Using Flash in High contrast Lighting

Mattpitts74

Mattpitts74

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Matt
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Hi Guys,

I would appreciate some input from other experienced photographers. I do quite a lot of event photography. At the weekend I was taking photos of cyclists on an event during the middle of the day in full sun. In these situations I often struggle to get a decent exposure on people's faces. I have been trying to use spot metering, with limited success. So at the weekend I also thought I could use flash as fill light to lighten the faces.

Here are a couple of examples. In the first the camera is just using normal metering, which obviously under exposes the face, due the bright light behind. These can be pulled back in Lightroom, but there's still often harsh shadows.

bhf-0318.jpg

This second one is using exposure comp, and can be pulled back in lightroom, and it's obviously possible to lighten the face in lightroom with the radial filter, but its very tedious and time consuming. I generally find that everything happens very quickly and the flash was a bit hit and miss and I always struggles to get it close enough to the subject to be very useful.


bhf-0323.jpg

I would appreciate any advice for photographing in these kinds of situations? I tend to always hope for overcast days, but its often bright sun and inevitably I have to photograph during the middle of the day.
 
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i use my nikon sb900 for this type of scene with matrix metering and i put the flash on ttl setting with good results
or you could put the flash on manual and just try different power settings until you get the right one very simple to do
all you need to do is have someone stand and practice before the riders start to appear
 
Thanks Holty, I tried both of those options at the weekend, with limited success, it's party because cyclists don't always cycle in the exact same place and my poor timing taking the photos. I'm always using a longish lens so I need to get the flash closer, or a more powerful flash, I think.

I will try again next time.

Do you have the flash off camera?
 
Can you show an example of what you consider to be representative of what it is you want to achieve using flash.
 
I've had a lesson from one of the pros specializing in this here in the alps. He is using an elinchrom ranger 1100WS flash as a main light and a 360WS second light when needed. He has a special light stand which has one of the legs extendable for use on sloping mountainsides.
 
I wouldn't have thought flash would be the solution here, too many variables, loads of power needed and you would need super fast recharge time, I've cycled loads of these sportives and never seen anyone using a flash.

Manual exposure and good positioning would be what I'd try and accept that you might blow some highlights. I can guaranty that none of the cyclists will care.
 
Mattpitts74 said:
Yes I saw those, they look great, but I was wondering if I could use something like a Magbeam https://magnetmod.com/shop/magbeam-kit/ as it would allow me to be more mobile, if used with the speedlite on camera, what do you reckon?
Click to expand...
I use a magbeam on an AD200... it is big, a little heavy, and kind of floppy. For mobile use on a speedlight I would suggest the xt-a25 as the best flash extender to use... but it's still not going to let you kill the ambient with a speedlight.
 
sk66 said:
I use a magbeam on an AD200... it is big, a little heavy, and kind of floppy. For mobile use on a speedlight I would suggest the xt-a25 as the best flash extender to use... but it's still not going to let you kill the ambient with a speedlight.
Click to expand...

The AD200 looks like an interesting bit of kit.
Do you use more than a speedlite and I take it that the output is much greater than a top speedlite ! ?
 
Tysonator said:
The AD200 looks like an interesting bit of kit.
Do you use more than a speedlite and I take it that the output is much greater than a top speedlite ! ?
Click to expand...
It's about equal to 3x top speedlights.
I have a pretty unique setup for using it on-camera with the MagBeam like a speedlight... not exactly what I would call "portable" (but I have carried it around).


Godox AD200 for wildlife by Steven Kersting, on Flickr
 
I have never seen that kind of rig / set up before !
What is the range of the flash you get / normally use on wildlife shoots ?

The magbeam looks like a hood with glass for the AD200
From what I have been reading both Nikon, Canon & Sony wireless trigger cameras can fire the AD200.
Look like in your photo you are using a trigger on the hot shoe.
 
Mattpitts74 said:
Thanks Holty, I tried both of those options at the weekend, with limited success, it's party because cyclists don't always cycle in the exact same place and my poor timing taking the photos. I'm always using a longish lens so I need to get the flash closer, or a more powerful flash, I think.

I will try again next time.

Do you have the flash off camera?
Click to expand...

yes on a small stand

just remember bright sunshine in not your friend
 
Tysonator said:
What is the range of the flash you get / normally use on wildlife shoots ?
Click to expand...
I'm normally using flash only w/in 20ft or so. The AD200 has a GN of 52 and the beamer puts it about a stop higher (104M). I can get away with a bare speedlight just as well usually, it's just this combination uses a lot lower power setting so I can get multiple frames before recycling or shorter recycle times. I'm using the Godox trigger.
 
sk66 said:
I'm normally using flash only w/in 20ft or so. The AD200 has a GN of 52 and the beamer puts it about a stop higher (104M). I can get away with a bare speedlight just as well usually, it's just this combination uses a lot lower power setting so I can get multiple frames before recycling or shorter recycle times. I'm using the Godox trigger.
Click to expand...

Hi sk66,

is the lens a Sigma 150-500, 150-600 or Nikon ?
In the photo it looks like you have a lens collar with a cold shoe slot. Which then has the mount for the AD200, both of which I have never seen before.
The car guttering mount is another bit of kit I have never seen ( Jesus, where I have I been ! ! ), I take it that the upside down ball head is on a rail with in the rack attached to the car guttering
holty said:
yes on a small stand

just remember bright sunshine in not your friend
Click to expand...

The other option is to get a helper to hold and point the speedlite for you as this will be more directional at the cyclist.
 
Tysonator said:
Hi sk66,

is the lens a Sigma 150-500, 150-600 or Nikon ?
In the photo it looks like you have a lens collar with a cold shoe slot. Which then has the mount for the AD200, both of which I have never seen before.
The car guttering mount is another bit of kit I have never seen ( Jesus, where I have I been ! ! ), I take it that the upside down ball head is on a rail with in the rack attached to the car guttering
Click to expand...
The lens is a 400/2.8. I drilled a hole in the lens hood and mounted a cold shoe there :eek:, it's the only good way to use flash from w/in a vehicle (IMO). I used to just put an SB800 out there attached to a TTL cable.

The WindowRail is a product my company makes (SharpShooter Industries LLC). It's a slider rail that attaches either around the upper window frame, or with (optional) gutter hooks as I have it now. If you look on youtube for "WindowRail" I have a video of it comparing it to other options (there have been a couple of small improvements made since that video).
 
sk66 said:
The lens is a 400/2.8. I drilled a hole in the lens hood and mounted a cold shoe there :eek:, it's the only good way to use flash from w/in a vehicle (IMO). I used to just put an SB800 out there attached to a TTL cable.

The WindowRail is a product my company makes (SharpShooter Industries LLC). It's a slider rail that attaches either around the upper window frame, or with (optional) gutter hooks as I have it now. If you look on youtube for "WindowRail" I have a video of it comparing it to other options (there have been a couple of small improvements made since that video).
Click to expand...


This is the one
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n04QiQYkyFY


It looks very smooth and a cheap gimbal head !
 
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