Indoor external flash settings. External flash - what do you win by purchasing it to replace the built-in

Selecting an external flash

Photographers-gurus often like to ask beginners a philosophical question: "Without what there can be no photography?" Beginners begin to assume that without a camera (in fact, a picture can be taken with a pinhole camera) or without a photographer (there are a lot of experiments when an automatic camera was tied to animals, real masterpieces were obtained), but the correct answer to this question is light. No photo can be taken without light.

It is good when there is a lot of natural light - from the sun, moon, stars or artificial - from lamps, lanterns, searchlights. But such shooting conditions are not always available, often the photographer himself needs to provide for himself. the right amount Sveta. This is where outbreaks come in. However, they can be useful in other situations as well - for backlighting and leveling the illumination of the frame.

Why do you need an external flash

The question is not surprising given that most cameras have a built-in flash. Why change a small, lightweight and "free" flash for a large, bulky one, which also needs to be purchased additionally? There are more than enough reasons.

First, the power. External flashes are more powerful than built-in flashes. If the simplest external flashes have a small difference in power with the built-in ones, then the top ones have a very noticeable one. The guide number (a parameter that will allow you to measure the power of the flash, we will discuss it in detail below) of built-in flashes rarely exceeds 12, while for external flashes it can go up to 50-60. If the built-in flash can illuminate only a small patch near the camera, then the external one can "beat" into the distance, within reasonable limits, of course.

Secondly, the design. The simplest built-in flashes are located right in the camera body, a little more advanced - they rise on a special mechanism, but still they are close enough to the lens. This is bad, because the higher the flash is above the lens, the less likely red-eye will appear in the photo. External flashes are positioned higher and "shine" much farther from the lens. In addition, they have larger area scattered surface. The eye of a built-in flash is usually very small, so it “hits” almost without scattering light (you can compare it with a flashlight), an external flash has a softer light (although it is also desirable to further scatter it). Moreover, the built-in flash can leave a shadow from the lens in the photo (this is important for cameras with interchangeable lenses, on which you can install large and bulky "glasses"), external flashes are devoid of such a drawback.

External flash units are positioned high above the lens to reduce the likelihood of red-eye

Thirdly, the swivel head. This is one of the main advantages of external flashes (which, however, not all models have). If the built-in flash can be used to photograph, illuminating the subject only at a right angle, which leaves harsh ugly shadows in the picture, the external flash allows you to shoot with diffused light: from the ceiling, walls, and so on. The likelihood of a shadow appearing in this case is small, and it certainly will not be so sharp and deep.

Fourth, an external flash is more flexible in operation. If the built-in is firmly attached to the camera and can take pictures from only one point, then the outer one can be brought forward or sideways, creating creative shots with unusual lighting. For studio shooting, only external flash units are used.

Fifth, good external flashes in the dark can illuminate autofocus. The function is not available for all models, but for many and is especially relevant for Canon cameras which do not have a separate bulb on the camera for illumination. However, for devices of other brands, the autofocus illumination with an external flash allows you to increase the focusing accuracy.

Sixth, external flashes have their own batteries and do not consume the camera's "battery", unlike built-in ones.

If there are so many advantages to external flashes, why don't all photographers use them? The point is, first of all, in the cost. The simplest models cost 4-5 thousand rubles, but it makes no sense to buy them (why - we will explain below), just good flashes cost 9-11 thousand rubles, and top-end ones - 15-17 thousand rubles. But buying an external flash will help significantly improve the quality of photos, and not only for experienced photographers, but also for beginners, so its cost is quite worth it.

How external flashes differ

External flashes are a fairly wide class of devices, with a huge difference in functionality between expensive and cheap models.

The most important criterion by which flashes are divided is whether there is an automatic mode or not. A non-automatic flash cannot independently determine the pulse power - it can only be done manually with it; automatic - maybe for this it must support TTL mode. It works like this. Before the main pulse, the flash makes another one - very short and imperceptible to the human eye. This impulse is captured by the metering sensors in the camera and, based on the information received, they calculate how much power the main "puff" should be in order for the picture to be well exposed. Each manufacturer has its own versions of this system (P-TTL, I-TTL, E-TTL), which differ in nuances, but, in general, work on the same principle. If you are buying one flash for everyday use, then the automatic is of course better. Manual flashes are convenient to use in studio shooting, as auxiliary lighting devices.

