Flash - Behind the scenes

[Canis Vulpes]

After the above I though I should explain in detail image overlay and why it was required to produce the photo 'Aviation Photography'.

Using flash the camera LCD screen would appear dim (pic1) but flash required to bring contour and shine in the camera body (pic2). LCD screen using manual exposure to produce a photo of only the screen at normal brightness allows best of both (pic3).

Image overlay in D2X allows overlay of any two NEF's (RAW) (Pic 4) The combined NEF is still in RAW format therefore can be adjusted as any RAW file. Also notice exposure can be tweaked prior to overlay.

[Jon Sharp]

[quote=Stephen Fox;13620]This tool costs approx £3 from Sainsbury’s sewing isle...
QUOTE]

Just a thought but for a few pence wrapping several turns of "sticky back plastic", otherswise known as Sellotape, around your hands does the same thing for a fraction of the cost - used daily by my good self on suits and black velvet jackets in the sad days when I worked in an office environment.

[yelvertoft]

I've learned much from this thread, mainly by trial and (lots of) error it has to be said. But, I think I can safely say, it's been fun. Never one to shirk a challenge, I've tried a variety of subjects over the last year, the ones made from shiny metal and glass being the most challenging.

I've spent about 2 weeks trying different flash permutations for a still-life arrangement of beer bottles. The more I tried off-camera flash, the worse it got; this wasn't helped by having large glass patio doors on one wall of the room, they reflected all sorts of stray light from the flashgun(s) into areas I didn't want it to go. Having a large mirror at the other end of the room didn't help either.

I decided to keep it simple and stop fighting the reflections from the patio doors, and instead use them to my advantage. The camera was set up in position with the glass doors behind, a single on-camera flash was used, with the head pointing up towards the ceiling. The bounce off the ceiling diffused the flash and reduced the hot-spots on the glasswork. As long as I used the self timer timer (and mirror lock-up BTW) and got away from the doors when the shutter released, then some flash was also being bounced off the glass doors behind the camera which filled in the shadows that would otherwise have been present underneath the glass.

Following Don's tips, the table was cleaned and dusted, the glass polished to remove fingerprints - they really show up big time under flash lighting. Much time was spent before pressing the button to arrange the objects in the frame, the glass was empty at this point as I wanted there to be some head on the beer in the final image. Plenty of test shots were taken with an empty glass and the results scrutinised for hot spots, stray bits in the background, dust marks, exact point of focus, etc.

What have I learned? Keep it simple has to be the biggest lesson. I don't have any diffusers, so using walls and ceilings in my main method of spreading the light. We have light, neutral colours in the dining room so it helps. Diffusing the light, by whatever means, is essential with glass or metal objects - if you don't, it won't look pretty, trust me. If you can't get it right with multiple flashes, used off-camera, go back to basics with just one. Look at what it's doing and change your position to use the effects to your advantage rather than trying to fight them.

Rather poor image of setup used is attached.

Result is here:
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...1&limit=recent

Duncan

[Canis Vulpes]

I have just been looking up your flash, GN of 50 (metres, ISO100) My most powerful SB-800 GN of 38 (metres, ISO100)

Off camera flash is the way to go pointing down through a diffuser will have similar effect to on camera aimed upward diffusing off ceiling but much greater power as less loss so greater depth can be achieved.

A simple silver/white brolly can cost as little as £25 and can make a real difference.

Something for Santa?

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by yelvertoft

What have I learned? Keep it simple has to be the biggest lesson. I don't have any diffusers, so using walls and ceilings in my main method of spreading the light. We have light, neutral colours in the dining room so it helps. Diffusing the light, by whatever means, is essential with glass or metal objects - if you don't, it won't look pretty, trust me. If you can't get it right with multiple flashes, used off-camera, go back to basics with just one. Look at what it's doing and change your position to use the effects to your advantage rather than trying to fight them.


Duncan

I think you have hit the nail on the head with that Duncan. Work within the limitations of the kit and available location. Also the time you have spend in preparation really stands out in the final result.

I bet you really enjoyed the beer when you finally got the pic in the bag . An excellent job and well worth the effort you went to to get it.

Thanks for posting your behind the scenes. Very interesting.

Don

[Alex Paul]

Don: Excellent article..... It is interesting you post this..... My Canon ETTL flash stopped synching for some reason..... Flash operates but all images are black..... Definately managed to get out of sync somehow..... I have an old Vivitar that I use with My F2 and Nikkormat. In fact it is the same model you use for your example..... I have been using it on my 20D's and have to say it works better than my bells and whistles Canon ever did... Takes a bit of getting used to full manual flash but I am getting better results with it so I am happy my ETTL flash STBed ......Thanks for all you do pal.....Alex

[yelvertoft]

Originally Posted by Stephen Fox

I have just been looking up your flash, GN of 50 (metres, ISO100) My most powerful SB-800 GN of 38 (metres, ISO100)

Off camera flash is the way to go pointing down through a diffuser will have similar effect to on camera aimed upward diffusing off ceiling but much greater power as less loss so greater depth can be achieved.

A simple silver/white brolly can cost as little as £25 and can make a real difference.

Something for Santa?

The Sigma EF500 DG ST has to be something of a bargain at £100. At the time I bought it, the fancier "Super" model was twice the price and I could not justify the extra with the amount of flash photography I do. The EF500 DG Super can now be had for £150 or, put another way, the same sort of money as the new entry level budget model SB-400 from Nikon. It is a very, very nice flash for the money, they do then in a Nikon fit too. I'd be tempted if I could sell on the ST model, but this is unlikely in the Pentax fit. Ian, do you want to buy a flash?

I'll have a look at brollies, the storage of it is likely to be more of a hindrance than the cost.

[yelvertoft]

Originally Posted by Don Hoey

the time you have spend in preparation really stands out in the final result.

Thank you very much Don. I keep looking at the pic and seeing the smear on the rear left side of the glass, this is where I had to tilt the glass to pour the beer in. Being 9.2%, you'll understand that it clings to the glass rather more than most beers would. I rotated the glass in the picture so it would show as little as possible, figuring I'd be able to post process the last bits out. Trying to remove marks on images of glass? Good luck! Everything I tried made it worse. It wasn't helped by the effects of the beer, the more I tried, the more of a mess I made of it, the more I sat back and chilled out with a slug of beer, the worse it got.......... It's a vicious spiral.

[Ian]

This is how I went about the "Darkness" shot
Step 1
Find an empty table place pint on table.
Step 2
Find correct angle and distance for camera, have a drink whoooops glass should be full!! So finish pint refill start again at step 1
Step 3
Think, should glass be full or some liquid removed?
Step 4
Remove some liquid, to much!! so finish pint back to step 3
Step 5
People join table, have a drink to be sociable go back to step 1

Step whatever
By this time a fault developed on the camera it won't focus, so had a pint and a think, ah! it will focus I pressed the wrong button!! Now my arms are aching with holding the camera, no Tripod (What would Duncan do?)
3 meat pies (pork) 2 packets crisps (plain) and 1 packet of peanuts (salted)
Job sorted (peanuts for tilt)

Pressed the poppy uppy flashy thing Job Done! So had a pint and a couple of pies.
Start to finish who knows

Ian

p.s. Duncan, no thanks on the flash after this project!!!!!!!!!

[yelvertoft]

Originally Posted by Ian

This is how I went about the "Darkness" shot
Step 1
.............[snip].............
Pressed the poppy uppy flashy thing Job Done! So had a pint and a couple of pies.
Start to finish who knows

Ian

p.s. Duncan, no thanks on the flash after this project!!!!!!!!!

Grin.