Fill flash using 20D 550EX and Lightsphere

[kristen riley]

Hello! I have been using my 20D in manual mode with my 550EX and

Lightsphere. I have been getting some harsh looking lighting. Just

wondering what settings you use to get a softer ambient light look

while using fill flash. My understanding is that when used in manual

mode your speedlight becomes primary light and ambient is fill

light. What would be a better alternative setting? Would it help to

use negative FEC? You'll notice in the picture I have posted there

are some harsh shadows. This was taken outdoors in the evening.

Thanks for your help!!<div></div>

[andre j.]

Gary Fong recommends ISO 400 and then something like f4 at 1/60, but also suggests

that you experiment a bit, depending on the specific situation... I have done this and

gotten good results with my 300D.

[beauh44]

Hi Kristen, I use Av mode almost all the time for fill flash, with or without the Lightsphere. Just take a quick peak at your histogram to make sure you're not overblowing any highlights. Here's one taken last week in a (very) dark church with a 20D, a Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, a 550EX flash and a lightsphere. Good luck!<div></div>

[jewan_runhaar]

manual mode is ideal for inside IMO. You take the ambient reading and let the flash fill for you. For outside that is much harder to do, unless you have a patient subject. I just use P or Av mode there and set the flash to -1 1/3 - -2.

[grant g]

Kristen,

 

Were you pointing the flash head up or at the subject? Was the cap on or off?

 

It looks to me like it was facing forward with the cap on with the flash mounted directly on the camera. Is that what you did?

[kristen riley]

Hi Grant,

 

I took this picture in portrait orientation with the lightsphere pointed up. The top was on. Thanks!!

[grant g]

Kristen,

 

Try it with the top off. Wait a minute that sounds bad. Take the cap off. That lets more of the light "leak out" and makes it a little more diffuse. If I remember right the cap should go on with a low cieling so that there isn't a bright spot cast on the top of the subject.

[kristen riley]

Okay, that makes sense. I'll try it. Thanks!!

[wedding-photography-denver]

In general you will need to meter a little to get good use of flash sans harsh shadows. If you are using matrix merering on camera, try the CWA next time.

 

I generally use M indoors metered at around -1 to -2 stops. I let the flash give the foreground subject the light needed and the background go a little darker. Out side you can use AV and drop a stop or so on the flash to 'fill' (unless you are shooting a white dress then add a third or so).

 

Another thing there is the fence being so close will catch harsher shadows.

 

Here's what I found this past w/end...<div></div>

[william_au]

There's a couple of different things to consider here. First, manual mode itself doesn't determine whether your flash becomes main or fill - it just puts full control of the exposure into your hands instead of the camera's. Whether your flash acts as fill or main lighting depends on how much light it's told to put out.

 

<p>If it's fill flash you're after, what you're doing is using the ambient light to expose the overall scene, and using the flash to fill in the shadows at a level less than what would be needed to light the scene as a main light. If your flash would normally need full power to light a scene, you'd want it at 1/2 power or less so that it wouldn't overpower the ambient light - resulting in "that flash" look or overexposure. You can reduce your flash's output with negative FEC (if it supports it) or directly on the flash by reducing its power manually.

 

<p>Harsh shadows are created by apparent small light sources. The bigger the light source relative to the subject, the softer the light. The LS works by throwing your flash's light (which normally goes straight out) all around, hopefully off a wall or ceiling which would make the light source seem a lot bigger. This bounced light would help fill in the harsh shadows. Since you're shooting outside, there's nothing for the LS to bounce the light off of, so your flash remains just a small point light source (well, marginally bigger with the LS on it) and your shadows will still be hard.

 

<p>In your picture, it looks like the flash was a little hot. Also, if you got closer to the subject, the LS might be able to throw light on the fence and soften the shadows.

 

<p>The Canon ETTL system has specific behaviors depending on the situation. If you're going to let the camera decide how much flash it should put out, you may want to read <a href="http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/">this article</a> which helps explain some of its behaviors. And as someone suggested, check your histograms to see if you're blowing out anything.

[jmichaelc]

Hello Kristen. I think the Lightsphere works great and i'm not sure exactly why you are getting such harsh results. Could be a number of reasons......could be a metter or bouncing issue. Here is a standard formal using the lightsphere shot in manual w/ -2/3 FEC F2.2 1/60 ISO 200. Try adjusting you FEC using EVAL metering and use that reading for your manual controls and see if that works. Let us know.<div></div>

[kristen riley]

Beautiful shots guys!! Thank you for taking your time to help a beginner. Appreciate it. I will try putting these into practice. Kristen