Nikon Speedlight SB-400 (left) vs. Nikon Speedlight SB-900 (right) - the difference is obvious

We have already mentioned that external flash units can vary considerably in power output. Flash power is described by a parameter such as a guide number. In general, the guide number is the product of the aperture and the distance to the subject in meters, provided that there is sufficient lighting for a normal exposure. That is, if you take the guide number of the flash and divide by the aperture, you get the distance in meters that the flash can illuminate.

It is clear that this is a very abstract parameter, more suitable not for obtaining an absolute value, but for comparing flares with each other. For example, a simple Nikon Speedlight SB-400 has a guide number of 21, and a top-end Nikon Speedlight SB-910 has a guide number of 34. However, compare products by guide number different manufacturers not entirely correct, because they can test with different settings. For example, the leading number of the top-end Canon Speedlite 580EX II flash is 58, which is one and a half times more than that of the best Nikon flash. At the same time, these are almost the same flash in terms of capabilities, it's just that Nikon and Canon think differently. However, whatever the calculations, it is obvious that in the lines of any manufacturer there are flashes of different powers.

The third very significant difference is the presence of a swivel head. In the simplest external flares, it is either not present at all (they can only "puff" directly), or it is strongly reduced and can rotate in only one direction. For intermediate and advanced models, the head can be rotated in two directions, which gives great opportunities for the use of reflected light.

External flashes also differ in zoom range. Yes, flashes also have a zoom. The diffuser elements can move in the body of the flash, changing their position. This is necessary in order to better form the luminous flux, because it is clear that in the wide-angle position of the lens, the widest possible beam of light is needed, and in the body it is long and narrow. The simplest flashes do not have a zoom at all, medium ones usually have about 3x, top-end ones - up to 5-6x, they can best shoot distant objects. When using modern lenses, the flash receives information about the focal length from the camera; for using old mechanical lenses is available manual installation desired focal point.

Dual flash shooting

External flashes are pre-created to work not only individually, but also in a group. According to this indicator, flashes can be divided into master and slave. The master flash unit is mounted on the camera and sends to others “instructions” when and with what power it is necessary to give a pulse, the slave ones can only execute commands. Almost all manufacturers can only have a master flash as a master, and the rest of the slaves. the lineup... As you might guess, only flashes of one manufacturer can interact with each other without additional equipment.

The higher the flash cost, the more additional functions she has. Advanced models can have a light catcher for triggering from any impulse, have bracketing and additional elements power supply for faster recharging, equipped with an overheating sensor and big amount custom settings.

External flash brands and prices

When describing the difference in functionality, it was no coincidence that we talked about simple, medium and advanced flashes. Manufacturers usually have the same gradation. Nikon has, for example, Nissin, Sigma, Yongnuo, Acmepower and many others. Each manufacturer has its own lineup. Not everyone has "standard" three models, but at least two are present.

Metz 50 AF-1

The best and highest quality "independent" manufacturer is Metz - and its products are slightly more expensive. Sigma flashes are very popular in Russia, they are available and widespread. Nissin and Acmepower are even cheaper, but the products of these companies are a little less functional, in addition, they are not sold everywhere. Very active in conquering Russian market Yongnuo, which is also the cheapest of the brands. Many people order flashes of this brand from China. Even taking into account the shipment, simple models cost a couple of thousand rubles.

Buying a third-party flash is very attractive in terms of cost. Top-end flashes from them cost 9-11 thousand rubles, medium ones can be bought for 6-7 thousand. But the choice between original and non-original flashes for home use not so simple. On the one hand, you can save on non-original ones, on the other hand, they may have compatibility problems with cameras of the next generations, they are less stable in operation and have a noticeably smaller resource. To save or not to save - in this issue the choice is on the conscience of each photographer.

Novice amateur photographers, when shooting in low light conditions, are often faced with situations where they cannot get a picture of acceptable quality. In most cases, the main reason for unsatisfactory photo quality lies in limited functional and technical capabilities built-in flash units. Significantly improve the quality of images and significantly expand creative techniques when shooting is possible due to the use of external on-camera flashes. But how do you use an external flash and how do you set it up?

Let's take a look at the main advantages of shooting with an external flash. Below are sample photos and video tutorial. Working with an external flash, controlling an external flash - these topics are covered in this photo tutorial.

