Help required please

scoff

scoff

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Edit My Images
Yes
flash1.jpg


Been playing with indoor flash.
used 1/125 and f7.1
I dont think its too harsh, but its not that good either??

I shot this on manual and these were the best settings I found.

All advice very welcome as to how I can improve my portrait piccies...

BTW the subject is my 10yr old reluctant daughter :)
 
Looks like you bounced the flash on the ceiling right above the camera, Andy, which is making the image look flat. Try bouncing it from the side if poss to give it a bit more depth?
 
Sorry, should have said, I used a difuser, its aimed straight at her.
I did try bouncing flash, but the results were not as good!
Does look lifeless, i think thats the prob?

Had a play in PS improved the colours....
flash2.jpg

Thoughts? ta
 
Much better with the extra depth of colour. Try using setings for available light with one or two stops down on the flash as "fill in" and sort out colour cast if required.
 
Cheers for the comment, I wish I knew what you were on about with ref to Stops to do with flash and colour cast?
Scuse my ignorance :)
 
There's a handy book in the shops called 'Langford's Basic Photography' - more usually referred to just as 'Langford's' - it's the default textbook for almost all photo courses run in the UK and it's aimed at those starting from scratch but builds up to a fairly advanced level. Well worth looking at and useful if you want to ask a specific question on here and don't know what the correct terms and phraseology are.
 
Nice shot, but since you asked for crits..

My first thought was that you hadn't bounced it.
You can bounce from the side, but shadows look more natural when they are cast from above"ish" (since thats where the buttered bun is). So unless you have 2 or more flashes go for an overhead bounce.

If you have a sunny day then sunlight through a window "can" add a lot of extra depth. Also a lot of extra shadows. So you need to ballance the flash with the available ambient light (might also need a tripod for <50th sec - assuming 50mm lens).

Couple of comments as far as posing goes.
- You have her framed dead on. Almost looks like she's just a head ballancing in a "eggcup" hands. Unless you are going for symmmmetry then try a little from one side.

- Nail varnish remover (but then 10year old girl... I'm not sure I'm that brave).
 
cheers
going to have a play tomorrow...
think it may cost me some pocket money though :)
 
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