Flash vs. Ambient light...

I often shoot indoors in the evening using aperture-priority mode, opening
the aperture until the shutter speed is fast enough to avoid camera shake.
I realize a tripod or faster lens can help out here.

A few weeks ago I learned that I can use Manual mode to choose any shutter
speed and aperture opening and the flash seems to compensate to shoot a
picture that is properly exposed.

Someone told me that in aperture-priority mode the flash is used for fill
but in manual mode it is used for primary lighting (not in those exact words
but that's what I remember, please re-explain using the correct nomenclature
if you can). When using flash white balance wouldn't one desire that the
flash light the scene? Why/when would ambient lighting be preferred over
flash?

Pointers to sites/books that might help me understand better would be
appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

David wrote:
> I often shoot indoors in the evening using aperture-priority mode, opening
> the aperture until the shutter speed is fast enough to avoid camera shake.
> I realize a tripod or faster lens can help out here.
>
> A few weeks ago I learned that I can use Manual mode to choose any shutter
> speed and aperture opening and the flash seems to compensate to shoot a
> picture that is properly exposed.

That should only work if you press the AE or green button to get a meter
reading, otherwise there is nothing to tell the camera how to expose or
flash unit how to fire.

> Someone told me that in aperture-priority mode the flash is used for fill
> but in manual mode it is used for primary lighting (not in those exact words
> but that's what I remember, please re-explain using the correct nomenclature
> if you can).

This sounds like it would only be true if your accessory flashgun is
attached and turned on or the camera's pop-up flash is in the up/on
position, otherwise there would be no reason for the flash to fire in
the first place.

> When using flash white balance wouldn't one desire that the
> flash light the scene? Why/when would ambient lighting be preferred over
> flash?

Flash (assuming that it's only used for fill) may not match the colour
balance of the main lighting, ie: the main ambient lighting is tungsten
(which is redish/yellowish) and the flash (white/bluish) create two
areas of different colour temperature in your image that can't be
balanced out by the camera's WB setting or in your editing program.
There are at least two possible ways around this:
1)Use your flash to be the primary lighting for the pictures, setting
your camera's WB to "flash" and overwhelm the ambient lighting with the
flash.
2)Put a colour correction filter over the flashgun so that the light
coming out of it matches the ambient lighting and then using a WB to match.

> Pointers to sites/books that might help me understand better would be
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave
>
>

David wrote:
> I often shoot indoors in the evening using aperture-priority mode, opening
> the aperture until the shutter speed is fast enough to avoid camera shake.
> I realize a tripod or faster lens can help out here.
>
> A few weeks ago I learned that I can use Manual mode to choose any shutter
> speed and aperture opening and the flash seems to compensate to shoot a
> picture that is properly exposed.
>
> Someone told me that in aperture-priority mode the flash is used for fill
> but in manual mode it is used for primary lighting (not in those exact words
> but that's what I remember, please re-explain using the correct nomenclature
> if you can). When using flash white balance wouldn't one desire that the
> flash light the scene? Why/when would ambient lighting be preferred over
> flash?

WB is an issue but apart from that, ambient light just looks more
natural for lighting things beyond the range of the flash and avoiding
shadows. See if your camera has the ability to turn down the flash so
that the ambient light can be the primary light and flash provides fill.
That will look best (WB aside).


> Pointers to sites/books that might help me understand better would be
> appreciated.

In article <X5SdnUeOI91EHXnbnZ2dnUVZ_hmtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote:

> I often shoot indoors in the evening using aperture-priority mode, opening
> the aperture until the shutter speed is fast enough to avoid camera shake.
> I realize a tripod or faster lens can help out here.
>
> A few weeks ago I learned that I can use Manual mode to choose any shutter
> speed and aperture opening and the flash seems to compensate to shoot a
> picture that is properly exposed.
>
> Someone told me that in aperture-priority mode the flash is used for fill
> but in manual mode it is used for primary lighting (not in those exact words
> but that's what I remember, please re-explain using the correct nomenclature
> if you can). When using flash white balance wouldn't one desire that the
> flash light the scene? Why/when would ambient lighting be preferred over
> flash?
>
> Pointers to sites/books that might help me understand better would be
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave

The flash power can be used to decide how much of the background is
visible. For example, when I took photos of a friend's wedding I used
an aperture of F1.4 with no flash. The background was blurred yet it
was still overwhelmed with clutter and distractions. The pro
photographer used a high power flash at close range so that the
background was completely black.

If the background is very beautiful, meter the exposure from the
background and use fill flash to make the foreground just as bright.
For example, taking photos of people with a sunset in the background.

