Flash Photography

[j_rod]

Hello,

Maybe this is not the right forum to ask this question... but on the other hand maybe it is. Anyway, here is my problem: Yesterday on my son's graduation I took some pictures with a Nikon D50 camera and a SB-600 flash, some of the pictures were half way decent and others the highlights were blown out. My question to the photographers in this forum is: What settings do you use for indoor photos? or if you use manual mode where do you meter?

Thanks in advance,

Javier

[jdaa]

I have found tons of help with camera settings on a site called dpreview. They have a forum for each type of camera and even some broken down into subjects like "digital photography", "post processing", etc. I would go there and post this question.

[royindfw]

I have the same camera and flash. I always use Program Mode on indoor shots. Where is your White Balance set for indoor shots? I find setting it to "flash" rather then "auto" produces much warmer photos. You get different results depending on the type of lighting in the room. Try experimenting with all the options for White Balance for each type of lighting-incandescent or fluorescent. For indoor photos using available light (no flash) try setting White Balance to "Shade". If you are talking about "highlights" found on page 53 of your D50 manual, the flashing areas on the "highlights" page of "Photo Information" (page 52) is just showing you the brightest areas in that particular photograph. Hope some of this helps. White Balance settings can really screw up some otherwise good pictures! I just ordered PE 6 to replace my old PE 2 version. Sure hope it has better White Balance editing capability than PE 2!

[nkeevers]

Okay, I have a question. I just recently got an external flash and I'm also having a little trouble. I was trying it on Av or Manual and the images were either blurry or dark. I was just reading in a book on night and low light photography that...the easiest way to ensure correctly exposed flash shots is by setting the camera to PM so everything is done automatically, all you do is focus and shoot! Is this really correct? Will this work is you are taking pictures at say a wedding where people are dancing. I would have though Av would be the most versatile. Then I can set the f-stop and the shutter speed will follow. Am I wrong?

[Not4wood]

Depends on the Camera and Flash. If your Flash is TTL or Thru the Lens Metering and its connected and recognised by your camera then everything should be done automatically. I personally wouldn't shoot these in Program Mode but to each his own.

I on the other hand use an old external Flash, that cant see itself or the camera. I shoot in manual and depending on the Mood I want my shutter speed range can be from usually 1/100 all the ways done to 1/30. The slower shutter speeds will let the ambient Light in to give the background some flavor while the Flash will light up your subject. Keeping in mind that kicking up the ISO a bit will also help in these situations.

Also keeping in mind that the slower shutter speeds will give any excuse for camera movement and you have to be very carefull.

One more thing, if your Shooting something that is as important as a Wedding especially to the Bride. I wouldnt shoot anything in a Full Auto Mode. Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority would be the wiser choice. Remember that shooting a Wedding in any kind of Professional Level puts you in a Professional Level whether you want to be there or not and your skill level for shooting Weddings has to be on that level as well. Shooting in Auto will not always give you the control or let the camera do what you want most of the times. The metering, focusing or even the colors that the camera will see and shoot for probably wont be what you are trying for and you will have to either overide this or at least control this very closely to make sure you get what you want or more importantly what the paying customer wants.

[MT Stringer]

Answering the original question on indoor flash...
I shoot manual. I don't think it makes any difference on make or models, but I'm using a Canon 40D w/Sigma EF-500 DG Super.

I set the ISO at 400. Set the Shutterspeed at 1/125 and f/stop at f/4.
Take a test shot and check out the histogram. If needed adjust the flash exposure compensation as needed and take another shot. After dialing in the exposure, you should be good to go.

Note: If possible, bounce the flash off the ceiling and use a simple diffuser mounted to the back of the flash head to redirect a portion of the flash forward to help eliminate shadows.

Hope this helps.
Mike

Here's an example of what I just described.
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Cake.jpg

[Jeff Perry]

Javier, you weren't very specific about the lens and camera settings you were using, both of which can have dramatic effect on the performance of the SB-600 mounted on a Nikon body. The SB-600 is an excellent speedlight and Nikon's i-TTL system capabilites generally should take care of the amount of flash needed for any given shot, but sometimes you can ask too much of the combo.

Provide a little more info and I'm sure you'll get some excellent advice.

One thing that I find very helpfull is to either use a good diffuser on the head and/or aim the head upwards (or even tothe side) and bounce the flash off the ceiling/wall. Try different angles, and depending on the ceiling height of the room your working within, you may get a much better exposure/flash result.

Jeff

[lexcell]

Javier,
Maybe you can post some photos so we can all view them and give you some suggestions for improvement.

[j_rod]

I was using a Nikon D50 with the kit lens 18-55 and the SB-600 external flash. I stared my camera settings by trying to follow the advice of an article that I recently read that showed how to use the camera in manual mode. It said, "meter on a mid tone and check your highlights". I meter as the article said, but when I took the pictures they came out too bright with many areas blown out. I took some others using aperture mode, and those came better. But my question is to how regulate the flash when you use the camera in manual mode. Also, is this a good way to meter indoors (meter on the mid tones and check your highlights). Outside it works very good w/o flash.

I appreciate all your responses. I already learned some good tips from some of you.

Thanks! again,

Javier

[Mack]

This is a good website re flash photography:

http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/

HTH,

Don

[lexcell]

Thanks Mack. Strobist is an excellent website for all things flash.

Personally, I utilize the technology of my camera and flash by using aperture priority, TTL flash and set the camera to slow sync with a limit of 1/15 of a second so that I can combine ambient light with fill flash. The one thing I can do that I don't believe is available with the SB-600 is, I can dial in plus or minus compensation to add or subtract the amount of flash that is being output. Manual mode was what we had to do with flashes that were not TTL way back when but nowadays, flash is so sophisticated, it seems a shame not to embrace the technology if you can.

[j_rod]

Thanks to everybody that contributed to my question. I will try all of your suggestions soon.
I also found an interesting thread on dpreview (thanks jdaa) that touches this subject, I'm attaching a link in case you are interested here is link: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1034&thread=28128869
Thanks again,

Javier