Comments on: my choice of flash modifiers http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/ various writings on photography, whether techniques, ideas, equipment info, or just rants. Thu, 22 May 2008 19:51:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Godfrey Tan http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1173 Godfrey Tan Sat, 10 May 2008 07:09:28 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1173 Neil, I really like your sharing of flash techniques. Thanks so much. I love your tips. Cheers, Godfrey Neil,

I really like your sharing of flash techniques. Thanks so much. I love your tips.

Cheers,
Godfrey

]]> By: Neil http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1115 Neil Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:41:44 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1115 <blockquote>Fran .. as long as you stay at or below your maximum flash sync speed, your flashgun's power won't be reduced by it going in to the high-speed sync mode. So even though the flashgun says FP is enabled as an option, it won't go into high speed sync mode until your shutter speed is higher than max flash sync speed. Neil vN</blockquote>

Fran .. as long as you stay at or below your maximum flash sync speed, your flashgun’s power won’t be reduced by it going in to the high-speed sync mode.

So even though the flashgun says FP is enabled as an option, it won’t go into high speed sync mode until your shutter speed is higher than max flash sync speed.

Neil vN

]]> By: Fran Colonna http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1103 Fran Colonna Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:12:23 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1103 Hi Neil, I just bought a D300 and set my in-camera flash settings to 30 and 320 but now when I put the SB800 on, it always indicates that it is in FP mode. I thought that it would only go in FP mode when you set your shutter to 250 or higher. What am I doing wrong or is there something wrong with either the flash or the camera? Thank you for all the info----I have hit sooo many ahaaaaa moments reading your blog!! Fran Hi Neil, I just bought a D300 and set my in-camera flash settings to 30 and 320 but now when I put the SB800 on, it always indicates that it is in FP mode. I thought that it would only go in FP mode when you set your shutter to 250 or higher. What am I doing wrong or is there something wrong with either the flash or the camera?
Thank you for all the info—-I have hit sooo many ahaaaaa moments reading your blog!!

Fran

]]> By: Neil http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1116 Neil Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:46:41 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1116 <blockquote>Hi there Christopher .. thank you for the wonderful compliments. The best results with flash is always achieved by looking at the quality, direction, and colour of your available light .. and then adding flash to it. And in that way, add your flash by considering: - the level (ie, exposure) of flash that is needed (whether fill-flash or flash as main source of light), - the direction that you're adding your flash, - the colour of your flash. (And for this reason I often gel my flash for the tungsten light) Neil vN</blockquote>

Hi there Christopher .. thank you for the wonderful compliments.

The best results with flash is always achieved by looking at the quality, direction, and colour of your available light .. and then adding flash to it.

And in that way, add your flash by considering:
- the level (ie, exposure) of flash that is needed (whether fill-flash or flash as main source of light),
- the direction that you’re adding your flash,
- the colour of your flash. (And for this reason I often gel my flash for the tungsten light)

Neil vN

]]> By: Christopher Luk http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1077 Christopher Luk Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:36:21 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1077 Thanks for sharing so many of your techniques with us on your blog! You've helped me learn so much about using my Speedlight effectively and making flash not look like "flash". Perhaps I will see you in August when you come to Toronto. I love the half-snoot idea of not blinding people! I'll have to add one to my arsenal. I still had a question about the situation of a venue having high ceilings or the walls/ceilings being strong colours. You've shown us that you're using a Stofen with the gel; would you actually shoot the flash head straight forward in these situations? That brings us back to the direct straight-on flash that we all despise, but how do you still keep your classic Neil-styled captured light and shape? Thanks again for your willingness to help and all your advice over the years. Thanks for sharing so many of your techniques with us on your blog! You’ve helped me learn so much about using my Speedlight effectively and making flash not look like “flash”. Perhaps I will see you in August when you come to Toronto.

I love the half-snoot idea of not blinding people! I’ll have to add one to my arsenal.

I still had a question about the situation of a venue having high ceilings or the walls/ceilings being strong colours. You’ve shown us that you’re using a Stofen with the gel; would you actually shoot the flash head straight forward in these situations? That brings us back to the direct straight-on flash that we all despise, but how do you still keep your classic Neil-styled captured light and shape?

Thanks again for your willingness to help and all your advice over the years.

]]> By: planet neil - tangents » flash brackets revisited … http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1062 planet neil - tangents » flash brackets revisited … Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:04:10 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-1062 [...] my choice of flash modifiers [...] [...] my choice of flash modifiers [...]

]]> By: planet neil - tangents » … and far away … http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-889 planet neil - tangents » … and far away … Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:31:29 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-889 [...] aluminium case with the red ends.)   -  one spare batteryfor the Canon 1D mkIII bodies.   -  two pieces of black foam which I use as my light modifiers,   -  on top of this I have displayed the cord and plug to recharge my iPhone and my iPod.   -  [...] [...] aluminium case with the red ends.)   -  one spare batteryfor the Canon 1D mkIII bodies.   -  two pieces of black foam which I use as my light modifiers,   -  on top of this I have displayed the cord and plug to recharge my iPhone and my iPod.   -  [...]

]]> By: Neil http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-876 Neil Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:51:36 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-876 <blockquote>Nigel .. I wouldn't use the H setting (High-speed flash) for anything other than the times I need a wide aperture in bright light, or fast shutter speed in bright light. I don't agree that using the High-Speed Sync option would simplify things. It reduces your power considerably. So much so that I wouldn't use it while bouncing flash like I do. Neil vN</blockquote>

Nigel ..

I wouldn’t use the H setting (High-speed flash) for anything other than the times I need a wide aperture in bright light, or fast shutter speed in bright light.

I don’t agree that using the High-Speed Sync option would simplify things. It reduces your power considerably. So much so that I wouldn’t use it while bouncing flash like I do.

Neil vN

]]> By: Nigel davis http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-748 Nigel davis Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:23:18 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-748 Hi Neil, Do you use the H setting of the Canon 580EX? I believe it lowers the output level, but it seems to simplify things. To me, it doesn't appear to mentioned much, for something that appears to be a useful idea. Hi Neil, Do you use the H setting of the Canon 580EX? I believe it lowers the output level, but it seems to simplify things. To me, it doesn’t appear to mentioned much, for something that appears to be a useful idea.

]]> By: Neil http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-875 Neil Sun, 03 Feb 2008 03:47:49 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/2007/12/13/my-choice-of-flash-modifiers/#comment-875 <blockquote>Geoff ... Nope, you still need correct exposure. So I wouldn't dial the flash down. Neil vN</blockquote>

Geoff …

Nope, you still need correct exposure. So I wouldn’t dial the flash down.

Neil vN

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