"Kevin McMurtrie" <mcmurtri@dslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:mcmurtri-DFDD06.22364909092007@sn-radius.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net...
> In article <X5SdnUeOI91EHXnbnZ2dnUVZ_hmtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
> "David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote:
>
>> I often shoot indoors in the evening using aperture-priority mode,
>> opening
>> the aperture until the shutter speed is fast enough to avoid camera
>> shake.
>> I realize a tripod or faster lens can help out here.
>>
>> A few weeks ago I learned that I can use Manual mode to choose any
>> shutter
>> speed and aperture opening and the flash seems to compensate to shoot a
>> picture that is properly exposed.
>>
>> Someone told me that in aperture-priority mode the flash is used for fill
>> but in manual mode it is used for primary lighting (not in those exact
>> words
>> but that's what I remember, please re-explain using the correct
>> nomenclature
>> if you can). When using flash white balance wouldn't one desire that the
>> flash light the scene? Why/when would ambient lighting be preferred over
>> flash?
>>
>> Pointers to sites/books that might help me understand better would be
>> appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Dave
>
> The flash power can be used to decide how much of the background is
> visible. For example, when I took photos of a friend's wedding I used
> an aperture of F1.4 with no flash. The background was blurred yet it
> was still overwhelmed with clutter and distractions. The pro
> photographer used a high power flash at close range so that the
> background was completely black.
>
> If the background is very beautiful, meter the exposure from the
> background and use fill flash to make the foreground just as bright.
> For example, taking photos of people with a sunset in the background.
>

Doesn't metering look at the amount of light in the scene to determine the
shutter/aperture or in the case of manual mode the amount of flash required
to expose the scene correctly?

You said meter from the background- what if the background is brighter than
the foreground, wouldn't metering the background cause the foreground to be
overexposed?

"Paul Furman" <paul-@-edgehill.net> wrote in message
news:yJ1Fi.53221$YL5.45914@newssvr29.news.prodigy. net...
> David wrote:
>> I often shoot indoors in the evening using aperture-priority mode,
>> opening the aperture until the shutter speed is fast enough to avoid
>> camera shake. I realize a tripod or faster lens can help out here.
>>
>> A few weeks ago I learned that I can use Manual mode to choose any
>> shutter speed and aperture opening and the flash seems to compensate to
>> shoot a picture that is properly exposed.
>>
>> Someone told me that in aperture-priority mode the flash is used for fill
>> but in manual mode it is used for primary lighting (not in those exact
>> words but that's what I remember, please re-explain using the correct
>> nomenclature if you can). When using flash white balance wouldn't one
>> desire that the flash light the scene? Why/when would ambient lighting
>> be preferred over flash?
>
> WB is an issue but apart from that, ambient light just looks more natural
> for lighting things beyond the range of the flash and avoiding shadows.
> See if your camera has the ability to turn down the flash so that the
> ambient light can be the primary light and flash provides fill. That will
> look best (WB aside).
>

I think my camera (EOS350D) provides fill flash in Tv and Av modes and
primary lighting in M mode- if anyone knows for sure please verify or
correct me.

I have been using the manual mode b/c indoors the lighting is so dim that my
flash (430EX) usually overpowers the tungsten in the first place and even
with the flash, when I'm shooting in Av mode I usually end up kicking the
ISO up to 1600 and the shutter speed is still so slow that I need a tripod
and pictures of living things end up blurred.


>
>> Pointers to sites/books that might help me understand better would be
>> appreciated.
>

"Kevin McMurtrie" <mcmurtri@dslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:mcmurtri-DFDD06.22364909092007@sn-radius.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net...
> In article <X5SdnUeOI91EHXnbnZ2dnUVZ_hmtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
> "David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote:
>
>> I often shoot indoors in the evening using aperture-priority mode,
>> opening
>> the aperture until the shutter speed is fast enough to avoid camera
>> shake.
>> I realize a tripod or faster lens can help out here.
>>
>> A few weeks ago I learned that I can use Manual mode to choose any
>> shutter
>> speed and aperture opening and the flash seems to compensate to shoot a
>> picture that is properly exposed.
>>
>> Someone told me that in aperture-priority mode the flash is used for fill
>> but in manual mode it is used for primary lighting (not in those exact
>> words
>> but that's what I remember, please re-explain using the correct
>> nomenclature
>> if you can). When using flash white balance wouldn't one desire that the
>> flash light the scene? Why/when would ambient lighting be preferred over
>> flash?
>>
>> Pointers to sites/books that might help me understand better would be
>> appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Dave
>
> The flash power can be used to decide how much of the background is
> visible. For example, when I took photos of a friend's wedding I used
> an aperture of F1.4 with no flash. The background was blurred yet it
> was still overwhelmed with clutter and distractions. The pro
> photographer used a high power flash at close range so that the
> background was completely black.
>
> If the background is very beautiful, meter the exposure from the
> background and use fill flash to make the foreground just as bright.
> For example, taking photos of people with a sunset in the background.
>

Also, I thought the higher powered flash simply allowed for flash coverage
at greater distances... I can hardly tell a difference between using my
camera's built in flash and the external flash (EOS350D/430EX) aside from
the fact that the external flash can be used for bounce and I use a diffuser
with it. I would guess a fast shutter speed would be best for obtaining a
dark background but I'm not sure what aperture would be preferable in that
case?

