[benjikan]

Most of us have taken images outdoors and indoors. We generally use flash indoors when the available light is such that it is a necessity. Unfortunately, in most cases that light source is on the camera or perched in the hot shoe. When you think about it though, the effect of that massive blast of light kills most of the nuances of the available light and the result is often quite flat or just plain uninteresting.

The play of light is often very subtle. We see the dominant but pay less attention to the subtle play of light as it bounces off of reflective objects to finally land on the most absorptive materials. Move one of those reflective sources and the whole landscape changes. We often look for that dominant light source and feature it as the node or focal point of our images.

What I am suggesting here is perhaps looking at the scene from a different perspective. Studying the nuances will open up different way of viewing your composition. When using available light you may start to play with multiple reflectors to change the ambiance of your image. Moving your reflected source just a few inches can change the final outcome significantly. This can even be more apparent when using flash sources and reflectors, mixing those with ambient light and adjusting them to your taste. Even a half of a stop will have an effect that can prove to be dramatic.

What are your feelings about how you approach light and how do you think you can enhance your vocabulary?

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Last edited by benjikan; 07-15-2007 at 08:12 AM.

[Jack Simpson]

Morning Benjamin,

To be honest, I have never used a reflector nor studio lights in my vast [ ] photographic career BUT over those vast number of years (18) I have definitely learned a lot about light via photographers, watching, reading and just taking pictures

Also, my knowledge (and use of) flash photography has greatly improved --- some of the time -- and changed as well. I started with a tiny little Sunpak 16 flash (good for about 5 feet) then moved on to a Vivitar 2500 and to a Vivitar283 and eventually (and currently) to a Vivitar 285 HV. I then went to a 330 FTZ and now to my current FGZ 360.

My flash usage has changed from "direct flash", to "bounce flash" to "cutting down the power flash" and now a combination of all three (3) ....and none of which are even remotely consisent in being successful.

Cheeers,

Jack

[Photo Tramp]

Hi Ben,
For many years flash photography was only straight head on flash using a hot shoe, but in the past few years and the insight of many photographers, companies have seen the light. (pun intended) A good flash now a days gives you the qualities of being able to bounce the flash, not only from strait to 45 degree to ceiling, but also being able to move the head from left to right. Flash has also come a long way in being able to control the light being used. Being able to use reflectors on a subject and bounce flash definitely gives you a different perspective on how to integrate natural and flash lighting. Being able to create a shadow flow from different angles and reducing the stop will definitely have an effect on the outcome and quality of the picture.
From what you and others have said about flash lighting is very useful, and I think if you had time to really set the shot up the outcome would be dramatic. For those of us that are only taking family indoor shots and capturing the moment It becomes impossible to control to a point. I guess what I'm saying is being able to get the shot with out having to stage the lighting before hand becomes down and dirty photography. With the improvements of the hot shoe flash there are many ways to achieve the proper effect, all one has to do before hand is think about how the light is already effecting the shot and where more light would be needed and from what angle would be right. (I guess this would mean think first and then shoot). But you're right about the way you can achieve the results.

[Donald]

in my camera bag I have several pieces of paper (8.5x11 / A4): white, cream, turquoise. I will use occasionally with available light as a reflector. I also use them sometimes as background to lose distracting elements. I have used my black camera bag as an anti-reflector and background.

Often results are unpredictable: shots I 'feel' probably won't work out with the cream paper background turn out to be the 'cream of the crop' from that days outing. Strangely, I'm least happy with results using my white paper as reflector or impromptu background; the tinted ones produce nicer results.

[benjikan]

in my camera bag I have several pieces of paper (8.5x11 / A4): white, cream, turquoise. I will use occasionally with available light as a reflector. I also use them sometimes as background to lose distracting elements. I have used my black camera bag as an anti-reflector and background.

Often results are unpredictable: shots I 'feel' probably won't work out with the cream paper background turn out to be the 'cream of the crop' from that days outing. Strangely, I'm least happy with results using my white paper as reflector or impromptu background; the tinted ones produce nicer results.

Try different metallic reflectors as well and mix it up

[MRRiley]

Ben... One of the things I like about your work is that you are not afraid of shadows. You use them to your advantage to accentuate the environment or your model's form or pose. Shadows are not always the enemy.

[benjikan]

Ben... One of the things I like about your work is that you are not afraid of shadows. You use them to your advantage to accentuate the environment or your model's form or pose. Shadows are not always the enemy.

Shadow adds dimension and perspective as well as allowing for light to project with greater intensity. You can give an image a "3D" effect if used astutely.

Ben

[PDL]

Hi Ben,
For many years flash photography was only straight head on flash using a hot shoe, but in the past few years and the insight of many photographers, companies have seen the light. (pun intended) A good flash now a days gives you the qualities of being able to bounce the flash, not only from strait to 45 degree to ceiling, but also being able to move the head from left to right. Flash has also come a long way in being able to control the light being used. Being able to use reflectors on a subject and bounce flash definitely gives you a different perspective on how to integrate natural and flash lighting. Being able to create a shadow flow from different angles and reducing the stop will definitely have an effect on the outcome and quality of the picture.
snip

What about flash powder and flash bulbs. Up until the mid 60's flash was external and used extensively by holding the flash away from being inline with the lens - i.e. making it appear that the sun is on the photographers forehead.

The Pentax/Honeywll thyristor flash was not "in the hot shoe" (there was no hot shoe) and it was one of the first of the truely modern flashes. One of the first "add on" parts I bought for my camera - before my first SLR - was a 3 meter x-sync cable. That was in the late 60's - even then I was using bounce flash, color filters to match the flash color to the color temp of the film (yeah film baby).

In the studio - flash - off camrea - has been used for over the last 100 years (flash powder and big flash bulbs). Axial flash started when camera manufactures started integrating the worthless flashes that we see today - my first camera with integrated flash is my SF-1. I did get a flash for the SF-1 that tilts and rotates - it just does not work with my digital Pentax's - too bad - now I have to buy fast glass to get the shots I want. Bummer eh?

The use of flash in the studio is a natural progression of lighting techniques that have been used by photographers since the beginning. Shadows are part of the composition and their use just goes to show the ability of the photographer.

PDL