Flash

[Kel]

Ok I am not sure if this is in the right place or not but anyway I have not used my flash on my camera much before and when i did before someone told be that the lighting was to harsh so I have tried a couple of things to try and soften the flash light So let me know what yours thing? As I am doing a re - shooting of a friends wedding as she was not happy with the person who did her wedding so I trying everthing to try and get it right and by learning how to use my camera flash in a better way for a shoot if I need to use it.

Thank you very much for your time on helping with this as it will be my first shoot for anyone other then my daughter or her friend

First photo is just the flash on it own
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Second photo is using a baby wipe to cover the flash

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The last one is using with a tissue to try of soften the flash

89810

[Rattus79]

on camera bouncing the flash off walls or ceiling is your friend.
What makes on camera flash harsh is that it's relative to your lens (on the same focal plane) by bouncing it off the walls/roof it changes the light direction and makes it a "larger" apparent light source thus softening the light.
This does eat a stop or so of light and either flash compensation or opening up the aperture/faster ISO is required to brighten the image again.

Flash photography is quite in depth and does take more then an afternoon to master, but you can get a good idea of what you're doing.

[BigBear]

Are you using the built in flash in the images above? If so then what you have done is softening the harsh flash effect but I think it needs another (main) light source like a window or sunlight. You can then use the flash to fill in the shadows. The images above look progressively underexposed to me. You can also get a similar effect using the menu settings (on most cameras?) to dial down the flash eg from 1/1 (full power) down to 1/128 power. Baby wipes hanging off your camera may look a little strange to some lol

[Kel]

Thanks Greg I now it not something you learn in a afternoon or even in a couple afternoon, as I just trying to would out on how to use it as I have just always popped it up and let it fired

[Kel]

Big Bear, yes you are you are right it does look a bit funny having baby wipes or tissue off the camera, but in all the reading I have done on the internet to day about learning how to use my flash and got get that harsh light I got the idea from one of the many things I have read to day, as I have been trying to fine out how to get the correct exposed picture using the flash. It one time that I have never really try to learn in till now, as I can not fine information on how to get the right shutter speed and aperture for using the flash or how and thinks like that

Thaks very much for your help it great

[Rattus79]

I see, you're using the pop up.
As a general rule of thumb, I only use it to trigger external flashes if I don't have my radio triggers handy.
Things to try in stead:
1) window light - Window light can be beautiful and soft. It can give some wonderful results too.
2) shade - shade from a tree can give some wonderful dappled light
3) car window reflector (a very cheap reflector often gold on one side and silver on the other) - This can be used in field to reflect the light into the model allowing a very simple 2 light setup (sun and reflection) the gold side can give very pleasing results on sunset with the sun providing back light.

[Kel]

Thanks Rattus79 that very helpful I never though about car window reflectors before, but that could come in very handle to reflect some light but onto the subject if I taking photo's in the shade, as the only gear I have at the moment is just my camera but would like to start getting the attached flash and lights for doing photo's

[Rattus79]

for $3 you can't get a better light modifier.
Spend some time in the wedding and Formal and posed sections here to get some good ideas about posing and lighting.
learn to "deconstruct light" (how it was lit)

[Kel]

That's for that Rattus79 I have been spending a lot of time looking though the formal & posed and wedding sections and I will look into the light modifier Thank you for all your help