1. High power

The flash units built into the camera have a small guide number (usually no more than 15). In contrast, on-camera flashes have a significantly higher power (the guide number is on average 36 and higher). Using an external flash allows you to significantly increase the distance to the subject without the need to increase the sensitivity, as well as shorten the time interval between shots required for recharging. This is one of the purposes for which an external flash is needed.

Examples:

Built-in flash shooting, dark frame

Shooting with built-in flash, "flat" image

2.Rotary reflector

Most on-camera flash units are equipped with a rotary reflector. V simple models flashes, it can be deflected only in the vertical plane, in more "advanced" models - both in the vertical and horizontal planes. Directing the light from the flash not to the subject itself, but to some scattering surface (indoors, it is most effective to use white ceiling) provides uniform illumination of the entire frame, reducing the contrast in the lighting of the important subject and the background.

Example:

3. Large number of pulses

Intensive shooting using the built-in flash can significantly reduce the camera's operating time due to the rapid discharge of the battery. With very few exceptions, on-camera flash units have a power source independent of the camera. This is usually two to four standard AA cells, which allows the photographer to choose the type of power source themselves: alkaline batteries or rechargeable batteries. Standalone source nutrition provides a large number of flash pulses and eliminates the dependence of the duration of the camera operation on the frequency of its use.

4. Zoom reflector

The flash units built into the camera have a fixed angle of illumination. Typically, it corresponds to the angle of view of an 18mm lens (for APS-C cameras). This solution provides compactness, but is not very effective when using long lenses, since most of flash power is spent on lighting the area outside the frame. Camera flashes, except for very low-power ones, have a zoom-reflector, which allows you to adjust the flash illumination angle so that it matches the focal length of the lens. This increases the number of pulses that a flash can make on one set of batteries, and increases its maximum range. On many models, this adjustment of the external flash occurs automatically when the flash is attached to the camera and when the focal length is changed when using a zoom lens.

5. Creative lighting attachments

The built-in flashes in cameras have limited ability to change the nature of the lighting produced. They give out hard light, which makes the image very contrasting and flat. Camera flashes, thanks to a wide range of light shaping attachments, allow more flexible approach to the organization of lighting. For a specific task, you can choose the necessary accessories.

Example:

6.How to use the external flash with remote control?

The set of lighting schemes used can be significantly expanded if you attach the flash not to the camera itself, but at some distance from it. Combined with a variety of light shaping attachments and accessories, this can greatly enrich the photographer's arsenal of techniques, helping them to tackle even very complex creative challenges. How do I connect an external flash remotely? Remote control flash can occur both by wire and wirelessly. In the latter case, it is easy from the camera to control not one, but several flashes, creating lighting schemes with several light sources.

Example:

7. High speed sync

The minimum shutter speeds at which the built-in flash fires, depending on the camera model, range from 1/60 to 1/250 s. These shutter speeds allow you to use the flash in most situations, but are completely unsuitable for illuminating the subject in high light. How do I shoot with an external flash in bright sunlight? High-power on-camera flash models provide a special mode for such situations - high-speed sync. It allows the flash to fire correctly over a wide range of camera shutter speeds, including the fastest. This allows fill-flash to be used even in bright sunlight.

Examples:

The world famous German company METZ produces a wide range of on-camera flash units. Regardless of your skill level and the complexity of your task, any photographer can choose the METZ flash that's right for them.

An experienced photographer knows that under certain conditions the flash is much more important than the camera or lens. Even with a very fast lens and a high ISO camera, sometimes you are powerless if the lighting conditions do not allow you to take a high-quality shot. And it is precisely this situation that the external flash is designed to help avoid.

V this material we will focus mainly on cameras and accessories manufactured by Nicon. However, in general cases, everything described below is also true for other manufacturers.

All more or less modern cameras nowadays have a built-in flash, or, as photographers call it, a "frog". And absolutely all cameras with interchangeable lenses, in addition to the "frog flash", also have the ability to connect an external flash, otherwise called a "system".

On the top of the camera body there is a special connector for attaching an external flash, which is most often closed with a plastic cap for convenience and protection from dust and other external influences. Such a connector is called a "hot shoe", less often - just a "shoe". To securely attach the flash to it, the shoe has locks that provide sufficient reliable connection camera and flash. Special contacts are provided to synchronize the operation of the flash and the camera. placed inside the shoe.

Despite the fact that the principle of operation of an external and a built-in flash is similar, it differs in some details, an external flash makes it possible to take pictures that the built-in one cannot master. The automatic mode of external flash operation, known as TTL, is worth discussing separately, so we will omit it in this article.

