flash output, fill flash

[nickspics]

Well, I just took some outside shots for prom today, and her's my

problem... Flash output. I really love the fill flash, but at 300mm,

far away, there is no power... Would the sb600 reach then? what are

the limitations? What about the 800? I shoot with a d50 by the way...

Is it possible to illuminate a group(evenly, of course) with any of

these? I know nothing about flash and I read the specifics, but I

don't quite understand... ISO 100, it is 106? Thanks in advance for

your help...<div></div>

[frank_skomial]

The SB-600 did not have power to fill-in the light to your satisaction in the picture presented, taken with a 300 mm lens.

 

This may sound like bit of a lecture, but I do not know how to explain this to you, so forgive me.

 

With your approach to shooting, perhaps you will not find a flash that will have enough power for you.

 

What I mean by your approach, is to know the shooting distance of you flash, for the camera settings. All you need to do is to look at your flash sb-600/sb-800 lcd screen and it will tell you your available max distance that will cover. But before that you need to study your flash user's manual and camera manual, so you will understant what to look for.

 

You need to pay attention to after the shot visual signs on the LCD, and audio beeps that the flash could possibly be telling you something, and at the half press of the shutter button before the picture is taken.

 

Good Luck!

[alan_olander1664878205]

I don't know what flash you are using, but I'm assuming the number "106" you referred to is the guide number of the flash. The guide number tells you how "powerful" the flash is. To use the guide number, divide it by the distance to the subject, e.g. subject 20 ft away, 106/20 = 5.3 (f/5.6 close enough). Look up the guide numbers to the SB-600 & 800 and see if they would work for you, but even they may not be "big" enough if your distance is too great.

[david_h._hartman]

Its not unusual to use a 300/2.8 for fashion photography

but fill flash? I dont think so. Normally someone would

have an assistant hold a reflector panel to redirect sunlight.

The distance from the subject to the flash is too far and the

inverse square law basicly says you can't use a simple speedlight.

With the number of subjects you have in your photo Id think

the professional lens of choice would be a 200/2.0 or even a 135/2.0.

On a DX, DSLR the 135/2.0 would be about equal to a 200/2.0 on

film. The object of using a 300/2.8 on film is to isolate the

subject with very shallow DOF. Also models (in their roll) are

objects to be looked at and therefore a longer more aloof

distance and perspective is appropriate. Howling and wolf calls

are also appropriate ;) Fashion photography is a bit primal these

days.<br>

<br>

If you are using DX and wish to emulate fashion photographers

keep in mind that its the distance from the subject not the

focal length of the lens that determines perspective. Also you

want a lens that is at least a stop faster than one for film as

you will be using a shorter lens so you will have less background

blurring. I guess the trees in your photo are slightly out of

focus but not nearly as blurred as typical fashion photos.<br>

<br>

Hope this helps,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

[jim_gifford]

Given the guide number 106 in feet for ISO 100...

 

Your flash will illuminate a subject 106 feet away provided you use an f/1 lens (rummages through camera bag, lemme see, lemme see.... nope. I don't have one of those. Do you?)

 

If your lens is set at f/2 (for 300mm? Hmmm...) your effective flash range is as far as 53 feet.

 

If you're using a 300 f/4 lens with the aperture wide open, your flash is good for a practical maximum of 26 feet.

 

If your lens is a 70-300 zoom at 300mm, with aperture set wide open at f/5.6, your flash is good for approximately 20 feet. Stop down to f/8 for better performance from your 70-300 zoom, and you've brought the flash range down to 13 feet.

 

See how it works? At each ISO setting, you find the working distance for the flash by simple division: guide number of flash, divided by aperture on lens.

 

(By the way, if you are using a Nikon DSLR, with its smaller-than-35mm-film sensor, with a lens set at 300mm you get the sort of angle of view that a film shooter would need a 450mm lens to see. That means you need to back up farther from your prom-dress subjects than a film shooter using a 300mm lens would have to do, just to get all those girls in the frame. When you back up farther, your flash has to work much harder.)

 

Anyway, what you want is some way to get more light. You have options. In some situations you might just use ISO 400 or 800 instead of 100, but in your sample shot the problem really is contrast between sun and shadow. By the time you raise the ISO enough to let your SB600 have a chance to fill in the shadows, you will be blowing out the highlights in the naturally lit parts of the frame.

 

Plans b, c and d? Move the girls to where the natural light is better and more even... or use a helper with a reflector to splash more of the natural light on the girls... or place the SB600 closer to the girls and then use wireless flash control to trigger the SB600.

 

Be well,

[steve_levine]

Not to bust anyone's bubble. But there aren't many flashes that will overcome "dappled" sun/shade mixed like that, (regardless of focal length or distance).

 

 

Next time shoot in the shade or back lit, and use flash to fill the solid areas of shadow.

[dennisprice]

"...there aren't many flashes that will overcome "dappled" sun/shade..." [steve]

 

Good point, and excellent suggestions, Steve!

 

In certain situations, although the "dapple" appears very mild to the eye (because we can see into shadows much better than the camera can); but when you look at the final results, the pattern is annoyingly obvious and distracting.

 

Solution: find a better spot to shoot.

[nickspics]

Thanks to all of you who responded to this question, your input is really helpful! unfortunatly, i couldn't shoot atr another location, there were 100 parents shooting too, and the girls chose that spot... I have some better one where I chose a nice shade and used my fill flash... I was just wondering if there was any powerful flash toeradicate those shadows at any given time, but i guess not! Thanks once again... nick.