Have a read through here. Fantastic article is you are using Canon.
http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/


"David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote in message
news:X5SdnUeOI91EHXnbnZ2dnUVZ_hmtnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>I often shoot indoors in the evening using aperture-priority mode, opening
>the aperture until the shutter speed is fast enough to avoid camera shake.
>I realize a tripod or faster lens can help out here.
>
> A few weeks ago I learned that I can use Manual mode to choose any shutter
> speed and aperture opening and the flash seems to compensate to shoot a
> picture that is properly exposed.
>
> Someone told me that in aperture-priority mode the flash is used for fill
> but in manual mode it is used for primary lighting (not in those exact
> words but that's what I remember, please re-explain using the correct
> nomenclature if you can). When using flash white balance wouldn't one
> desire that the flash light the scene? Why/when would ambient lighting be
> preferred over flash?
>
> Pointers to sites/books that might help me understand better would be
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave
>
>

I will make one suggestion. Try it and see what works well for your
camera, your typical subjects and the way you use your camera.

There can not be ONE right answer to a question like this. The right
one is the one that works for you. What works best for me, may well not be
very good for you.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit


"David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote in message
news:X5SdnUeOI91EHXnbnZ2dnUVZ_hmtnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>I often shoot indoors in the evening using aperture-priority mode, opening
>the aperture until the shutter speed is fast enough to avoid camera shake.
>I realize a tripod or faster lens can help out here.
>
> A few weeks ago I learned that I can use Manual mode to choose any shutter
> speed and aperture opening and the flash seems to compensate to shoot a
> picture that is properly exposed.
>
> Someone told me that in aperture-priority mode the flash is used for fill
> but in manual mode it is used for primary lighting (not in those exact
> words but that's what I remember, please re-explain using the correct
> nomenclature if you can). When using flash white balance wouldn't one
> desire that the flash light the scene? Why/when would ambient lighting be
> preferred over flash?
>
> Pointers to sites/books that might help me understand better would be
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave
>
>

In article <BYednSGwh8EcdnnbnZ2dnUVZ_ournZ2d@comcast.com>,
"David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote:

> "Kevin McMurtrie" <mcmurtri@dslextreme.com> wrote in message
> news:mcmurtri-DFDD06.22364909092007@sn-radius.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net...
> > In article <X5SdnUeOI91EHXnbnZ2dnUVZ_hmtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
> > "David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote:
> >
> >> I often shoot indoors in the evening using aperture-priority mode,
> >> opening
> >> the aperture until the shutter speed is fast enough to avoid camera
> >> shake.
> >> I realize a tripod or faster lens can help out here.
> >>
> >> A few weeks ago I learned that I can use Manual mode to choose any
> >> shutter
> >> speed and aperture opening and the flash seems to compensate to shoot a
> >> picture that is properly exposed.
> >>
> >> Someone told me that in aperture-priority mode the flash is used for fill
> >> but in manual mode it is used for primary lighting (not in those exact
> >> words
> >> but that's what I remember, please re-explain using the correct
> >> nomenclature
> >> if you can). When using flash white balance wouldn't one desire that the
> >> flash light the scene? Why/when would ambient lighting be preferred over
> >> flash?
> >>
> >> Pointers to sites/books that might help me understand better would be
> >> appreciated.
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Dave
> >
> > The flash power can be used to decide how much of the background is
> > visible. For example, when I took photos of a friend's wedding I used
> > an aperture of F1.4 with no flash. The background was blurred yet it
> > was still overwhelmed with clutter and distractions. The pro
> > photographer used a high power flash at close range so that the
> > background was completely black.
> >
> > If the background is very beautiful, meter the exposure from the
> > background and use fill flash to make the foreground just as bright.
> > For example, taking photos of people with a sunset in the background.
> >
>
> Also, I thought the higher powered flash simply allowed for flash coverage
> at greater distances... I can hardly tell a difference between using my
> camera's built in flash and the external flash (EOS350D/430EX) aside from
> the fact that the external flash can be used for bounce and I use a diffuser
> with it. I would guess a fast shutter speed would be best for obtaining a
> dark background but I'm not sure what aperture would be preferable in that
> case?

Darken the background by diffusing your flash and getting close. You'll
need to manually set a high flash power in some way. By default the
camera will mix ambient and flash light.