Modifying flash settings for bounce flash

[stelwyn_hynt]

<p>Hi, </p>

<p>I have never used a flash before but a friend has asked me to take photos at an party event inside a bar at night. With no experience I realise these photos aren't going to be terribly good, but I'd like to at least try my best.</p>

<p>I only own a film camera (Canon P), so the possible advantage of digital in these situations is not an option. The camera is loaded with 400-speed B&W (Tri-X), and so I will have to use a flash. I've been lent a cheap hotshoe flash that can be attached to the camera by a relatively short cable.</p>

<p>Reading online, it looks like it would be advisable to not have the flash mounted onto the camera but instead to either hold it in one hand and not point the flash directly at people's faces to get some shadows, or if possible to soften the light by bouncing the flash on a wall behind me. I'm mainly concerned about the second option: if I am bounce-flashing on a wall that is at most 1 meter behind me, how many stops do I need to adjust to compensate?</p>

<p>Just a general indication would be helpful, I realise this is rather vague. Also if anyone has any tips that would be greatly appreciated.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

Wht color is the wall and the ceiling in the place? How high are the ceilings? It makes zero sense to try and bounce the

flash if they are dark or black or if the ceiling is high.

[stelwyn_hynt]

Ceiling is average height,

probably 3 meters, walls and

ceiling are wood (neither

particularly light not dark)

[AJG]

<p>Another question--does the flash have any exposure automation built in, like a Vivitar 283/285 or other flashes from the 1970's/1980's? If it doesn't and you have to figure exposure manually and guess what bounce flash exposure would be, then put it on a bracket so it is a bit farther from the lens axis to prevent red eye.</p>

[stelwyn_hynt]

It has a chart on the back of it:

it's a table with film speeds and

distance from subject which give

aperture setting (the speed is

automatically 1/60)

[SCL]

<p>I think Andrew's question was rather your flash unit had a photocell on the front with a seting which typically offers manual and 1 or 2 automatic flash settings. If you are strictly in the manual mode with no automation, I can only suggest the technique I used to use with strictly manual flashes. For a hotshoe flash attaching to the camera hotshoe, I would bounce it off the ceiling usually at about a 45 degree angle. Out ceilings were usually lightly colored (white or cream) and 8-10 ft high. So for distance part of the calculation I would estimate distance from flash to the impact point on the ceiling and add the distance from that point to the face of the subject. Using the guide on the back of the flash and that total distance would give me a f stop, and I would typically open up the diaphragm 1-2 stops depending on my guess of the light dispersion at ceiling level and the degree of lightness of the ceiling. Sometimes that just didn't cut it, and instead I'd point the flash straight up, but tape a white index card to the back side of the flash and bend it 45 degrees forward to direct the light forward, use the chart on the rear for actual subject distance and open up 1 stop for absorbtion by the card. My other trick was to rubberband a white handkerchief over the face of the flash to act as a diffuser and point it directly at the subject....open about 1 1/2 stops from the indicated aperture shown on the chart at the rear of the flash. Having said all this...the best thing you could do is run a test roll in advance using the technique you feel is best, and adjust from there. The worst thing would be to just shoot the flash into people's faces and get stark contrasts, red-eye, etc.</p>

[stelwyn_hynt]

Thanks Stephen, yes it is fully

manual. Thanks for your reply, I

guess I'll try a combination of

those and see what happens.

Unfortunately the event is

tomorrow so running a test roll

is not a possibility either...

[craig_shearman1]

If you tell us model of flash we can be more

helpful.

 

But if this is your first time with flash you need

to learn to walk before you try to run. Mount

the flash on the camera. Do not worry about

bouncing or diffusing at this point. With a

manual flash you'll have enough trouble just

getting the exposure right.

[mukul_dube]

<p>Total distance is flash-to-wall plus wall-to-subject. Set aperture for that distance, open up two stops. I used this procedure in the 1970s -- with white walls and ceilings and black and white film. Like Craig, I shall advise direct flash.</p>

[BrianS1664879711]

Since you don't have much experience with flash

photography I concur with those suggesting that

you keep things simple - on the camera direct

flash. Bouncing is an advanced technique and you

need to stay attentive that your aperture setting is

correct for the shooting distance. Trying to do too

much at the same time will spell disaster. The

worse that can happen is some harsh shadows

and maybe red eye. Either/both is much better to

have than no shot at all. Good luck!

[john_stockdale2]

<p>Another possibility: If the ambient light isn't too far off being adequate for exposure without flash, you could use that ambient light plus a little help from the flash, set at maybe -2 stops under what it would normally be set for full flash mode. I have done this often. Also I use a Sto-Fen diffuser on the flash which softens the direct flash effect to a degree. Maybe something could be bought or improvised.</p>

<p>You really have to do a test though before the event which seems to be important.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>To briefly answer the question: You lose about 2 stops bouncing off a white wall or ceiling, but wood? Who knows? At least another stop I would guess. That takes you down to 1/8th of the direct flash power, and the loaner flash you have sounds like it's a weedy thing to start with. I'm guessing it's true Guide Number might be no more than 20 (metres/100 ISO). That would translate to a GN of 14 given 400 ISO film and then subtracting 3 stops for the bounce. So that's f/2.8 @ 5 metres, f/5.6 @ 2.5 metres, etc. And that's including the bounce distance in the calculation, so you have to subtract 1 metre from the flash-to-subject distance.</p>

<p>To state the obvious; make sure you don't block the bounced light by standing in front of it. Better to aim the flash slightly above and to one side of yourself. If the flash has a "zoom" head, set it to the widest it'll go. This usually gives a fuller exposure from bounced flash for some reason.</p>

<p>Best of luck! Sounds like you'll need it.</p>

[nigel fraustbyte]

<p>Good Luck</p>