Using off camera flash

ChuckB28 · 08-18-2013, 05:17 PM

Today was my first time *really* using an off camera flash. They came out pretty good but the look very flat.

Last edited by ChuckB28; 05-20-2014 at 10:01 AM.

BethC · 08-18-2013, 05:31 PM

Originally posted by ChuckB28

Today was my first time *really* using an off camera flash. They came out pretty good but the look very flat.

Where was your OCF? and were you triggering it with the on camera flash? When I used my on camera to fire my OCF, I always thought mine looked flat too. and I can see a flash in her sunglasses that looks like the on camera flash, so I'm thinking that may be why. However, I don't think these look too flat, I can tell that the OCF was camera right, I see the Camera left side of her face is in slightly more shadow than the right, the shadow from her vest on the camera left etc... So I really don't think this looks bad.

By the way... I'm in PA too, Lancaster County to be exact... where are you?

ChuckB28 · 08-18-2013, 05:33 PM

No, no ocf. Just the off.

BethC · 08-18-2013, 05:34 PM

Originally posted by ChuckB28

No, no ocf. Just the off.

Maybe just try to move it more at a 45 degree angle or maybe a bit further... to your subject, then see how that looks, move it slightly until you get the look you want.

ChuckB28 · 08-18-2013, 05:36 PM

K thanks!!

Tanzer · 08-18-2013, 09:09 PM

Your subject is exposed slightly below the background. You might try reducing the ambient by a half or full stop, to make your subject pop out more relative to the background.

**baro-nite** · 08-19-2013, 04:47 AM

As Tanzer says, tone down the background exposure, then increase the flash power (or move the flash closer). While this subject and pose could go well with hard light as you are using here, the soft background works against this -- there's too obvious a difference between subject and background lighting. So for this setting the flash should be bounced or diffused. I'd look for a different background, though -- this setting would work well if the subject were on a horse, but on an iron horse and with this get-up an edgier setting is called for. A night street scene, for example -- then hard light would seem natural. With shiny metal, though, a diffuse light source is also helpful, so adding a second light would give more possibilities.

ChuckB28 · 08-19-2013, 05:53 AM

Originally posted by Tanzer

Your subject is exposed slightly below the background. You might try reducing the ambient by a half or full stop, to make your subject pop out more relative to the background.

Yeah that's what I was thinking too. When I first started I had the flash set higher but it looked too bright in the camera so I cut the power. Turns out that was the better exposure. All about learning right? Thanks!!

08-18-2013, 05:17 PM	#1
ChuckB28 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 145	Using off camera flash Today was my first time really using an off camera flash. They came out pretty good but the look very flat. Last edited by ChuckB28; 05-20-2014 at 10:01 AM.

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08-18-2013, 05:31 PM	#2
BethC Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Pennsylvannia Photos: Albums Posts: 377	Originally posted by ChuckB28 Today was my first time really using an off camera flash. They came out pretty good but the look very flat. Where was your OCF? and were you triggering it with the on camera flash? When I used my on camera to fire my OCF, I always thought mine looked flat too. and I can see a flash in her sunglasses that looks like the on camera flash, so I'm thinking that may be why. However, I don't think these look too flat, I can tell that the OCF was camera right, I see the Camera left side of her face is in slightly more shadow than the right, the shadow from her vest on the camera left etc... So I really don't think this looks bad. By the way... I'm in PA too, Lancaster County to be exact... where are you?

08-18-2013, 05:33 PM	#3
ChuckB28 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 145 Original Poster	No, no ocf. Just the off.

08-18-2013, 05:34 PM	#4
BethC Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Pennsylvannia Photos: Albums Posts: 377	Originally posted by ChuckB28 No, no ocf. Just the off. Maybe just try to move it more at a 45 degree angle or maybe a bit further... to your subject, then see how that looks, move it slightly until you get the look you want.

08-18-2013, 05:36 PM	#5
ChuckB28 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 145 Original Poster	K thanks!!

08-18-2013, 09:09 PM	#6
Tanzer Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Perrineville, NJ Posts: 1,375	Your subject is exposed slightly below the background. You might try reducing the ambient by a half or full stop, to make your subject pop out more relative to the background.

08-19-2013, 04:47 AM	#7
baro-nite Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: North Carolina, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,294	As Tanzer says, tone down the background exposure, then increase the flash power (or move the flash closer). While this subject and pose could go well with hard light as you are using here, the soft background works against this -- there's too obvious a difference between subject and background lighting. So for this setting the flash should be bounced or diffused. I'd look for a different background, though -- this setting would work well if the subject were on a horse, but on an iron horse and with this get-up an edgier setting is called for. A night street scene, for example -- then hard light would seem natural. With shiny metal, though, a diffuse light source is also helpful, so adding a second light would give more possibilities.

08-19-2013, 05:53 AM	#8
ChuckB28 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 145 Original Poster	Originally posted by Tanzer Your subject is exposed slightly below the background. You might try reducing the ambient by a half or full stop, to make your subject pop out more relative to the background. Yeah that's what I was thinking too. When I first started I had the flash set higher but it looked too bright in the camera so I cut the power. Turns out that was the better exposure. All about learning right? Thanks!!