unit my tell the camera it's firing even when it's not.</p>

<p>Another example. I wasn't watching her flash as I was photographing.I thought we had fixed her problem with the batteries. I' m going to have to get my hands on her flash before the next wedding or let her use my spare.</p><div></div>

<p>LOL! I'm going to have to find out if in fact the flash is ACTUALLY firing or not. I'll get her to bring it over. I'd just like to test it under the same conditions as a wedding. I'll also use it for a bit at the next one and see.<br>

<a href="../photodb/user?user_id=820080">Ben Goren</a> <a href="../member-status-icons"><img title="Subscriber" src="http://static.photo.net/v3graphics/member-status-icons/sub6.gif" alt="" /><img title="Frequent poster" src="http://static.photo.net/v3graphics/member-status-icons/2rolls.gif" alt="" /></a>, Oct 02, 2009; 12:38 p.m.</p>

<p>Linda,<br />If the flash actually fired on that first picture, I’ll eat my lens hood.</p>

<p>I use off camera flashes.</p>

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<p>I do too.</p><div></div>

<p>Here's an obvious thing to check--was the black foamie properly positioned?</p>

<p>Also, do check the flash comp. Sometimes if you have negative comp set on the camera, and zero on the flash, the negative comp on the camera kicks in.</p>

<p>If you look at the file in DPP, you can see the flash comp set.</p>

<p>Hi Nadine,<br />Will check with her about the foamie. I saw two pics where light fall off looked really strange. I showed these to her too and she said that she was trying something and saw that it didn't work and that obviously those are toss aways. I think the flash with foamie impoperly positioned would have caused this light fall off, and again still very dark.<br>

Thank you. Will have to install DPP. I haven't used it. I use Lightroom & Photoshop.</p>

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<p>It is just too coincidental that an improperly placed black shield would definitely cause lack of light in the image. The light wasn't getting to the bounce surface.</p>

<p>Nadine, are you saying that you think the black fomie was blocking the light in ALL the pics or just in this one that shows the funky light fall off?</p>

<p>I'm saying the black foamie was blocking the light in all the pics. Of course, I don't know what she was doing with placement of the foamie... What direct light shows up in your latest example looks underexposed as well.</p>

<p>Thanks for the thoughts everyone.</p>

<p>It looks like the flash fired only sometimes and then only at low power. It must be fixable with fresh batteries (every time you go out) and the correct settings. Both camera and flash unit are top of the line. Flash today is a snap to get right with all the auto TTL capability.</p>

<p>Was there a cord between the flash and the camera? As Mike said, the exif data tells you that the camera sent the signal to the pin, that's all.<br>

Don't ask how I know this, but by the looks of the images, it didn't.<br>

Take her and the camera, flash in a dark room and try it. Then switch your flash with hers.<br>

Then send her over to get some aklines. I coulnd't imagine what would have happened if she had to give those photos to a bride and all because she might not have changed batteries. Make her put a fresh set in and have a spare in her pocket.</p>

Your last image looks a bit like a shutter issue. Notice how the right side of the image is dark but the left side is lit up a bit.

 

If the flash is firing, as indicated from Mike Dixon, I'd have your shutter checked. Be sure to send in the flash unit in as well as the camera for a service check.

 

Can you post some images of your outside work, if there were some? I'm interested in seeing if the flash fired outside, if you used a fill flash. The reason for asking is to perhaps figure out if your rear curtain sync is messed up, or if the shutter is firing late or early when using the flash. This would be a timing issue. I've seen this happen with earlier Canon models, but never with the later models as yours is.

<p>You haven't mentioned the focal length used. Because she might be using a longer one than yours and that could greatly affect the flash's power.</p>

I had a similar problem one day. The flash was firing but the pictures were so under exposed if the flash did not fire. I

cleaned the contacts and tightened the flash on the camera. That solved the problem. My guess is that the flash need to

be tight at the hot shoe and contacts need to be clean. I have not had this problem recently. Sandy