Adding a twinkle to eyes

[Ian Rance]

I am sorry to say that flash photography with modern Nikon cameras is one of

my weak points - I seem to do much better with flashbulbs and my leaf

shuttered Kodak SLR from the 1950's even though this camera was made 25 years

before I was born. I think I am rather swamped with modes and settings which

results in the camera (F100) only setting 1/60th shutter speed and preventing

any change despite reading the manual. It is supposed to work well with the SB-

28 but not in my hands I am afraid. The pictures I took at an important

gathering a few weeks back made me cringe and apologise to those who asked me

to cover the event. So I now use the camera with available light only - and

very good it is too! However, I am finding myself doing alot of portraits with

my new 85mm lens recently and the eyes of my subjects are lacking the sparkle

that I get with my old Pentax point and shoot model using 'forced flash'.

 

So, please, could someone who knows answer this question and help get me going

in the right direction. I have an SB-30 flash that is pocket sized and should

be enough to 'fill in' the shadows, but what is the best setting for flash and

camera for this purpose? If, say, the ambient light called for 1/250 and f5.6

what setting do I use on the gun - manual, non-ttl auto or ttl? What metering

mode on the camera is best to use to allow the balance of flash and natural

light and get past the dreaded 60th limit?

 

I have tried various settings but because I have not had much luck and my

subjects grumble about the dingy result and I find it rather disappointing all

in all.

 

If anybody can point me in the right direction, it would be very much

appreciated and allow me to start off on the right track with my portraits.

Perhaps it will get easier if I can see what to use a a starting point.

 

Thank you - I appreciate your help.

 

Ian, UK

[nghi_hoang]

I use the F100 as well with the SB-28, which I leave on TTL mode. I am not the most proficient at flash photography either, so someone corrects me if I am wrong.

 

I usually set the F100 to Manual mode and meter for ambient light. Let's say that my ambient light calls for 1/250th and f/5.6 just like yours and I want only fill light from the flash. You can either adjust the flash compensation on the flash OR on the camera, but NOT both because they are additive. The flash compensation is a personal taste. For me, I usually use -1.3 to -1.7 on either the flash or the camera. Almost all of the time, I dial in the flash compensation on the flash.

[Ian Rance]

Thanks Nghi.

 

That is one method I have not tried - thanks for the heads up!

 

Ian

[kenneth_dougherty]

If you are using available light, a reflector may be better than a small flash. A large reflector will give a larger "catchlight" in the eyes than a small flash. Pose your subject, position a reflector to fill in shadows and give you catchlights in the eyes and shoot.

 

Nikon digitals have a TTL-BL setting, the BL means balanced light, with the SB flash units. You may want to look into investing in a more modern flash system. Check out this site on fill flash.

 

http://www.daveblackphotography.com/workshop/0805.htm

[Ian Rance]

Thanks Kenneth - will check into that site when I get home.

 

Never heard of TTL-BL - sounds like what I want! Is this possible with any flash on the F100 or F6? Just hoping....

 

Ian

[michael_hahn]

Hey

 

Just use the flash in TTL mode and dial EC (exposure compensation) down -2/3 to -2 stops depending on how faint you want the flash. This is an example of a shot taken in a shadow, very close up where I tried to lift the "drab" a bit. -1 2/3 flash compensation. Nikon D200. 1/60th at f4 w/ iso 100. The camera was in Aperture Priority Mode.<div></div>

[icuneko]

To get more twinkle in the subjects' eyes, hire a leprechaun as your

assistant.