So, the main advantages of an external flash are as follows:

1. The possibility of continuous shooting, which is very important when reporting, when one frame may not be enough to obtain a high-quality picture. "Flash frog", in contrast to the external, works in frame-by-frame mode, allowing you to take only one photo at a time.
2. The power of an external flash, as a rule, is an order of magnitude higher than similar characteristic built-in. So, if we consider the Nikon D5100 camera, the leading number of its built-in flash is 13, versus 28 for the detachable SB-700. And the higher this number, i.e. flash power, the better the photo.
3. An external flash recharges faster and has a higher overheating threshold, thus improving camera performance. Unlike the built-in one, the external one is capable of making not 10-20 operations before going into standby mode, but dozens of frames more.
4. A high-quality external flash has a zoom, allows you to adjust the light to the focal length of the lens, accurately dosing its amount. zoom also allows you to widen the flash range. The built-in flash is constantly fixed at a wide-angle distance, which, when used with a lens of the same name, can lead to the appearance of shadows from objects and the lens itself in photographs.
5. With an external flash, there is no need to use anti-red-eye mode. The built-in flash in this mode makes several preliminary mini-flashes, which is not always convenient and fast enough.
6. The ability to rotate the external flash allows for softer and more natural lighting by bouncing light off the walls or ceiling of the room.
7. An external flash can be used with optional original light diffusers. As a rule, these are most often diffusing nozzles of the "burdock" type (diffuser cards), or a diffusing cap. If there is no card on the flash, you can make it yourself. The built-in flash cannot be used with original diffusers, it will either homemade nozzles, or nozzles from third parties.
8. An external flash, unlike a built-in one, does not drain the camera's battery. using their own power sources (most often AA batteries).
9. A huge plus is the ability to use an external flash remotely. So you can, by placing it at a distance, highlight the object being shot at any angle, as well. with multiple flashes, even a creative lighting system can be created.
10. Some “advanced” external flash units can be used as “master flash units” to control others.

In addition to all of the above, an external flash allows you to improve the capabilities of the camera itself, because it can:

1. Provide focus illumination. It is worth talking about this in more detail in another article.
2. Let the camera work in auto exposure metering mode, which is not possible with the built-in flash.
3. Work in fast sync mode, up to shutter speeds of 1/8000 second. no built-in flash is able to overcome the threshold of 1 / 500th of a second. This quality is very useful when using flash during the day.
4. Possibility of using color filters. This will adjust the white balance and get an interesting color effect on the photo.
5. More precisely control the filling of the frame with light. For example, in Nikon flashes, this is controlled by several template modes CW, STD, EVEN, and for work in backlit conditions - the BL mode.
6. Some professional cameras do not have a built-in flash, and therefore an external one is necessary.
7. Minimize the risk of lens shadows when using wide-angle lenses.
8. The ability to "freeze" subjects due to the shorter pulse in the minimum power mode.
9. A really good external flash has innumerable settings to improve performance. This is the stroboscope mode, and indication of the distance to the object, and high-precision adjustment of the test pulse, and much more. To list all the features of external flashes, a separate article is needed.

The disadvantages of external flashes include:

1. High price for a really good flash
2. Large additional weight and volume, which makes the photographer's hand get tired and the space in the corfe decreases.
3. External flashes can also break, and parts are expensive to repair.
4. Some flash units can make quite a lot of noise, like, for example, Nikon's SB-900 when turned on or zoomed in.

To understand the difference between using a built-in flash and an external flash, you need to work with both, get used to each. Don't expect great shots to appear right after purchasing an external flash. At a minimum, you need to thoroughly read all the settings, which are usually a little more detailed than completely, hold the flash in your hands, get used to it. try all modes. The choice of flash is a rather laborious task, because their variety and functionality of each of the models is amazing.

However, it should be noted that for amateur photography, a regular, built-in flash is enough. An external flash, due to its high cost and specificity, is a professional tool, for which good and high-quality light is often more necessary than an expensive camera and lenses.

Based on materials from the site:

After three years of working with studio lighting, I thought I knew a lot about camera flash, if not everything. Three weeks ago I came to visit one particularly experienced strobist, who told and showed so much that I immediately realized that I had to sit down and do a rake census, and then test, test and test again.

