Flash Fridays are Here!

The SpeedLight I'll Be Using

So here we are, my first Flash Friday for the next while and I almost don't know where to begin. I'd kindly remind you all that this is my first little journey to understanding flash, and am still learning, so would love to hear what the rest of you struggle with or tips on using Speedlights in general. Anything I might miss is simply because... well, I haven't learned it yet!

The first thing I struggled with right from the start was the term "Sync speed" and how regularly I heard it being flung about in conversation. Inevitably someone would use the term as they began talking about their first foray into using a flash, but without explaining what they meant by it. And so from the word go, I'd already be lost as the conversation or demonstration continued.

Except, here's the thing about the term "Sync Speed" and why it applies to you using your flash. You ready? All it is, is a reference to the fastest your camera's shutter can go while allowing the light from your flash to fully enter the camera's sensor for a shot. Why had no one explained this to me? Where was I when they were handing out the Sync Speed 101 brochures? I've discovered that mine for the D80 is 1/200th of a second. If I dial in a shutter speed any faster than that my camera ceases to record all of the light projected from the flash, because the curtains that move across the sensor when you press the shutter are going too fast for there to be any one moment when the whole sensor is exposed to light. Sheesh. Can anyone say "underexposed" and "weird banding across the frame"? That's what you'll get.

So if you're shooting in manual, make sure you are paying attention to your sync speed... the speed at which your shutter AND flash work in tandem. As an aside, my Nikon actually won't let me go past 1/200 on the dial when my flash is turned on. That should have been my first clue that it was already at it's optimum sync speed. And obviously, depending on what you're shooting, you need a fast enough shutter speed to ensure there's no motion blur if doing portraits, candids, or using your flash as fill outdoors in harsh sun. But as you're about to see, you can shoot well below your optimum sync speed (yours may be 1/250 or 1/150... check in your camera's manual pronto if you don't know it) if your subject isn't going anywhere, like with the Lilly photograph below.

"Lilly #2"

This photo was taken with the flash OFF camera about a foot from the flower, since I was just using the flash with a small diffuser attached to it (which we'll get to in an upcoming post) and manually made sure it was on full power and could be triggered by my tiny on-camera flash (dialed down all the way to 1/128 sec.) in Nikon's Commander mode in the Custom Setting Menu and under "Built-In Flash". I chose my aperture for the shot before I dialed anything else in, knowing I wanted a decent depth of field for the petals and stamens. Then I chose my shutter speed after some playing and adjusting and deciding I needed to allow some available light that was already hitting the flower from above to be included in the shot as well as the flash to light any areas that had too many shadows. In the end, my exposure for this one was 1/25th of a sec. @ F/14, ISO100, 150mm focal length (such a slow lens at that aperture in low light situations hence the slow shutter speed regardless of the flash) with the camera on the tripod, and I was very happy with the light. It was a simple set up but you start small and move on from there as you learn right?

Flash is such a broad topic, so rest assured that I'll be blogging about the distance of your flash in relation to your subject, diffusers, reflected and bounced light, soft boxes, set-up, gels, remote triggering, and portrait and outdoor use... and a whole lot more as I learn a little something more each week.

Play with your flash in relation to various light and exposures this week... and thanks for the ramble!

The Lilly Sessions

"A Star is Born"

How do you feel about flash? I can tell you that up until recently I was not a big fan. Unless you learn, play, read up on, compare and experiment with what you can do to control the light it can often be a disappointing mess of weird shadows, hot spots and that washed out look to everything in it's path. It becomes that dreaded last resort when you need light.

You missed it just now didn't you? Read back. Do you see the key to learning what a powerful tool flash can be in your world of photography? Let me ask you this: when you're out somewhere and you see a scene that speaks to you, and if you are intentional with your exposure, you take what light you have and using a deliberate exposure you control how much light to give the camera's sensor and you take your shot, right? In your camera you've controlled the light.

