Hotshoe flash for fill

[michael_barnes5]

<p>I shoot available light but I've been thinking about using artificial lighting for fill. Now I like the idea of hotshoe flashes because of convenience.<br /><br />Is this a good idea or a waste? I know that soft light usually comes from large sources and hence an umbrella or softbox or something like that might be "better" but something on camera is just so much easier.<br /><br /><br /></p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>A hot-shoe-mounted flash can do wonders if it's used to its best advantages (bounced when the environment gives you something to bounce from, gelled when it needs to match ambient color temps, dragged shutter and dialed back to avoid cave style foreground light, and perhaps on a bracket to avoid red-eye issues). A versatile flashgun is an indispensable tool, but it won't solve all problems. I use mine most often off-camera, remotely triggered by the camera (Nikon's CLS system is very, very handy). Sometimes it's just held high and left in my other hand. Sometimes it's sitting on a book shelf four feet from the subject. <br /><br />Yes, it's easy to just pop it in the hot shoe and use it directly as fill. And it will help out in a lot of situations. But using it just a <em>bit</em> more creatively than that will make the difference between a snapshot and a purposeful photograph. </p>

[Bill C]

<blockquote>

<p>Is this a good idea or a waste? I know that soft light usually comes from large sources and hence an umbrella or softbox or something like that might be "better" but something on camera is just so much easier.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I'd say great to have along unless you're already packing studio-style lighting with you.</p>

<p>I mostly agree with Matt, but have a point to make. If you use your flash as an on-camera fill, at low-power, almost no one will notice if it is a soft or hard source. About the only way it will show up as a hard light (when used as weak fill) is as a small catch light in the eyes or shiny jewelry, or if the skin is oily. So if you're doing environmental-style portraits of customers, such a flash lets you keep moving.</p>

<p>"Red eye" could be a problem, but ususally only shows up when you are letting the flash do most of the work. (Although some people are VERY susceptable to showing red eye.)</p>

<p>I see on your website that you're a Rolleiflex user, which means there is no camera-control over the flash. So I would suggest getting a flash that has a manual-exposure control on it. ie, if you want to use the flash at 1/8 power, you can set it to that. Otherwise you won't have good control over it. Also, since you don't get the feedback of a digital camera, it would be nice to have a flashmeter. Otherwise you'll have to work according to flash guide-numbers, and these aren't too helpful when you are bouncing the flash.</p>

<p>Have you ever tried using just a white card (say 2 x 3 feet) as a reflector? With the sort of photos you've posted here, I think this might be better than a flash. It can add a bit of elegance to the lighting, and you won't have to worry about exposure adjustments.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>Shoemount flash is standard practice for fill. As others have noted, it can be used anywhere from in the hotshoe on the camera to off-camera on a stand with an umbrella or in a softbox, but it's done every day. If used carefully, you cant' tell whether the fill came from natural light, a shoemount flash, a studio flash or a reflector.</p>

[michael_barnes5]

<p>Sorry I was unclear so I'm going to elaborate because it was late and I was very vague in describing my motivation and intentions for artificial lighting. <br /><br />I shoot available light portraits with my Rolleiflex and film. I like using available light because it is natural and simple, but I might need something supplementary, just for fill and so I thought about a shoe-mounted flash on a flash bracket. My use for artificial lighting is not for key and hence I figured that the source of lighting would be less important. I don't like the idea of packing studio lights, but I don't want to waste my time and money with the more convenient shoe-mounted flash either if the lighting is poor. I'm going to play with reflectors first, but I am unsure if that will be enough and so I am reading up in my options.<br /><br /></p>

[GerrySiegel]

<p>Reflectors are a good way to start I would say, since you get to see the results in preview using film. And nothing says you can't use them with some flash later on. Don't skimp on the quality or size of reflectors. And even a stand to hold them if need be. Good luck with the natural light portraits, Michael. </p>

[studio460]

<p>A fun hot-shoe "trick" is to buy a Nikon SC-29 remote TTL cable, or a longer Nikon-compatible TTL cable from Ebay. Then you can hold your Speedlight in your left hand, with your left arm outstretched, for instant "off-camera" flash!</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>"I know that soft light usually comes from large sources..." Soft light <em>always</em> comes from large sources; that's the very definition of a soft light source.</p>

<p>There are basically 3 main methods or schools-of-thought on mixing flash with ambient, especially daylight:<br>

1) Use on-camera flash as a hard fill - i.e. un-modified flash - fitted as close to the lens axis as possible. This gives near-shadowless fill, but, as Bill says, it can give strong specular reflections making people look a bit sweaty, and can be particularly problematic with spectacle wearers.</p>

<p>2) Soften the light and use it on axis, or to the opposite side of the main light off camera. On axis is a safer bet if you can't review what's happening with your fill. A Flashbender type device is probably the easiest way to get on-axis yet reasonably soft light. If used off camera a bigger diffuser (white umbrella, large reflector or softbox) is usually the way to go. Hard un-modified flash used off camera as a fill can easily give double shadows and look very unnatural.</p>

<p>3) Overpower the ambient and make the flash your key light. This can give nice effects with ambient light used as backlighting, but you usually need a powerful flash for this to work. It also mostly needs a nice big diffuser and some practise to get right. It's risky if you can't review the results or accurately meter the flash.</p>

<p>There are obviously many more options, but I'm assuming you want to start simple with a single flash and minimum fuss and accessories. You'll probably want to keep the setup reasonably foolproof at first too, until you gain confidence and experience in using flash.</p>

<p>BTW, those little translucent plastic clip-on flash diffusers or dome affairs are near useless as far as softening a flash is concerned. Don't waste your time or money on them. They only work indoors or near a big reflective surface, in which case you might just as well bounce the flash off the reflective surface in the first place.</p>

[fotografz]

<p>I understand what you are after, and an on-camera speed-light will do the job to just lower the contrast when dealing with strong directional ambient, and/or eliminate things like "raccoon eye", or to provide some fill when dealing with hats and such.</p>

<p>You can use it straight with no modification when shooting at a distance with a longer lens, or add a simple diffusion modifier when working closer up to help mitigate specular highlights off of skin. </p>

<p>In effect, you use the ambient as the "large" directional key light and the on-camera speed-light for a touch of fill ... compensating the speed-light so it just fills the shadow areas a bit and lowers the contrast.</p>

<p>- Marc</p>

<p> </p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

A really good all manual flash for this is the Lumopro LP180. Just introduced and just under $200.00

ive been work wIth a RAID of them for 2-3 weeks now. I'm finding them versatile and they appear to be very rugged. Very

straightforward with no automation features beyond a built-in slave and preflash ignore modes when you use them with

either Nikon or Canon TTL controlled flashes.

[michaelmowery]

<p> You got some very good answers here. My opinion is if you have the time why not use a large soft light source? When I don't have the time to do it right I use a 20" octa soft box that my lumidyne flash is attached to. The smaller the light source the closer you have to be to get any softness. Definitely try reflectors first to see if you get the effect you like because if you are not used to using strobes you might be disappointed.</p>