QUESTION - FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY

10 months 2 weeks ago - 10 months 2 weeks ago #753398 by isabellasophie
Hi, I just wondered if anyone has tried using an external flash? I realise the built in flashes in dslr give a horrible result but just wondered if anyone ever uses a horseshoe mounted flash gun. I've just been on a photography course and we were using flash (this was medical) and the results were much sharper than I am used to to. Just wondered if anyone has any experience. 


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10 months 2 weeks ago #753402 by Hassner
I never ever used the pop-up flash of any camera. 
The horseshoe one can point to any direction, so I am always looking for white to gray walls to bounce the light off. 
Direct flash is very unnatural and leaves obvious predictable shadows, specially the the external one, which is further from the lens than the pop-up. 


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10 months 2 weeks ago #753530 by db3348
On the odd occasion that I use any flash at all,  I use external flash ,  because it  gives  so many more lighting options and effects .
And  it  can look more atmospheric , more natural , and  more flattering (of portraits) than built-in flash .
Isobella,  In your course,  were you using a 'ring' flash ,  which 'wraps' around the camera lens ? ,  and  gives almost shadowless lighting.  I have not used one of those ,  but  I know they can often produce some nice effects .
 


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10 months 2 weeks ago - 10 months 2 weeks ago #753534 by Ozzie_Traveller
G'day Isobella

Flash is one of those things that can be most useful and really awful if not used 'correctly'
Sadly most pics we see from parties etc. is via in-camera flash and people never look good under those conditions

I use in-camera flash regularly -and- also external flash "as needed"

I use in-camera flash to fill shadows when shooting stuff heavy with shadow and where I want to lift the shadows to save PP later on -or- to lift shadows more than PP can easily achieve.  (sample attached).  I'm sure you well know that all sensors have issues with underexposure ... bringing the very dark bits to 'bright' also brings out colour artifacts (funny splotches) so by using flash in the original shoot minimises those artifacts

I also use the in-camera flash with output set to 1/4 to activate an external flash set up as a slave.  The 2nd flash might be about 1-1/2 to 2-metres away @ 45deg to 90deg sideways, red receiver set towards the camera but flash head pointing to the subject, and it fires and creates the image / shadows / highlights for me

So there are uses for the in-camera flash once you have done some experimenting :)
Hope this helps
Phil

This old dead tree branch was lit by very bright heavy sun and I used the flash to bring the blacks up to 'viewable'

exif- Panny FZ-2500; 1/400s x F8,0; ISO-200; lens at 1x zoom / 24mm FF equiv

Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/

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