Directional light from your on-camera flash …
Most often when photographers start using their flashguns out of the directly-forward position, they move the flash head to point 45’ or 90’ upward. The idea here is to bounce flash off the ceiling. Even though this is an improvement in most cases over using the flashgun pointing directly forward, this is also most often not ideal. We can improve on this.
If we consider how studio lights are set up, we’ll rarely see a light source directly overhead of our subject. Top lighting just isn’t as flattering as light coming in from an angle to the subject. And in the same way, why would we want to bounce flash directly overhead of our subjects?
The subtitle of this post should be: You don’t really need that Lightsphere .
(Or whatever is the flavour of light modifier for this particular month.)
We need to consider the direction of our light carefully. This is one of the areas in which we can really set ourselves apart as photographers – by carefully choosing the direction our light falls onto our subject, we can control the mood of the photograph completely.
We have to think of the actual area that we’re bouncing light off, as our light source – and not of the flashgun as our light source.
Looking at this sequence of photographs, we can see that the direction of light came from slightly behind the subject to the camera’s left. These images were all done using a single on-camera flashgun.
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A very important point here is that there is there is no light coming from ‘camera’s viewpoint’.
In other words, from our viewpoint (which is the camera’s viewpoint), there is no light directly from directly forward. Therefore, instead of a flat even light, we have directional light. Light is coming in from the side, and creating that interplay between light and shade that creates shape and gives dimension to our subjects. The exact way that flash was bounced here, was by pointing the flashhead 45’ swiveled to the camera’s left, and tilted about 30’ up. To stop any direct flash falling onto the bride, I blocked the strobe with my left hand. This way I shielded the light from her, and the light from the flashgun fell onto the wall to the camera’s left, and slightly behind where she was sitting. |
So in effect, our light source is coming from above and slightly behind our bride. This way we’re mimicking the effect that a large softbox would’ve given us.
Another very important point here to remember is, if your subject can see any part of your flashhead, then you are indeed getting direct flash. Or at least a measure of direct flash. Most often this is not flattering. The entire reason why we are bouncing flash, is to create softer light. And direct light from your flashgun will most often not be flattering and negate the quality of light we’re trying to achieve.
Looking at two more images from this sequence, we can see in the close-up images where our light-source is. It is crucial here that we see that the light was not bounced on the ceiling, or even behind us.
Bouncing the light on the ceiling would’ve given darker eye-sockets and that ‘raccoon eyes’ effect. Bouncing light behind us, would’ve given us much softer light from our flashgun than direct flash would’ve given us – but this would’ve produced light that is too flat.
No flash modifier was used, aside from my hand blocking light. Any off-the-shelf light modifier would’ve thrown too much forward, spilling directly on the bride’s face. That direct light would’ve been unflattering.
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Just how much flash was used, and how it was balanced with available light, can be deduced from this image on the left.This is the initial image, where I didn’t use flash at all, but used the available light to create a silhouette effect.
The same camera settings were used for the images above. Using flash wisely made all the difference. |
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In these two images we can see exactly the effect that the flash has had – and how much available light there was. All the light falling on the bride is from the flash on the camera. And here, even more clearly we can discern from the direction of the light, that the light source is the wall to the camera left, and behind the bride.
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Being very specific about the direction of our light source, we’re able to create flattering portraits with the minimum of fuss.
And being specific abour direction of our light source, means we simply can’t place a flash modifier on our flashgun and shoot without putting much thought into it.
Tim Sewell Said,
October 25, 2007 @ 3:41 am
Another great post. Reading your how-to on the correct use of on-camera flash has transformed my indoor photography and, what’s more, saved me having to add to Gary Fong’s already-considerable fortune. Top stuff!
Chris Said,
October 25, 2007 @ 3:11 pm
Fantastic post. Thanks!
Lisa Walsh Said,
October 25, 2007 @ 6:09 pm
Hi, my name is Lisa and I’m a reformed Lightsphere user. I’ve just started delving into lighting so I have a question…how would you achieve this look if the wall was painted? Wouldn’t it leave a color cast on the subject (depending on the color of the paint). Would you just bounce off the ceiling in that situation?
Nimrod Said,
October 26, 2007 @ 10:13 am
Great post! Thanks for the information. I just baught my first flash unit (Nikon sb-600) and was really struggling when I was asked to take a few pictures at a friend’s event.
I am also interested in the answer to Lisa’s question. What happens when the walls are colored (often dark colors in wedding halls)? What do you do when the room is big and the ceiling is high?
