Flash or Not? Week 5: Light and Exposure/Flash Photography

Schedule Review AEB on Flickr Review Light and Exposure Flash Presentation White Balance Function Assignment, Flash or not

Review AEB on Flickr

Review Light and Exposure

Flash Presentation

White Balance Function

Assignment, Flash or not

Light Digital photography is easy- when you have plenty of light and the conditions are ideal. The flash is the biggest solution- not only does it interfere with your “moment” socially and artistically, but the flash can flatten out your digital images. A good way to combat the problem in low light you can try using a higher ISO

Digital photography is easy- when you have plenty of light and the conditions are ideal.

The flash is the biggest solution- not only does it interfere with your “moment” socially and artistically, but the flash can flatten out your digital images.

A good way to combat the problem in low light you can try using a higher ISO

Flash: Flat – no contrast – washed out No Flash: Natural warm colors - contrast

Non-Flash

Non-Flash Techniques Crank ISO as high as it will go Shoot RAW if possible (if post editing is used) AV with the lowest f-stop on fastest lens Noise reduction in post processing to help on the grain/noise And although a fast lens can be very expensive, there are affordable primes out there, like the Canon f1.8 50mm.

Crank ISO as high as it will go

Shoot RAW if possible (if post editing is used)

AV with the lowest f-stop on fastest lens

Noise reduction in post processing to help on the grain/noise

And although a fast lens can be very expensive, there are affordable primes out there, like the Canon f1.8 50mm.

Indoor Shots Take advantage of candle light’s available illumination Have some additional room light, set in AV mode and IS. Choose perspective Support yourself

Take advantage of candle light’s available illumination

Have some additional room light, set in AV mode and IS.

Choose perspective

Support yourself

Sleeping Faces Capture these precious moments without a distracting flash. Watch for blurred imaged caused by slow shutter speed. Choose AV mode, use IS Aim for eyelashes

Capture these precious moments without a distracting flash.

Watch for blurred imaged caused by slow shutter speed.

Choose AV mode, use IS

Aim for eyelashes

Effects of Flash - Skintone Flash Washed out No Flash Warm skin tones

Flash or Not? Major events at night and watch the grandstands. The digital camera decided there was not enough light, so the camera flash fired automatically. Expected max distance for inbuilt camera flashes-ten feet.

Major events at night and watch the grandstands.

The digital camera decided there was not enough light, so the camera flash fired automatically.

Expected max distance for inbuilt camera flashes-ten feet.

No Flash– Low lighting Decision

No Flash – No window glare

Keeping the Camera Still Often it is not practical to use tripods in some areas (grandstands-train station). Balance your body and, if possible, brace yourself against something solid, such as a wall or seat. Then bring your elbows in firmly against your chest, and using the viewfinder hold your camera firmly against your head. Finally breathe, not too deep, and then hold it while you squeeze the shutter release.

Often it is not practical to use tripods in some areas (grandstands-train station).

Balance your body and, if possible, brace yourself against something solid, such as a wall or seat.

Then bring your elbows in firmly against your chest, and using the viewfinder hold your camera firmly against your head. Finally breathe, not too deep, and then hold it while you squeeze the shutter release.

Flash

Flash Basics Built in (good for 10 feet away, not good close up) Hot shoe Higher end cameras External flash Electronic contact points Synchronized TTL metering: the camera measures the light in the scene based on the light coming through the lens. The camera is smart enough to meter the subject, do some quick calculations and then tell each (slave and master)(infrared) flash how bright they should fire.

Built in (good for 10 feet away, not good close up)

Hot shoe

Higher end cameras

External flash

Electronic contact points

Synchronized

TTL metering: the camera measures the light in the scene based on the light coming through the lens. The camera is smart enough to meter the subject, do some quick calculations and then tell each (slave and master)(infrared) flash how bright they should fire.

External Flash Direct – can produce a harsh image Shadow behind subject Wall Bounce – Brings out subject shape Ceiling bounce - Off-camera Off camera shoe cord $70 Wireless transmitter $200 Flash brackets Diffusers

Direct – can produce a harsh image Shadow behind subject

Wall Bounce – Brings out subject shape

Ceiling bounce -

Off-camera

Off camera shoe cord $70

Wireless transmitter $200

Flash brackets

Diffusers

Nikon SB-400 Very simple, very high quality flash Tiny, lite Bounce Flash No sideways tilt, so bounce goes horizontally for vertical shots. $120

Very simple, very high quality flash

Tiny, lite

Bounce Flash

No sideways tilt, so bounce goes horizontally for vertical shots.

$120

Canon 580EXII Speedlite Top-of-the-line, professional grade external flash Wireless control Master/slave remote flash setting $420

Top-of-the-line, professional grade external flash

Wireless control

Master/slave remote flash setting

$420

Light Angle Portraits – add mood, give contrast and provide interest. Can be used to dramatically alter the mood of the model Angled light: Dynamic variation between highlights and shadows to give a dimension and depth Avoid straight on flash which washes out the subject Strobes, speedlights, or LEDs: The main light should be strongest, and the second light should simply provide a nice fill Most dynamic photographs are the ones in which the audience can walk into the scene – lighting and shape most emphasized by side light.

Portraits – add mood, give contrast and provide interest.

Can be used to dramatically alter the mood of the model

Angled light: Dynamic variation between highlights and shadows to give a dimension and depth

Avoid straight on flash which washes out the subject

Strobes, speedlights, or LEDs: The main light should be strongest, and the second light should simply provide a nice fill

Most dynamic photographs are the ones in which the audience can walk into the scene – lighting and shape most emphasized by side light.

