Basic Photography Using Flash

1. On Camera Flash Basic Photography Using Flash

2. On Camera Flash Basic Photography Concepts • Automatic vs. Creative Modes • EV Equivalent Value • Lighting considerations • Histogram • Add Flash to you shot • Guides as starting points

3. On Camera Flash Automatic vs. Manual • Automatic is easy • Quality is good • I’m in a hurry • Manual is difficult • To many things do I need to think about. • What are the advantages? • The difference is consistency and control.

4. On Camera Flash Automatic vs. Creative Modes • To what extend do you want to have control? • Creative modes • AV , TV, P • Manual • Custom Features • First curtain vs. second curtain • High speed sync • Histogram

5. On Camera Flash Histogram in Camera To dark To bright • To the left the picture is to dark, to the right it’s too bright • Balanced is in the center • A valuable tool in camera

6. On Camera Flash Exposure Value • Three choices, all with limitations • Aperture 22, 16, 11, 8, 5.6, 4, 2.8, 2, 1.4,1.2 • Shutter Speed100, 200,400,800.…8000 • ISO- 100, 200, 400, 800,1600…. 24,000

7. On Camera Flash Lighting Considerations • What is your main light source? • Direction of the light • Color Temperature • What affect do you want? • Digital camera metering to 18% gray • Increase exposure for white • Decrease exposure for black • Do I want, or need flash?

8. On Camera Flash Using On-camera Flash • Built in flash unit • Add on flash units • A or B type units • EX vs. EV units • Metering with TTL • Consider using EV changes on flash unit • Camera Sync Speed • Considering a purchase? • Off camera flash – subject for another time

9. On Camera Flash Light Fall-Off(Inverse Square Law) 5ft 5ft Light Source Illuminated area = 1 sq ft Illuminated area = 4 sq ft • For a given light source intensity: • Twice the distance results in 1/4th illumination (i.e., 2 stops lower) • Three times distance results in 1/9th illumination (i.e., >3 stops lower) • Four times distance results in 1/16th illumination (i.e., 4 stops lower) • Solutions: • Decrease distance between closest & furthest subjects • Back away from closest subject as much as possible • Use Large Diffuser (limited effectiveness when on-camera) • Use Bounce Flash (back wall, side wall, ceiling, reflector)

10. On Camera Flash Flash Unit Guide Number • Guide Numbershows the power of the flash unit. • Useful tool to estimate exposure when distance is known: • Guide Number / distance in feet= Aperture

11. On Camera Flash Add Flash to Composition • As your primary light • Soft vs. hard light (demo flash) • Direct vs. indirect light (demo) • Light fall off (demo) • Ambient light (Demo) • Color Temperature (demo) • Used a supplemental fill light • Control shadows, Highlight subject, Create soft light, Contrast • Light fall off • Flash on subject is not affected EV, background is (Demo) • Adjust EV as subjects appear further away (Demo bounce flash) • Guide Number / distance in feet = Aperture

12. On Camera Flash Direct vs. Indirect light • Direct light removes shadows and creates a flat picture. • Direct light is a hard light • Bounced flash softens light and skin tones

13. On Camera Flash Soft vs. Hard Light • Look at the skin tones between a soft and hard light. • Notice reflection of light from flash

14. On Camera Flash Light Fall Off • Example shows how illumination is less the further apart the subjects are from the source.

15. On Camera Flash Solution for Light Fall Off • Consider bouncing flash to balance illumination on subjects at different distances.

16. On Camera Flash Ambient Light • In addition to your main light, you need to consider ambient light. • Tungsten add an orange color • Fluorescent – blue of green tint added

17. On Camera Flash Watch out for glasses! • Direct light reflects off glasses. • Also, “Red Eye” comes from reflection off of the eye retina.

18. On Camera Flash Color Temperature Solution • Convert your flash to correct ambient light

19. On Camera Flash Light Fall Off • Using Flash the light remains constant • Flash on subject is not affected by change in EV • Background illumination can be controlled with EV

20. On Camera Flash Notice the back ground! • By just changing the shutter speed you control the color and texture of the back ground.

21. On Camera Flash Want more Shadow? • Add flash and to the extreme. • Adjust the angle and distance of the flash to control shadows.

22. On Camera Flash Live Demo • Grey scale demo showing manual vs auto exposure modes. • Color demo showing manual vs auto color selection • Additional examples

23. On Camera Flash Starting PointsConsiderations/Rules of Thumb • Read your equipment manual! • Daylight- Rule 16: A 16, SS 100, ISO 100 • Flash on subject in Sun light • Sun behind camera -3EV to -1EV • Sun at 90 degrees -2EV to 0EV • Sun behind subject -1EV to +1EV • Indoor consider your color temperature • Consider bounce flash to direct or soften light • Consider shutter speed & ISO to supplement background • Shoot Raw to have 16 bits of data per pixel to work with for flexibility • Look at the camera’s RGB histogram • Shoot a manual practice shot, then adjust the settings to your preference • Play with flash - practice