Below is enough famous things that, however, caused a facepalm in those who were with me or with me. In the rake list, you can probably find something new with some probability. If at least this feature of using the flash turns out to be useful to you, then my task can be considered completed. Please note that the material in the technical parts concerns the peculiarities of the work of flash units and Canon cameras. For other brands, the general idea of ​​use is the same, but the specifics are slightly different.

The first jamb: shooting mode

It seems that everyone knows for sure that it is best to shoot indoors in M, outdoors - in M ​​or Av. Nevertheless, the moment with the fact that in the priority of aperture the camera almost does not take into account when working in the interior possible light flash in the calculation of exposure (that is, the exposure bar is set as if it were not there), became a surprise for many.

Just in case: when using a flash in dark room exposure becomes almost negligible. If the fraction of natural (available) light is only a few percent of the fraction of light given by the flash, then shutter speed does not exist for us: the movement is frozen by a light pulse. Accordingly, there will be no difference between 1/200 and 1/30 in practice. It's another matter if the fraction of local light is at least somewhat significant: in this case, at a more or less long exposure, blurring from shaking hands or from movement of objects can clearly appear. If the camera at Av decides that a slow shutter speed is needed, this will happen.

Underexposed background

It would seem that the most logical thing to do in a room is to set the sync speed and fire a flash at the ceiling or somewhere else. But exposure is still important for working out the background, especially in large rooms that are not completely flooded with pulse light. The longer the shutter speed and the higher the ISO, the brighter the background becomes. Accordingly, in any more or less large room, we always have a choice between shooting an object in black and an object in a natural light environment. And, yes, you often have to raise the ISO, which is odd when working with a flash and, as it seemed to me, could only be used to conserve battery power.

Yellow background

If the main subject is normal in color and the background is yellow, this is a color temperature difference problem. The fact is that the light of the flash is higher in temperature value than the light of incandescent lamps: a color conversion filter is needed, which brings its temperature to the temperature of other light sources. For incandescent bulbs, this is the yellow tape that is glued to the flash. The white balance, of course, needs to be set on the lamps. With gas discharge lamps, the film needs a characteristic pinkish.

On the street there are constant overexposures

It's very simple: many people constantly forget to turn on the high-speed sync mode on the flash. The camera rests on the exposure coupler, based on the sync speed, and is forced to give an overexposed result. General rule: went outside - enabled high-speed sync.

By the way, this mode works very interestingly: the flash strobes quickly and quickly, giving several impulses so that the frame is illuminated evenly, not in one moment of full opening of the shutter, but sequentially, in parts. Canon's press release states that the flash consumes less power in this mode (but it seems to shrink the lamp faster). Demoded suggests that the pulse is weaker, that is, relevant at a distance of up to 4 meters. Ozgg clarifies that the flash does not adjust to the curtains, but always hits at 50 kHz.

Flat face

In the presence of more or less bearable external lighting in order not to make the traditional "pancake-faces" from the flash, you can simply enter the flash power compensation, for example, one or one and a half stops down. This will highlight the shadows, but not knock them out at all. It seems obvious, but it turned out that some people do the exposure correction of the entire frame, and not the flash pulse.

Fallen eyes

Flash "head-on" is rarely used, mainly - in a quick report or when you need to reach a distant object. If you have a choice, it is usually better to turn it somewhere, move it away from the camera, or use a nozzle.

If you bang a flash into a wall or (more often) a ceiling, you get a more or less realistic soft light, since the entire illuminated surface will turn into an independent source of light for the frame.

When reflected from the ceiling, a characteristic gradient of shadows is obtained: under objects they become darker and denser, for example, the eyes go into shadow. In such cases, it is necessary either to deflect the flash more back, or, if it is not possible, to use special attachments. The Harry Fong jar and its Chinese brothers have proven to be good for correcting gradients.

Spotlight beam

The flash usually follows the focal length of the lens and moves the lamp in the body to go to a wide or narrow angle. For the ultra-wide angle, it is assumed that you are pulling out the micro pyramid card that is inside. Automation can be abandoned and, for example, when wide angle the lens to compress the flash pulse into a narrow enough beam. This is useful for highlighting one object or vignetting with light.

Aiming in the dark

Sometimes there are situations when you need to shoot without a flash, but it is very difficult to catch the focus. If the subject is moving, then you can often just miss the moment while the camera crawls the lens. In this case, it is good to leave the aiming light (reticle) of the flash, but disable its firing. Made from the camera flash control menu: flash firing = disable (the menu is not available on all cameras). The LEDs are on, the flash is off.