Flash Angles http://www.flickr.com/photos/seanmcfoto/577531995/ From Sean McCormack (Flickr) :

Red Eye Light bouncing off the blood vessels in the back of the eye Lens axis flash causes this Red Eye Red Eye Deleted in Photoshop Elements

Light bouncing off the blood vessels in the back of the eye

Lens axis flash causes this

Flash Indoors Christmas Tree in the Background For indoor light displays or shots of the tree, slow down the shutter speed to allow ambient light to come into the camera. Always use a tripod. The flash usage depends on the situation; don't use a flash if you are just shooting the tree or the lights, but use the flash if people are in front of the tree.

Christmas Tree in the Background

For indoor light displays or shots of the tree, slow down the shutter speed to allow ambient light to come into the camera.

Always use a tripod.

The flash usage depends on the situation; don't use a flash if you are just shooting the tree or the lights, but use the flash if people are in front of the tree.

Flash Indoors With camera flash: External flash bounced off the ceiling would produce a more evenly contrasted image

Flash Outdoors Light up close subjects Artificial looking Softens hard shadows Eye sockets at noon hours Excessive backlight No flash - silhouette Fill flash – Subjected highlighted

Light up close subjects

Artificial looking

Softens hard shadows

Eye sockets at noon hours

Excessive backlight

Flash Outdoors

Shooting into Direct Sunlight Move into the shade Use fill in flash Change your perspective Lens hood Filters Spot metering/Exp compensation Shoot silhouettes silhouette Use light to direct the viewers eye

Move into the shade

Use fill in flash

Change your perspective

Lens hood

Filters

Spot metering/Exp compensation

Shoot silhouettes

Metering Modes Every time you point your camera at a scene it needs to take a guess at what is important to you in the picture and which part you want to be exposed optimally Overall Metering (Multi Segment/Zone Metering) camera attempts to take into consideration everything in your frame Spot Metering camera to do it’s metering from a very small ’spot’ in the scene Center Weighted Metering takes a little from both ends of the spectrum and tells the camera to focus it’s metering decisions upon the center of your image1

Every time you point your camera at a scene it needs to take a guess at what is important to you in the picture and which part you want to be exposed optimally

Overall Metering (Multi Segment/Zone Metering) camera attempts to take into consideration everything in your frame

Spot Metering camera to do it’s metering from a very small ’spot’ in the scene

Center Weighted Metering takes a little from both ends of the spectrum and tells the camera to focus it’s metering decisions upon the center of your image1

Prophotolife.com (Video Library) http://www.prophotolife.com/2008/08/18/video-episode-25-outdoor-portraits-1 http://www.flickr.com/photos/prophotolife/2772496402/in/set-72157606789008888/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/prophotolife/2771648827/in/set-72157606789008888/

One-Cent Soft Box (Bounce Card) http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/sb400.htm#card Ken Rockwell.com

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/sb400.htm#card

Studios

Adorama Deshadow Box Portable Still Life Studio 16 x 16 Halogen Lamps $40

Portable Still Life Studio

16 x 16

Halogen Lamps

$40

Light Box/Tent http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

Budget Studio Adorama Budget Studio Monolight Softbox Kit #12, with 2 100 Watt Flashes, Light Stands & Two 12 X 12 Softboxes, $160 Other items White umbrella Collapsible Disc Reflectors $20 - $40 Backgrounds

Adorama Budget Studio Monolight Softbox Kit #12, with 2 100 Watt Flashes, Light Stands & Two 12 X 12 Softboxes, $160

Other items

White umbrella

Collapsible Disc Reflectors $20 - $40

Backgrounds

Turn off Flash Canon In auto (green box) mode, you can't turn it off. It will pop up if the camera deems it necessary. In P mode, M, Av, and Tv, it won't fire unless you push the button to make it pop up. If you don't want it to fire, push it back down. Nikon When the flash is up press the flash button until the LCD says off in the flash section.

Canon

In auto (green box) mode, you can't turn it off. It will pop up if the camera deems it necessary.

In P mode, M, Av, and Tv, it won't fire unless you push the button to make it pop up. If you don't want it to fire, push it back down.

Nikon

When the flash is up press the flash button until the LCD says off in the flash section.

White Balance (WB) The process of removing unrealistic color casts, so that objects which appear white in person are rendered white in your photo. Proper camera white balance has to take into account the "color temperature" of a light source, which refers to the relative warmth or coolness of white light. Our eyes are very good at judging what is white under different light sources, however digital cameras often have great difficulty .

The process of removing unrealistic color casts, so that objects which appear white in person are rendered white in your photo.

Proper camera white balance has to take into account the "color temperature" of a light source, which refers to the relative warmth or coolness of white light.

Our eyes are very good at judging what is white under different light sources, however digital cameras often have great difficulty .

White Balance Auto white balance (AWB) An incorrect WB can create unsightly blue, orange, or even green color casts. Incorrect Correct From Tutorial on White Balance: http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/white-balance.htm

Auto white balance (AWB)

An incorrect WB can create unsightly blue, orange, or even green color casts.

White Balance

Assignment Post a photo on Flickr with the flash being fired outside to highlight a close object (Fill Light) or The flash not being fired inside to use the existing natural light available.

Post a photo on Flickr with the flash being fired outside to highlight a close object (Fill Light)

or

The flash not being fired inside to use the existing natural light available.