jared_b. Posted July 19, 2004 Share Posted July 19, 2004 Hello, Im just starting in Photography, and got a new Flash today. I was wondering, When Im taking portraits outside, and want to use a Hot shoe flash for a fill. How would I do that? Set the light setting normal like I was using not flash ?, Or will that overexpose the picture? I just basicly want to know How do I use a fill flash in natuaral light, Do eliminate dark area's ??? THANKS allot ! Jared Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy_horowitz Posted July 19, 2004 Share Posted July 19, 2004 Jared:<br><br> I'll assume you have a light meter in your camera, and that you know the flash sync speed for your camera.<br><br> To use fill flash with a hot shoe, set the aperture so that the shutter speed indicated on the camera's light meter is the same as the camera's flash sync speed. I advise manually setting the shutter speed to the appropriate sync speed as well.<br><br> If you're really worried about the photos coming out, I would bracket with different apertures.<br><br> This method works best for photos of people who are backlit (backs to the sun, etc.).<br><br> <a target="mj" href="http://www.margyandjeremy.com/images/frontphoto-old2.jpg">This photo of me and my wife</a> was taken by a kind bystander with my camera, using the method described above.<br><br> Good luck!<br><br> -Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_junkins Posted July 19, 2004 Share Posted July 19, 2004 Jeremy, Gee, it would be nice to know what kind of camera and flash you have!! The more info, the better. Does your camera have auto fill flash?? If it doesn't, the best way to do fill flash outside is to first get a proper exposure setting at your cameras sync speed, let's say 1/125th second at f8. Assuming your flash has an auto setting, set it on auto and f5.6, which is 1 stop less than the ambient (outside) light according to your camera's light meter. On auto, your flash will automatically shut off when it gives your subject the proper amount of flash for f5.6. Your flash should tell you what maximum distance your subject can be from the camera (actually from the flash, as your flash could be off the camera). Your background is f8 and your subject, assuming it or they are within the distance your flash says is the maximum distance, will be exposed at f5.6 or I should say the shadows will be. I like to look at flash this way: The camera's settings are for the background and the flash is for the subject. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy_horowitz Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Jerry:<br><br> The setup I described above was fully manual -- no auto anything.<br><br> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_junkins Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Jeremy, Sorry, my answer should have started "Jared". I meant to be writing to Jared, not you-------sorry for that little blooper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_chananie Posted July 24, 2004 Share Posted July 24, 2004 Jared, have you seen flash photos where the people's eyes look red? That's because the flash was on the same level as their eyes. To avoid that, you need to position the flash above the camera. The easiest way is to buy a flash bracket, and the next is just to handhold the flash off the camera. Let's assume you have an all mechanical everything where you make all the decisions. You meter for your picture to get a proper exposure. Let's say you decide to use f8 at 1/125th of a second. If your camera can synch with a flash at 1/125th you are good to go. Let's assume you are good for the basic exposure. The light is coming from behind your subject, so the front of the subject is relatively dark. That's why you want the fill flash. You have to choose how much light your flash should put out. You have three basic choices. Make the flash brighter than the ambient light, make it the same as the ambient light, or make it less than the ambient light. In the first, the flash becomes the main light because it is the brightest. That's not fill, and you would adjust your camera for that level of exposure. In the second, you are matching the ambient light. That's not fill either, I think the old term is synchro sun. You don't need to change the settings on your camera. The third choice is fill. You don't need to change the settings on your camera, but you do need to tell the flash how much light to put out. Flashes are instructed on how much light to put out by setting their f stop. One way or another, your flash has some mechanism to do that for the iso of the film you are using. OK, you have decided for the ambient light that it is an f8 day. So, if you want to match the ambient light (the second choice), you would set the flash to f8. Now, if you want your flash to put out 1 stop more light than the ambient light (the first choice), you would set the flash to f11. But, you decided to use fill light (the third choice), so you set the flash to f5.6. That gives you a one stop difference in contrast between the background light and the fill light. If you want a two stop difference, set the flash to f4. Just remember to make sure the level you set the flash to can cover the distance to the subject. This has been long, but I think you would prefer to understand what you are doing. All best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jared_b. Posted July 25, 2004 Author Share Posted July 25, 2004 I don't think my flash has those settings. it has a chart that tell me what stop to put the camera on, but I don't think the flash its'self changes. :( what can I do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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