Flash off camera

At first small overview how to connect:

• A wire that preserves the full communication protocol, that is, with the ability to use a flash in a vending machine (such a cable is usually short);
• Use a long sync cable only "for the release", that is, the flash will work in manual mode;
• By IR sync from a special device (it is morally outdated: not suitable for the street, poorly caught in large rooms with dark walls, does not work under spotlights);
• By synchronization with another flash or control unit from some cameras (the same restrictions);
• By radio channel ( the best way if E-TTL is saved, as, for example, in the Pocket Wizard system - but this thing is outrageously expensive). An obvious plus is not only that the launch goes from 100 meters anywhere, but also that the system has an additional contraption that allows you not to run until the flashes when you need to apply local settings to them or simply turn them off. We need three types of devices: control modules for each flash, the main module for the camera and gadget on top, which acts as a kind of "mixing console" for three groups outbreaks.

This cable allows you to simply fire the flash manually

And this one is to take it out of the hot shoe of the camera.

So, if an idea comes to buy a cable, it is better to solder it yourself. External light traps are not very reliable and you can also make them yourself. The IR transmitter is also soldered. It is really important to take either a second flash (if you need more light) or, if you shoot seriously and for a long time, the very Pocket Wizard or analogs. When choosing analogs, it is very important to understand that you need to receive E-TTL data in order for the flashes to work in auto modes.

Stand is a friend of man

Before I bought the first rack, I spent terrible sums on various bells and whistles in order to get more or less decent result... It turned out that if we are not talking about a report, then the most good way- it's just to take a stand, put your head on it under the flash, stick in a translucent white umbrella - and synchronize with a second non-igniting (or working as a fill-in) flash. It will not work for the street, but in the premises it is almost perfect.

Another point: it is important to specifically direct one flash to the receiver of the other, so that they fire from a greater distance. At least turn the slave flash receiver towards the main one.

Nozzles: how not to buy too much

Canon flash comes with two attachments: a white card for flare in the eyes (it reflects very, very little), and a plastic piece with micro-pyramids for diffusion. A number of Nikon models, by the way, have conversion filters right away. Another attachment can be made from a sheet of paper attached in the form of a cone behind the flash (the famous "burdock", aka "fan", aka "photonic reflector").

Now about what is worth and what not to buy:

• White plastic "box" is almost unnecessary
• "Burdock" with holes on top is good, but next option better
• Harry Fong's "jar" (transparent) just allows you to hit the ceiling normally and at the same time gets rid of heavy gradient shadows, but you need to get used to it. Considering the wild holivars about her, you better not believe me and twirl it in your hands yourself. There are many analogues that are 2 times cheaper.
• The large softbox on the flash softens the light and allows it to be used head-on. Needed for reporting, in other cases the next point is better. You can run with a flash and soft box in hand.
• A beauty dish (plate) or an umbrella in the light is very beautiful, but only on racks. A mobile studio is made from 2-3 light sources.
• "Plafond" - a round matte nozzle - good for shooting interiors, but not very suitable for people.
• The strobe frame (handle + flash mount) in different configurations is good, but difficult in real shooting, because it is heavy. For an amateur.
• Honeycombs are important for shaping a narrow beam of light, often interesting.

Of course, there are dozens of variations of all this and much more. Until you try it in practice different conditions illumination - you are still not insured against unnecessary purchases.

"Bank" Fong, it is in the first inflexible versions - "Toilet"

A diffuser almost unnecessary in practice

Medium softbox, relevant to the drawing source in some cases

It is worth remembering that the softness of light is determined by angular dimensions source (and, to a lesser extent, reflections from the walls): if you take a large softbox and carry it far, far away, it will become dotted. If you need long, pretty gradients, use the large tips, which often mean you need stands or assistants.

About the outbreak

First, a quick educational program: a flash in E-TTL mode sends a preliminary pulse before the frame (or a burst, by default - at 1/32 power). Based on what was "seen" in the frame as a result of the real passage of light through all attachments and reflections from all surfaces, a forecast is made required power... The flash sends out the calculated pulse while the frame is being fired. Automation is now very smart, so 90 percent of the frames can be safely shot in the machine using the flash. The manual mode is needed when you want to precisely control the pulse: in this case, the flash beats with one pulse of a given power (this, by the way, is also one of the ways to launch studio light on light traps).

