 BetterPhoto Member |
Fill-In Flash Can I use a flash to "fill in" shadows in outdoor pictures? For example, noonday sun, ASA 400 film, boy wearing a basaball cap. His face is heavily shadowed. I could use a reflector, but could I instead use my flash (less obtrusive than a reflector for candid pictures)? I have a Minolta XG-M with a sync speed of 1/60th and a thyristor (non TTL) flash. If I set my shutter speed to 1/60th, the rest of the picture would be over exposed I suspect, even at my tightest aperture. If I set to a faster shutter speed I suspect I'd lose sync? Can this be done? Any hints for set-up? Thanks!
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Jeff S. Kennedy |
IMHO one of the most overused tools in photography is ISO 400 speed film. Unless you are trying to stop furious action you just don't need it. Having laid that foundation I would suggest that if you intend to use fill flash then use slower film. ISO 100 or 200 are plenty fast enough for most situations. The 200 is a nice compromise since you can push it to 400 in a pinch. As to fill flash techniques, you have a couple of options. First of all, if the subject is completely backlit you can use the flash at full power to balance with the ambient light. Second, if the face is partially lit and you want to open up the shadows to show detail but not eliminate them so the shot still has depth set you flash for a stop less light than ambient.
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John A. Lind |
Shooting this type of photography in noonday sun is not normally the best time of day for it. It can leave very long and unnatural shadows under eyebrows, noses and chins if there is any direct light falling on the face. Early to mid-morning and mid- to late afternoon usually works better. Try to do this on an overcast day if possible. The lighting is softer and shadows are not as harsh or contrasty. I recognize you may not have a choice on the time of day for this or the weather conditions. Watch your camera and flash angle with respect to the subject too. Many people tend to pull the bill of a ballcap down low covering the forehead completely. Keep the flash above the lens and shoot from slightly below the head looking up slightly at the face. Experiment with this a little to find a good angle. The object is to get sufficient light from your flash under the bill of the ballcap. If the bill is pulled down, have the subject tilt the cap back slightly to expose more of the face. Take a look at outdoor close-up shots on baseball cards to get some ideas. -- John
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Hermann Graf |
Chris, another possibility in this kind of light situation is using a reflective screen. By this, you can bring additional sunlight to your object, and "dosage" is much better controllable than with a flash. The disadvantage: another person must hold the screen, or you use a tripod for the camera when holding it. Reflective screens are available in shops specialized for photo accessories.
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John A. Lind |
While not as reflective, but often much less expensive, a piece of very stiff "white board" available from any art supply store also works as a reflector. -- John
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Jeff S. Kennedy |
Another reflector option is to be your own reflector. How? Wear a white shirt. If you are close enough it can be a nice reflection. If you are farther away you may not fill in shadows but it does add nice catchlights.
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