Wait. What? I thought we were talking about flash? Flash is just another means of controlling the light available to you. This isn't a new concept. So why are we always afraid of it? Why was I afraid of it? I think because we see light as being beyond our control. That flash is just going to go off, blind everyone in the room, and it changes everything I know about my camera... right? And we always assume the light is the big problem, so to make matters worse, we find a way to dial down our flash to non-existent levels and voila, now the subject looks like it should belong on some Halloween set. Do you know how many photographs I've trashed that way? Too many.

Here are some things I learned last year about flash that I think I may do a series of posts on in the next couple weeks. Things that took the mystery out of speed lights for me. (Heck, we could start with the fact that "speed light" is just another word for flash...)

1) The closer the light to your subject, the better chance it has of enveloping your subject properly.

2) Diffusing the light from the flash with a scrim, with a light panel, or with even something as simple as a light sphere will get rid of those hated harsh lines. You know the term "Bathed in light"? Yeah, that.

3) Your flash can override all the light available in the room, or it can accent it. Decide which is more appropriate to your vision, and then expose for it.

4) The flash really does need to come off the camera, to allow you to be the creative photographer you want to be. It's simple, you just want to harness the light that can be available to you. Google YouTube tutorials on triggering your flash... then go for it.

The image today was created with my SB-600, off the camera, sitting to the right of the subject on the same table top, at full power and zoomed out manually to it's largest flash length, triggered by my pop up flash on the camera which was dialed all the way down to non-existent so as not to affect my real flash exposure. I had a simple light sphere attached to the flash to disperse the light evenly, and had two reflectors to bounce light up under the subject, and down into the subject. My exposure in camera was adjusted so that the only light that mattered was my flash. Basically my test shot without the flash was a dark screen. Then I chose my flash exposure according to how I liked the lilly to look in the light. Basically, a few minutes of playing. And this was the result. And the more I do it, the more I get it. It's just another way of controlling the light.

One of my motto's for the new year is "Remaining static is not an option." For too long I've let things that give the impression of being hard hold my photography back from being everything it can be. Not anymore.

Thanks for the ramble, and have a super Wednesday!

2012 = More Growth

"Wet Winter Brown"

My first post for 2012. Despite wild winds and sheets of rain, I managed to get my first "ramble" for the new year yesterday on the 1st of January. Mostly I was scouting for a quiet country road on which to ramble along more thoroughly in the spring, with a volunteer 'model' or two, (calling all volunteers looking for a free 8x10 in the greater Hamilton area?) but I managed to stop and get this shot with the rain just moving in on the scene.

I think New Years Resolutions can be too much hype and not enough reality, but there's something to be said for looking back at the last year and finding areas in your craft and your life that need to change and need to grow. Growing is what I need to focus on for 2012. After reviewing my work over the past year I noticed something. I started out the year strong, but somewhere along the way, lost focus and if I can be perfectly honest, became a lazy photographer. Let me explain.

Far too often, my images were based less on work and more on chance. Yes, happy "accidents" are nice but I think in many instances when out with the camera I kept shooting long enough to get just any shot, and not returning or waiting or preparing for "the" shot. I can now see it in my work when I look closely at the images from the past year.

I've also noticed that I'm still waiting for "ideals". The ideal weather, the ideal backdrop, the ideal story, the ideal website to finally show it all on. But sometimes that's just an easy way to not make decisions, and blame your failure to capture greater photographs on your circumstances. Instead there should have been times that I decided to learn to use what I had in a new and interesting way, or move on to something better. But in too much waiting comes remaining still, becoming static, and who needs that for another year?

Not I.

So, I'm looking forward to more growth in 2012. To making decisions that count, to exploring new things, to building a foundation my photography can really expand and then stand on when the time comes. Learning to be a better photographer. Which never stops anyways.

Onward into 2012! And thanks to all those whose support I have had for the last year. Can't do it without you. Have a fabulous week!