Excessive flash can make a person start to squint. If so, then you need to do either FEL (exposure lock, button with an asterisk) - then the flash will be long before the frame itself - or switch to manual mode. The same FEL in combination with the rotation of the flash head, by the way, allows you to correctly expose a person from the edge of the frame against the background of a window, for example.

The automatic exposure control system makes it much easier to use the flash, however, problems do arise from time to time. We hope this article will help beginners understand photography and shoot better.

Flash photography. Mistake # 1: Not using the flash

One of the biggest mistakes when using a flash is not using it! More often than not, photographers don't use flash simply because they don't know when or how to do it. That said, very often, the use of additional light can be useful, it helps to fill in the shadows and balance the exposure well. Flash photography can really bring life to your portraits.

Flash photography. Mistake # 2: Using the Flash for Distant Subjects

Using a flash when photographing distant objects does not make the slightest sense. The flash is often activated automatically when the camera detects that there is not enough light available for shooting.

The example shows that a flash went off during a concert in a stadium. She did not illuminate the distant object, but the backs of the heads of the people ahead became brighter. Even the light from a very powerful flash will not save your shot if you are shooting from a crowd. Instead, turn off flash, increase sensitivity, and shoot in natural light.

Flash photography. Mistake # 3: red eye

The most common mistake when taking flash portraits is red-eye. The effect is caused by the light falling on the subject's eyes, which is reflected off the retina. Most cameras offer red-eye reduction with a special mode that works in pre-flash photography, which forces the eyes to get used to the light before the main flash fires.

This can be useful, but is not always the case. ideal solution Problems. Another solution to the problem is to position the flash farther from the lens so that the light is not reflected directly in front of your eyes.

Naturally, this cannot be done with the on-camera flash. An external flash connected to the camera via a wireless connection or via a cord will help you here. Although, in some cases, using an external flash via a hot shoe may be sufficient.

Damien Lovegrove flash photography demonstration with reader Richard Twiner.
Apprentice feature

Flash photography. Mistake # 4: Flash and Air

While flash can illuminate dark shadows, it can also destroy the atmosphere of an image. In some cases, it may be more useful to turn off the flash and increase the shutter speed, and if necessary, mount the camera on a tripod or increase the sensitivity.

Flash photography. Mistake # 5: Hood shadow

Generally, using a lens hood can be very helpful when shooting. However, if you are photographing a subject close enough, the shadow from the lens hood can ruin your shot. If you change the shooting angle in such a way that there is no shadow, it does not work, then it is better to just remove the hood.

Flash photography. Mistake # 6: too much light

Direct flash can result in very bright or very dark areas in the frame. If you are shooting a portrait, you may notice a shiny forehead or nose. The solution is to diffuse the light from the flash and there are several ways to accomplish this.

One of the most common ways to diffuse light is to use a flash diffuser. Diffusers are different forms and sizes, as well as, you can make the diffuser yourself.

A diffuser can reduce the brightness of the flash light, but if you are using TTL metering, the flash will automatically adjust to the shooting. You can also diffuse the light from the pop-up flash using a piece of tissue paper, baking parchment, or a rectangle cut from a milk carton.

Many flashes can swivel, or spin. This ability of your flash can help in creating diffused light, as light reflected from a ceiling or wall also becomes softer. Diffuse light is also a good way to avoid red-eye.

When using bounced light, be careful about the color of the surface from which that color is reflected, as the photo will have the same hue as that surface. The wall or ceiling should be white or beige, not red or blue.

Flash photography Error # 7: Flash position

In most cases, the flash is on top of the camera. There is no problem when photographing a subject with the camera held horizontally, however, when photographing with the camera held vertically, some problems may arise. One such problem would be the lens shadow caused by the flash.

An excellent solution would be to use a wireless connection between the flash and the camera, as well as a cord connection. Brackets are available that allow the flash to be raised well above the level of the subject.

Flash photography Error # 8: Motion is blurry

Since the flash burst is usually much faster than the shutter speed, a motion blur will appear when shooting. This effect appears when the flash is first-curtain synchronized. To control this blur, you need to determine the flash synchronization at the first or second curtain.

To avoid blurring the movement of the subject, you should set the flash sync to the second curtain. In this case, the flash will fire after shutter speed, right at the moment the frame is taken.

With first-curtain sync, you can get a frame when the space behind the subject is blurry, and the subject itself is clear. Such an image can create the effect of movement and will look very harmonious.