 Susan Robertson |
How do you meter flash? Hi! Does anyone know how to meter flash? I take lots of portraits outdoors. With my film camera I could meter the scene (using my incident light meter) then turn on the flash (metering the flash down 1 1/2 stops) take the picture and get great catch lights in the eyes w/out having that WOW I used a flash look. With my Cannon Rebel XT I have my flash metered down 1 1/2 stops AND put on a diffuser and it completely blows out the image. Also, any tips on getting great catch lights in the eyes. I always put my people in the shade and tend to have dull eyes. HELP! Thanks, Susan Robertson
|
|||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
BetterPhoto Member |
I have a Sekonic 358 and a sync chord. You plug the sync chord into your flash and into your light meter. Aim your light meter and your flash at your subject and press the test button. The meter reads the light burst, giving you a reading on a flash exposure. Film sync speeds are from 60-90 or so. Would one of my colleagues back me up on a figure for a digital?
|
|||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
Jon Close |
What flash are you using? What exposure mode/settings on the XT? Settings (if any) on the flash? Can you upload a sample?
|
|||||||
|
|
||||||||
- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Sounds like you're putting on the diffuser with the flash on auto. My flash on auto will fire at full power if I leave the sensor uncovered, but cover the flash tube with my hand. So there's something else besides the sensor that figures into finding exposure. Maybe yours is the same. Without a flash meter, use auto set to an apeture one or two stops below ambient light. Or use the distance scale on manual and a power level one or two stops below ambient.
|
|||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
Pete H |
The best way to get the catch light effect you are after is with a flash bracket. Get the flash away from the camera...preferably left or right rather than vertical. Dead center catch light is not all too complimentary. :)
|
|||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
Susan Robertson |
I am shooting w/ a Cannon Rebel XT in Manuel mode. My flash is a Cannon 420 EX. I metered the sceen w/ my light meter and set it on manuel mode. I metered my flash down 1 1/2 stops and put a diffuser on the flash. I will try to upload 2 pictures. One w/out the flash and one w/ the flash. Its WAY too bright. I just want a soft flash to help w/ catchlights. Oh, and I put the flash on an extention arm to the left of the camera.
|
|||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
Susan Robertson |
|
|||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Too bright then you may not have it 1&1/2 below. bring the power down.
|
|||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
Susan Robertson |
Everyone thanks for writing back. Something is wrong w/ our local intenet and I cannot upload images. I will keep trying. Please check back so you can see my before and after photos. I would really like to resolve this problem. thanks again, Susan p.s. When I tried to upload the photos they put them on my class website. How do I get them onto my question?
|
|||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here
Report this Thread |
||||||||