Flash - Behind the scenes

[Don Hoey]

Time to stop when you get frustrated Duncan.

You already have a couple of really sucessful shots in the gallery, Corkscrew and Rollieflex. So don't be disheartened, it can be quite tricky when you have used flash for a bit like me, never mind when you are starting out.

You have a limited amount of light so you have to accept that. A bit of sucess is what you need, to inspire when experimenting with flash.

If I may make a suggestion or two with that in mind.

I would take this from the other side as that will put the camera model number in focus, also the top plate controls are on that side as only the rewind knob on the right hand side, so a bit of soft focus less of a problem. Also the pc socket showing signs of wear. ( this is when NFB thinks I get picky ).

In positioning the camera see if you can get a reflection in the lens from a source other than flash as that is one thing less to worry about. Reflection through a window, or as you did with the Rollieflex, Just adjust the exposure time down to allow it to record. You may need an assistant as I would suggest a flash angled down about 60 deg or more to catch the prism and top plate. If the right hand side is going to be out of focus do not worry too much about lighting it. A bit of flash fall off could be quite convenient. As you have two flash guns but probably no diffuser like me, use the second flash, with power turned down to push a bit of light into the front.

Alternate if you can try a flash from above - slightly behind and a reflector in front to pick up a bit of the light and throw it back on the subject. I have used a similar effect in post 32 of this thread. A bit of glancing light, quite a lot missing the camera altogether but providing sufficient for reflector to bounce back. A case of letting shadows work for you.

Best of luck when next you attempt this. I hope this will be of some help. Nice to see the K1000, a simple SLR built like a tank, and a favourite with most colledges and students of photography.

Don

[Don Hoey]

Leif,

Two absolutely superb examples of lighting. You have the angles just right for the lens elements, and nice soft shadows.

Any more like this and perhaps we should ask the Mods for the thread to be renamed ' Artificial Lighting - Something for Dull Days. '

Don

[yelvertoft]

Thanks for the tips Don, very useful. I took some more of the K1000 using your advice. This was taken with the flash above and behind with a reflector (bit of tin foil) to bounce some light back. I struggled to get an interesting reflection in the lens whilst maintaining a viewpoint that showed off the design of the camera.

However, whilst messing about trying to get an interesting reflection, I had an idea for the Rolleiflex. Remembering your nikon pic of the flowers with the prism housing taken off, I did a picture of the Rollei with the light path in reverse. This is taken with one flash pointing straight down to pass light through the viewfinder lens and the other flash filling in the front face (via a reflector). The idea needs a bit more work I think, it's a bit "black on black" at the moment, but it was an interesting experiment.

Duncan.

[Don Hoey]

Duncan,

I hope you don't mind but I have had a bit of a play with your K1000 shot. Jake ( my four footed shadow ) was present for all of mine so I needed something different to occupy the brain.

I have increased the exposure in CS, done a bit of spotting and other little bits of tidying up, ( Christine type stuff - A bit of spot the difference. ) and increased the area at the top. I am really quite pleased with the result, but as it is your pic I hope you are too. I did have to give additional compression to get to this file size.

The Rollei is an interesting idea. Do you have a 2 1/4 square trannie that you can lay on the foussing screen ? That should project coloured, rather than white light onto the lens.

Looking at both pictures the exposures both need upping. The advantage of using RAW here, would be that you can increase exposure of the RAW file while retaining the DOF that your current aperture is giving. Also well worth the effort is to get the verticals right at the taking time. I have been looking at image degradation on correcting this in post processing, and it does result in a softening of the whole image.

Don

[Leif]

Duncan: I hope you don't feel offended if I join in too. I applied a contrast mask to the image to lighten the shadows and soften the highlights.

Leif

[Canis Vulpes]

In my opinion adjusting the image in the 'darkroom' is cheating a little. I thought I would try a camera of my own, except I have a silver compact apart from my SLR.

I thought I would start with lighting above but from the front (as was easier )to illuminate the front face and top. Using single flash through a large diffuser resulted in the image being flat and I wanted to put some life into the shot. Ideally life would come from shine from the brushed aluminium body and lens. I experimented with a second flash aimed direct through a stofen diffuser, this created the shine I was looking for but did put anything into the lens. I figured it was impossible to put something into the lens as this camera is a compact and has a separate viewfinder and the lens has so path through it.

Pic 1 - Scene
Pic 2 - Scene with diffuser
Pic 3 - Result single flash diffused
Pic 4 - Result two flashes second a little overcooked
Pic 5 - Final result.

Of course I needed the compact to take the scene photos so the subject has been replaced with my mobile phone.

Edit:- Using Nikon i-TTL the primary flash unit was set to +0.7EV and the secondary to provide shine was set to -3.0EV through a stofen diffuser losing a further one stop. A small amount to light is all that was required to finish the photo.

[Canis Vulpes]

Moving on from the compact, I found an Olympus XA, it was given to me when I was 10 but never really understood the thing. I am working on shooting the pair, sort of a new and old theme.

I am quite happy with this so far using an identical setup as above but with AP diffuser softening the light from second flash to eliminate unwanted shine on black XA now..... if I could just get some light into the lens of the XA and C50!

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by Stephen Fox

I figured it was impossible to put something into the lens as this camera is a compact and has a separate viewfinder and the lens has so path through it.

Stephen,

I have all 3 on my pc now and in your pic with the XA you have managed to get more life in the lens. It is all about light reflecting off the front element. There will be some darkening depending on the coating colour ( ie brown - dark. blue or green - light. )

You have got the Olympus pair shot just right. Nice lighting and a complementary background.

Originally Posted by Stephen Fox

In my opinion adjusting the image in the 'darkroom' is cheating a little.

Something that has been done for years. All a question of degree. Spotting was removing dust specks on the print using coloured dye. Odd little deffects could with experience ligitimately be sorted out.

On your Olympus pair the XA lens would benefit from removal of the hot spots on the lens. The white hot spot particularly. These are only a reflection from a flash gun and in my opinion can be legitimately removed without it becoming a digitally manipulated image.

My use of it on Duncans pic was really to clean the camera up. The exception being the removal of the flash shoe shadow to illustrate how I would have done it.

Now I will go back to your gallery pics for futher comment.

Don

[yelvertoft]

Don, Leif,

No worries at all regarding your edits. On balance, I think I prefer Don's tweaks. Removing the shadow from the hotshoe was something I had considered doing in post-processing but I too share Stephen's feelings that it's "cheating" in some way. I'll get over it in time.

I think I'll try a pic of the K1000 fitted with the *istDS lens, taken with the 50mm prime off the K1000 next!

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by yelvertoft

Removing the shadow from the hotshoe was something I had considered doing in post-processing but I too share Stephen's feelings that it's "cheating" in some way. I'll get over it in time.

Duncan,

If you are able to put a reflector ( A4 sheet of paper ) just out of frame, see attached pic, that should do the trick.

Most of my other efforts were cleaning the camera and removing dust specs. Flash will really highlight these and a lot of post processing time can be saved by a good clean and then an occasional blow with a lens puffer during the shoot. You would be amazed just how many tiny specs of dust can land during a shoot.

Each of these WILL show up on the final image.

Originally Posted by yelvertoft

I think I'll try a pic of the K1000 fitted with the *istDS lens, taken with the 50mm prime off the K1000 next!

Prediction of another wet day

Don