bruno Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Anyone willing to share their experiences with flash in street photography? Say that I'm an ambient light maniac, but I also need to use from time to time that expensive flash I bought. <p> Using it to fill shadows looks to me too much for wildlife and glamour shots, so I put the metering on my camera to -1 and the exposure compensation on the flash to +1. This should give a correctly exposed subject with the background one stop behind.<p> This is what i got:<br><center><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/3926620-lg.jpg"><br><i>Nikon F90X, Nikkor AF28/2.8D, Nikon SB28, TriX</i></center><p> Probably I should have gone for a more subtle effect. I need more tests.<p> I don't know what would have been of this pic without flash. Probably not much because the guy wouldn't have been popping out much. But the fact that the light is unnatural is quite evident... although this might be a matter of tastes.<p> I also read once of a guy metering on the sky in gloomy days and setting then the camera as the sky would have suggested and then using flash, but I don't remember how and never seen a pic, but it might be funny to try. Well... if you have your own examples, post them!<p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdunker Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Not really "street", but I've played with a bit of rear sync fill outdoors for this kind of stuff. Sorry, couldn't come up with anything else quickly outdoors w/ fill.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad_ Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 <center> <img src= "http://pages.sbcglobal.net/b-evans/Images15/FlashNight.jpg"> </center> www.citysnaps.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 Cool one Brad, how did you get that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad_ Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Thanks Bruno.. That was in NYC 2 years ago, at dusk. Basically just stood in the middle of the sidewalk and took the snap as people walked by. Was shooting with Grant then - was his idea... www.citysnaps.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael s. Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 << ... Was shooting with Grant then - was his idea... >> Old excuse: The devil made me do it? -:) Not so happy with mine either, Bruno. I was using a p & s digicam on which I virtually always force the flash off. But for this shot I didn't. In the original color version, before adjustment, I literally fried the foreground bananas.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad_ Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 <I>Old excuse: The devil made me do it? -:)</I><P> Heh, not at all - was a clever idea. Didn't occur to me shooting late afternoon with flash would render the bg so much darker - like it was night - neat effect. Made sense after the fact... www.citysnaps.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael s. Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I actually like the effect as well, Brad.<p> Longer exposure w/ a smaller pop of flash would tend to leave the background appearing less dark, I suppose. But that's a different look. And assuming that was your older camera, I don't know how much flash control that offered?<p> Bruno, I've never owned the SB28 (I do have a much smaller, less powerful SB15 I've used w/ FM2), but I borrowed th SB28 from a friend, along with his Nikon F5. He warned me that it's widely regarded as running "hot" and suggested I dial it down considerably or risk blowing away nearby subjects. As I learned through some trial and error (mostly error) he was right.<p> Incidentally, Brad, keep in mind that's NY. Don't want to end up in <a href=http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2005/06/26/photographer_sued_for_taking_portrait.php>diCorcia's predicament</a>. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanky Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 When I first started shooting in the streets I relied solely on my 35mm cameras TTL metering and preset exposure modes for my flash work. Seemed to work ok and I didn't have to do anything but press the shutter release. However now I'm using a hand held meter and a mechanical camera so I'm a little scared to try flash. Perhaps in next class I'll be taking this spring I can get an idea how it all works. After all I have the flash, a L-grip with over the lens bracket and the leaf shutters so I should at least make some attempt. I do like the fine detail Arbus achieved with some of her close ups of peoples faces taken outdoors. Besides, won't a flash allow me to use my beloved Pan F+ with a smaller f-stop? Regards, Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas_sullivan Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 the only time I've used flash in anything approaching street photography is for the NYC Village Halloween parade and 2 Street in Philly (2 street is the mummer's parade after the official one ;o)<br><br> both were more of the Weegee variety........"f/8 and be there" straight ahead and more as main light than anything else.<br><br><center><img src="http://tssullivan.net/mummers2005/2streetdudebeer.jpg"><br><br><i>2 Street, 2005, tssullivan</i><br><br><br><br><img src="http://tssullivan.net/2004halloween/bloodygirl.jpg"><br><br><i>Village Halloween Parade, 2004, tssullivan</i></center><br><br> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
correfoc Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Excellent question. Bruce Davidson used a flash when he did his <a href="http:// tinyurl.com/bwjqb"> Subway</a> series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmack Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Flash on the street is a problem with the big slrs due to the weight of camera and flash.I like to shoot flash with the leica but it snychs at 1/50 which gives lots of blurry pics.Flash can also get you into trouble so be prepared for it.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 I am trying to use flash with rear sync at shutter speeds of 1/10 to 1/6 of a second. Very dreamy photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uhooru Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 I'm just to C.S. to use it on the streets. It seems it would piss people off. What's your guys experience with that aspect? I use it around people I know , no problem.. <img src="http://static.flickr.com/20/73758549_bcb89e6da8_o.jpg"> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_west Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 barry, i'm using flash at night a lot these days. tried it on the subway too. best to use it at dusk like in brads example. i wouldn't worry about pissing ppl off. again, like in brads example, he's far enough away that the ppl in shot have no idea what he's taking pix of. if you get right in someones face and pop a flash, it's a bit rude, otherwise ppl just tend to ignore you.. at least that's what i found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul a. roid Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 <img src="http://www.markushartel.com/blog/november05/red-face.jpg"/><p> <img src="http://www.markushartel.com/blog/november05/IMG_2682.jpg"/><p> <img src="http://www.markushartel.com/blog/november05/IMG_2685.jpg"/><p> sometimes I use a fill in contrasty light, exposure set for the environment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uhooru Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Thanx Steve, I'll give it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dg1 Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Markus, nice, very Meyerowitz-like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Piss people off all you want if you have to use flash. One risk of being in public is having your or anyone's picture taken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_. Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 check out bruce gilden's work, he does street and i believe he uses flash as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amorteguy Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 I'll use a flash when I MUST get a shot and there is NO light. Other than that, I'll not be taking shots 'till morning. I'll go with Henri on this one. "Cartier-Bresson would sooner have died than photograph with flash. "Impolite," he famously said once, "like coming to a concert with a pistol in your hand."" (from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/essays/vanRiper/040805.htm" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35mmdelux Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Bruce Gilden and Winogrand both used flash on the street with differing intent IMO. Gilden's stuff looks like a souped up edition of Diane Arbus, with contorted figures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin_fuchs2 Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 <img src="http://www.ball-saal.com/Common/img/fotos/m35-FUM2005013G1031-0076.jpg" alt="" border="0"><br> Off camera flash at night. Used a flash in my left hand and the camera in my right hand. Aperture, time and distance preset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john falkenstine Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Bruno, I have started using flash again after many years of doing only ambient. But in street photography I once made that very mistake of doing it too close. While lowering the camera I got a fist in my face that rang my bell good. I ended up sitting on the sidewalk. More careful since then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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