Christine,

Just a thought as it would be preferable for the DF200 to be the master flash. Do you have a bit of white linen or similar, something fairly open weave that you could use to diffuse the DF200. That would allow more light through but keep the diffusion.

Don

The last set for today Don.
Rather than paint the diffuser I used some fine emery paper to dull the finish safer than having bits of paint peeling off.

1st Image I put a sheet of paper in front of the bounce diffuser and had the pop up with just the plastic cap over it, its still to harsh without some sort of diffusion.
2. paper in front of bounce but pop up covered to blank out.

I tried some with the df200 on all the zoom setting there wasn't much of a diference so no need to post those.

Sorry Don I was a little to quick, didn't see your post. I used a piece of A4 printer paper wrapped round the bounce flash.

Right up your street here Christine,

I looked at no 2 which is underexposed but the shadows look soft.

Increased exposure in CS to see what the shadows really look like.

I still think that an open weave white material should give good diffusion, and increase light output.

Colours a bit off but that was not what this is about.

Don

Here is the same image but exposer corrected at the raw stage, the colour balance is about right just a bit grainy. I may put some black tape over the front of the cap that should cut out light and leave my hand free and find some material to use. Nearly there.

Lovely soft light Christine. :cool:

Don

Don & Christine

I noticed that these test shots have been taken in rooms with very light walls. Do these test conditions match the room to be used on the day. The reason I question is that I will never forget an experience I had when a friend asked me to photography her sisters baby. This was some 25 yrs ago and it did leave mental scares. The shoot was with 100 ASA BW film. I had my main bounce flash GN36 and a slave GN16. The dark ceiling, wall paper and drapes soaked up all the flash. Very little light coming through the windows. We put on all the room lights and fetched in the bedside table lamps aswell. But I knew I was still in trouble.

The negs come out very low contrast. After much pushing of the development of prints I got something half decent which she was happy with but to be honest the score was only 2 out of 10 and I wanted to try again.

Thanks Rob I never thought of that I will have to put the vase in the dining room where there are lots of wood around. that should give me similar lighting to the room where the wedding is although I have a feeling that I will be to close and be in the shots to take any photo's there.

I have tried the flash today as a pre wedding sampler. I can't post any of the photo's unfortunately as the groom comes to visit the site occasionally. I have found the best settings for the Vivitar DF200 flash with the bounce reflector. If I set it between F6.3 and F8 @ 200s depending on the amount of light in the room I get about a third of a stop underexposed.

The following worked very well for me when I had taken a function. The difference is that I've shot the pictures where white was not a common theme but rich colors were the theme. The function was indoor as well as outdoor.

Indoor I shot with spot metering (12mm on the D1X), used a fast lens 24-85mm f/2.8 and had taken an equal number of shots with a diffuser on the flash as well as without the flash.

For outdoors I used a 3D Color metering. with a flash(minus the diffuser).

Overall, I would say I had close to 90% excellent pictures and the remaining 10% could be digitally mastered.

Hope the above helps