Using built in flash effectively

BarryG

BarryG

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I've been asked to take some photos on Saturday night. The setting is a room that hasn't got the best lighting, but it certainly isn't dark.

The shots are all posed standing still, a group of 3-5 people.

Now ideally I'd have a speed light, but I don't. I wondered if anyone know of a hand made bodge to make the built in flash a bit nicer?

I was thinking of some kind of attachment that would widen the range with something over the front to diffuse the light a little.

I'll possibly be asked to do more of these, so I'll pick up a proper flash when I can afford it (looked at Jessops 360, very unimpressed with the build quality).

So, in the meantime I need a short term alternative. Is there one?
 
Thanks for that, I did just happen across another article that suggested the same thing.

Looks like Google has quite a few options.

I'd be interested to hear from people who have actually used one of these methods.
 
I have one of these but the difference is minute. Another alternative is the Gary Fong diffuser which gets reasonable reviews. I gave up and just bought a SB-700 :D
 
I bought a "pop up flash diffuser" from amazon for a couple of pounds which looks like the Gary fong one, does a reasonable job if you have a play with the flash compensation. I've also got one like posted above which is next to useless.
 
terryt said:
Another alternative is the Gary Fong diffuser which gets reasonable reviews.
Click to expand...

I have a Gary Fong diffuser but that is for the speed gun. It works well but I do get a few weird looks when at events. It is a bit on the overt side!
 
Use a small make-up mirror to bounce the flash off the ceiling or the wall. Think of the surface it is bouncing off as a the light source, so you might want to consider where everyone is in relation to what you want to bounce off.

***CLOSE YOUR EYES WHEN YOU PRESS THE SHUTTER*** :D
 
The problem with the pop-up is the power is feeble, and you need loads of it for bouncing or any other diffusion technique likely to make any difference.

By all means have a go, but whack the ISO as high as you dare to help it along and do not under exposure or you'll be plagued with noise. You need a bit of depth of field with groups too.

If there is any meaningful ambient light about, maybe direct fill-in flash balanced with ambient would do the trick?
 
Covering the built in with a piece of tissue paper works for a very quick 'nicer' effect on your flash. it won't make you look like a pro but it seems to work!
 
Vixen said:
Covering the built in with a piece of tissue paper works for a very quick 'nicer' effect on your flash. it won't make you look like a pro but it seems to work!
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I used a fag paper on a disposable, however, with flash-comp you shouldn't neet to do this.

As always, Hoppy gives some great advice.
 
I used to use a small piece of light brown opaque film stuck to the flash glass with spray mount, it was given to me by a pro film cameraman who I think described it as flesh-tone film that they used for studio lighting, worked a treat as it softened the harshness of the light and gave an overall warmer colour. It actually looked like unexposed 35mm film.
I know this isn't immediately helpful unless you happen to know a film cameraman but you may be able to think of a work-around!
 
HoppyUK said:
The problem with the pop-up is the power is feeble, and you need loads of it for bouncing or any other diffusion technique likely to make any difference.

By all means have a go, but whack the ISO as high as you dare to help it along and do not under exposure or you'll be plagued with noise. You need a bit of depth of field with groups too.

If there is any meaningful ambient light about, maybe direct fill-in flash balanced with ambient would do the trick?
Click to expand...

that would be my take on it. You can get really creative with the built in flash (I actually preferred it to a flashgun) but you need to know what you're after and ambient light helps.
 
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