How to expose for background outdoors w/strobes

<p>Hey this may seem like a very dumb question but I've been struggling with my lighting gear a lot and haven't found the proper balance of exposure/flash yet which allows me to capture the background in a photo as well as the subjects in my foreground.<br>

I know that it is probably just a matter of getting my settings correct, but so far has proven to be difficult for me. Is there a recipe for success you can recommend?<br>

The effect I'm going for looks like:<br>

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs003.snc1/2780_70796319022_511824022_1711400_8026396_n.jpg or<br>

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3286/2331856392_f0a2839020.jpg</p>

<p>Note: I've had some success recreating this look with composites in photoshop however my biggest concern is, can this be achieved straight out of camera - to save me a TON of time on editing. Thanks :)</p>

<p>What I like to do is:</p>

<ul>

<li>camera in manual</li>

<li>start with shutter speed at a decent flash sync speed - 1/250 maybe</li>

<li>adjust aperture to meter just a hair dark - maybe -1/3 stop. do some test shots until it feels right.</li>

<li>then switch on the strobes - in manual mode - and mess with the power setting(s) to get something you like</li>

</ul>

<p>If you want more subject, increase the strobe power. Less subject, decrease it.<br>

If the background needs adjusting, increase/decrease f-stop. This will affect the subject too, so compensate by the opposite amount on the strobes: one stop higher on the lens? Double the power on the strobes and the subject will be approximately the same, but the background a stop darker.<br>

If you haven't checked out strobist.blogspot.com - do. If you work through the exercises you will become a smarter flash-er than 90% of the people out there.<br>

Now as to the photo - may well be a composite. If you shot that landscape without the people in it, to get that deep a sky the ground would likely be very dark. Or if the ground was nicely exposed, the sky would be brighter. Of course the photog could have just done some tonal adjustment in post too...</p>

<p>Ok, i'll try to explain it simple.<br />Shutter speed controls ambient exposure, aperture controls flash exposure.<br />You have to work always in manual mode. Also you have to know you camera sync speed.<br />Mark a spot where your subject will stand. In manual mode take a picture of your background without flash. Keep adjustring your shutter speed, until you nail it as you like it to be. After that position your subject on your mark and shoot with flash this time. Do not touch shutter speed, adjust apperture only.<br>

And voila :)<br>

And check this out:<br /><a href="http://www.onelightworkshop.com/page5/page5.html">http://www.onelightworkshop.com/page5/page5.html</a><br />This is worth every $, it's that good!</p>

<p>Shutter speed controls ambient exposure, aperture controls flash exposure.</p>

<p>Getting warmer. It is more accurate to say that aperture controls the flash exposure (since the flash is so brief) and <strong>both</strong> shutter and aperture controls the ambient exposure. Since light can be measured, there's no need for trial and error.</p>

<p>If you have an automatic flash and automatic camera, the exposure is pretty simple. With a Nikon SLR/DSLR, set the flash mode to "Slow". In "Aperture Priority" mode, set the aperture to some reasonable value (e.g., f/5.6 to f/11) within the range of the flash. The camera will automatically adjust the shutter speed for ambient light. The auto flash control (e.g., with an SB-800) will temper the flash intensity to equal the ambient light. You can adjust the balance between flash and ambient using flash compensation controls, on the camera or on the flash.</p>

<p>In strictly manual mode, use an hand-held light meter with flash capability*. Measure the flash intensity at the subject and set the aperture accordingly. Measure the ambient light and set the shutter speed appropriate for that aperture. If you just want the flash to fill in shadows and not dominate the scene, close down the aperture 1 stop or so and adjust the shutterspeed accordingly. A 1 stop difference will give you a lighting ratio of 1:3, which is generally pleasing for portraits and groups.</p>

<p>* Alternately, use guide numbers or an Auto flash mode which uses a photocell on the flash unit to determine flash intensity.</p>

<p>Matt, as a caveat, there are certain situations where the aperture will effect the ambient light too. If your shutter speed is slow enough and/or your strobe is underpowered enough, the aperture will effect both.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I've had luck using aperture priority & dialing aperture to change subject, exposure comp to change ambient. This way the camera gets you close and you adjust a little. Works good for fleeting shots (events, etc).</p>

 

<p>Go with the one-light dvd by Zack Arias. It is worth it. </p>

<p>You might also try raising the ISO level if the background is too dark and cutting back on the flash.</p>

<p>I am sorry, but it is not voila if you change only your aperture after locking in your ambient background. If you change your aperture you have to compensate with the shutter speed in order to retain the proper background exposure. It is true that shutter speed controls ambient, but it is not an absolute truth that aperture controls the flash. Both flash and ambient will be affected by any change in aperture.</p>

<p>Basically what you do is expose for the background. Use manual mode (or AE-Lock), dial up or down to make background brighter or darker.</p>

<p>Then adjust your flash to expose the subject as you please. You can make BG darker and subject brighter, or you can balance subject and background.</p>

<p>What you can not do is make subject darker then what it is given ambient light compared to the background.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Hi Matt<br>

Scott Kelby covers this very well in his Digital Photography book series. Expose for the background by putting your camera in program mode and press the shutter release button part way down. Check the setting in your viewfinder and remember those numbers. Put your camera in manual mode and dial those numbers in. Your camera is now set for the background. Start by taking some shots with the flash set about two stops down and go from there. You may need to raise or lower the flash output to get the image you desire. <br>

This may not be the most techincal way, but it's what I do and it works very well for me. It's also what Zafar had said. </p>

<p>Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm going to try out some of these techniques this week</p>

<p>Basically it is very simple. Looking at the photo, it appears to be 1 stop under exposed to increase the bluishness of the sky and make the clouds more dramitic. This leaves the bodies under-exposed, so you increas the flash to give the correct exposeure at the f/stop that you are using. If you aare shooting both camera and flash manual, it is easy. If you are using program mode on the camera, give the EV a -1. Give the flash a +1.</p>

<p>This is also not science as someone like it to be. Just underexpose ambient and dial in the apropriate flash amount to light your subject right - you can even move your flashes closer if they dont have the power from further away - just dont get them in the picture :)</p>