Shooting with fast lenses - Advice needed

[mcorona]

<p>I'm not sure if your camera allows for it but,<br>

Recently I've started using my St-E2 Just for the focus assist beam in low light.<br>

There's a function in my camera's custom settings that allowed me to turn flash firing off.<br>

So basically it's just a $200 glorified focus assist beam. It really has made a difference for me though.<br>

You can also use a cheaper canon flash to do the same thing. Just turn the 'flash fires off' and use the beam to help you focus.</p>

<p> </p>

[wedding-photography-denver]

<p>Eric, feeling overwhelmed yet? ;-)</p>

<p>planetneil is a great spot to help with this. You may also want to check out strobist too.</p>

<p>As Nadine said, what I meant is to EC -1 or -2 stops to make your flash illuminate your subject correctly (using TTL).</p>

<p>If you know flash ratios or the inverse square law, you can use manual flash. That takes more practice but yields consistent results. When or if you use manual flash, remember to make adjustments via your aperture as you move into and away from your subject(s). That will be a bit of practice but you may get happier with the cosistency and even develop a knack for the flash.</p>

<p>There are lots of things available on line to teach about the use of flash and lighting in general. Go read as much as you can stand, taking regular breaks to practice what you find useful.</p>

<p>Best, D.</p>

[eric_eisenstein2]

<p>I just wanted to thank everyone for all of your responses. The advice is great, and the links to other sites for learning are also fantastic. </p>

<p>I want to thank everyone who responded. There is an amazing amount of helpful information in this post, and I hope that it provides a lasting archive for other photographers who are like me.</p>

<p>At some point in the near future, I'll get myself an external flash. It is probably the case that my P&S experience soured me so much on flash that I have now overcompensated, in particular given the quality differences achievable with a "real" flash.<br>

A few quick specific thank-yous: <br>

Ed, thank you so much for your color space suggestion... I will check the color space issue (haven't done that yet), which seems like the best explanation for the difference between uploaded and non-uploaded images. It cannot be my monitor because (a) I am looking at both pictures side by side on the same monitor, and they look different, which would be an issue regardless of calibration, and (b) my monitor is, in fact, calibrated.</p>

<p>Nadine, Clarence, and William (and probably several others that I cannot remember properly because the article is not fully in front of me): excellent advice on all counts, thank you so much. <br>

Pete, I hadn't considered your suggestion, but I'm very interested - found some great stuff on gain and jacking up the effective ISO. That sounds like the way to go.</p>

<p>Thank you all once again!<br>

Warmly,<br>

Eric</p>