Lynn Said,
October 27, 2007 @ 5:37 pm
Thank you so very much for sharing your wealth of knowledge and expertise with me and all the other photographic enthusiasts who visit your site. Out of all the millions of sites/blogs out there …yours is totally up there above all others …my absolute favourite! (Australian spelling). The way you have set out your pages into categories and the way you explain things (without using all the technical hoohah moohah) makes it easy for me to understand and digest. I live in the hills behind Cairns in far northern eastern Australia and here I am learning more about what I love doing from I guy on the other side of the planet via his website. I always look forward to your new entries. Thanks again.
Neil Said,
October 30, 2007 @ 1:43 pm
Lisa Walsh Said,
October 30, 2007 @ 1:48 pm
Lol, thanks Neil! I JUST shot RAW for the first time, so I guess I’m prepared to go forth and bounce off colored walls!
Neil Said,
October 30, 2007 @ 1:54 pm
Wing Wong Said,
October 31, 2007 @ 2:09 am
I’ve been photographing flash-less, and decided to start shooting with flash. Unfortunately, I’ve invested in one of Gary Fong’s whaletails. I’m still practicing flash photography with and without the diffuser, but found your tutorial to be amazing.
At a recent photoshoot, outdoors, I was trying to illuminate properly with fill flash(no diffuser, was being shipped), with the setting sun as backlight. Was a pain.
I had completely forgotten to expose for the sky.
Love your before/after, with/without photographs. Very easy to absorb and see what you are talking about.
Credit for finding this site, I came via the Strobist blog, http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/
Wing.
Daniel Fuentealba Said,
December 16, 2007 @ 2:11 am
Great website… I just discovered by DWF and I already love it.
I really appreciate your last example with the before/after as Wing sais. Is the kind of picture I’m always looking for… to be able to let the background almost intact and add some flash light well controlled in order to get a well balanced image.
I would really like to get some details about the last picture… maybe I have not found a post which explain this :S (sorry if is that the case… as I said I just know about your website)…
If you are shooting Manual, how do you control the power level of your flashgun? I have a nikon D2H and a SB-600. Looking forward to get the boss SB-800
…Thanks Neil!
Neil Said,
December 17, 2007 @ 11:38 pm
Eileen Said,
December 18, 2007 @ 4:02 am
Neil, just wanted to say thank you for this great site. Been using flash for around six months now, having decided after years of avoidance to learn how to use artificial lighting, and I’ve really struggled with ‘raccoon eyes’ and sometimes hard shadows on faces. I knew what I was trying to do, but until I found this site couldn’t quite work out how to get there. Thanks again. Do you ever do UK workshops or CD tutorials?
Neil Said,
December 18, 2007 @ 11:40 pm
Wei Said,
December 22, 2007 @ 10:54 am
Hi Neil..first of all, just like others i’d like to say a big thank you for your website. After searching for other a-like websites to properly understand a good technique of flash photography, yours has to be on top! I have a quick question and am not sure if I have missed it whilst reading through your pages. With your bounce card, I have noticed that yours is black. Are there any advantages of using black over white? Thanks!
PS: Let me know if you ever stop by Australia!
Neil Said,
December 23, 2007 @ 7:57 pm
David Said,
December 28, 2007 @ 8:28 am
I stumbled upon your site yesterday and I have to echo the laudatory comments of previous posters. You are the man! I’m just getting into flash and I’ve already learned so much from your excellent tutorials which are comprehensible and encouraging. Simply brilliant. You are clearly a gifted teacher and if you come to the UK, I’ll be there!
Dedrei Said,
January 12, 2008 @ 1:19 am
WOW, your blog is just amazing. Love it. Love it. Love it!
So much easier to understand than some of the popular other blogs. More pics and easy to understand.
Good on you for sharing your knowledge!
Please let me know if you are planning anything for Australia.
Cheers
Dedrei
Cairns, Aus
Neil Said,
January 12, 2008 @ 5:23 am
Jakob Swartz Said,
January 31, 2008 @ 1:27 pm
Hi Neil,
I must echo what so many others have said before me: A great thanks for giving this easy to understand tutorial of how to use on-camera flash. After spending some days on the strobist blog, I thought I would need to invest in off-camera lights for great shots. Your site has convinced me that I can learn so much more with on-camera falsh still. Thanks for your time.
One question on this post. You bounce the flash up to the behind left of the bride, shielding with your hand so there should be direct light falling on the bride. However, I notive very nice catchlights in her eyes. How did you achieve these catchlights if there is no direct light reching the subject?
Cheers,
Jakob
Uganda
Neil Said,
February 14, 2008 @ 11:23 pm
Denise Snyder Said,
February 27, 2008 @ 9:42 pm
Just wanted to THANK YOU for this blog - it has taught me more than any other resource on lighting. I love my speedlight now that you have shown me how to use it properly.