Using flash as fill-in

Mickwreay

Mickwreay

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Mick
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Can anyone “shed some light” on the basics of using a flash?
I use a Canon 50D & a Jessops 360AFDC

The problem I’m trying to get my head around is :thinking:
While trying to take an evening shot of the family in Disney this year, I was trying to light the family while leaving the Disney Castle correctly exposed.

My understanding, is the flash should be producing enough light to match the metered light coming from the castle in the background? Is this correct?

I’ve been using TTL setting, however this seems to only meter the family & correctly exposes them, which I assume is doing the job as advertised.

I’ve learnt so much over the last few weeks on holiday & shot most of my images in manual during the evening light & firework displays.

All help & pointers greatly appreciated.

Mick
 
OK,

Done some googling! Still a bit unsure. I get the first/second curtain explanation.
Do you set up the camera in manual, exposed for the background then let the flash fire as set ie. 1st or 2nd curtain?

Just found this link, makes it a lot clearer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvZ6VujbhjM

Mick
 
Last edited:
Have a look at http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/index.html

Very basically if you have the camera in AV mode the camera will meter for the scene and provide some fill flash. In manual the camera will meter the flash as best it can but it will only be able to light the foreground subjects due to the flash power.
 
Simple answer is to use Av and evaluative metering. That should get you close on both ambient and flash exposures, but the situation you've described could be tricky.

In which case, you can adjust the ambient with normal exposure compensation, and modify the flash level with flash compensation (either on the back of the flash, or in the camera menu - assuming the Jessops gun allows that).

Don't use second curtain sync unless the subject is moving, and even then be aware that with E-TTL the separation of the pre-flash from the main flash can make the subject blink, or even move with a long exposure if they think the picture has been taken.

Very good book - Speedliter's Handbook by Syl Arena. £18 on Amazon.
 
I took these a few years ago, although i only had the OB flash with me and should have used a bit of - FEC on the first one.
Both were taken in AV mode so shutter speed was very slow, but the flash is fast enough to freeze the main subjects. These aren't great but i think this is what your aiming for.
478380556_VDbDJ-S.jpg


134595397_oYwc5-S.jpg
 
Practice I think is the answer.

One explanation that helped me, was that the setting which is going to have the most effect on the amount of flash read, is the aperture. If the flash is set to manual, and the camera is on manual, you set the time to be correct for the background image, and the aperture correct to allow the amount of light you want into the camera for the flash.
Take a shot, check the output and re-adjust.
Unfortunately, if your subjects are like mine, they will see the camera and run. (or moan that I have used the flash)
 
Doesn't the jessops flash support ttl+Bl as that should do the trick. Better results can be had manually but for a quick result ensure that balanced lighting is used in combination with ttl.
 
dejongj said:
Doesn't the jessops flash support ttl+Bl as that should do the trick. Better results can be had manually but for a quick result ensure that balanced lighting is used in combination with ttl.
Click to expand...

JP,

It seems to be only TTL, just gonna have to practice, practice practice :shrug:

Mick
 
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