And thanks for the ramble.

What I Know Now ~ Mono Monday!

#7 ~ The Grad Dress Session ~

I'm rather proud of today's post. Not because this is the most stupendous B&W ever known to man. Not just because this features my beautiful daughter as model, although it would still be a reason. But because I learned a week or so ago.... drum roll please... to take my flash out of auto mode and into manual. This folks is huge for me. I cannot tell a lie.

I sat in online with CreativeLive's free webinar two weekends ago, and much of the teaching revolved around using flash. Flash had overwhelmed me. Flash had left me feeling that auto was safest and good flash exposure was a fluke. Instead, they gave us info on the variables of exposure, and how each effects the others (order the Lighten Up and Shoot webinar to get the low down, and no, they don't know I exist, so I get nuthin' for saying so) and I walked away realizing once again that education is freeing, and only makes you open to more creativity if you let it. And to have fun, which is Mikey and Andy's motto at all times, webinar or no. Am learning to make it mine too.

Getting back to my humble little speed light. I learned that the zoom length feature on your flash results in how wide and far a net your flash light casts over the subject. I learned that the closer you get with any kind of soft white modifier, the better lit your subject is, and the farther away your light source, the harsher since it has further to go to wrap around your subject's features. I learned about flash power, about ambient light, and how to use what you have on hand for great portraits...

And all of this in manual mode on the flash... because that's how you stay free to be creative. I promptly rearranged my entire living room (note to self, lift with the legs, not with the back) and set up a DIY mini studio in front of a large white window and window seat. Made myself a scrim out of an opaque white curtain in front of my flash set up as a slave over on a stand very close to my subject. A subject who wanted some images of her grad dress, some  creative images of her grad dress. Set up a reflector on the opposite side to bounce any scattered light back to her, and set my cameras exposure to ensure the backlight was blown out behind her to eliminate a cluttered window view. The point of the flash firing through the scrim was to soften the expanding light... and the reflector just managed to throw highlights over her hair on the other side, giving depth.

Everyone's cameras and flashes and spaces, and lighting... are different. So giving you my exposure info won't really be helpful. But I'll say this. Expose for your subject and how you want to control the ambient light already filling the space. Then set your flash according to how you want to accentuate both... and go from there.

Get out your gear, stop being afraid of it, and play. There's no end to the rewards. And your daughter will thank you for not sticking her out in front of another bush in the garden for pics while you artfully try to avoid including the garden hose in the background or the newspaper guy making his delivery on the sidewalk. Been there, done that, never going back.

Thanks for the Monday ramble gang! Have a good one!

Knowing Your Tools ~ Wide Angle Wednesday!

"Lost and Found"

Who here loves to learn? I certainly do. Had a random conversation one day with several other photographers who have begun repeating a sentiment I'm hearing a lot lately. And it goes a lot like this - who needs workshops, teachers, and programs? Just get out there and shoot already.....

I get told this every time I mention a workshop I'd love to travel to, or a webinar I feel the urge to promote to others. People look at me like I'm insane and always state "you're there already, who needs to waste time on something like THAT?" And to a point, in order to discover who you are as a photographer you DO have to just pick up your camera everyday and pursue photography your own way, with your passion, and no one elses. I hear that.

 But.... I personally believe in fully knowing the tools I have at my disposal as well. And I mean KNOWING my tools, understanding what I can accomplish with what I have, and maybe what my needs will be in the future as I grow. My husband can tell you that. Tools are what get you the final result. I shot the interior of the garage this morning for my motivation challenge. He had tools laying everywhere, ready to build something. He knows exactly how to use them all to his advantage, but he had to learn about them first. And I can honestly say I still don't know everything about my own tools of photography, and never will. And if there are ways out there to learn more, and things that will show me to be better with my camera, my lenses, my business, my vision then I'm sorry, but I'll be taking it all in. Why do some folks make it seem like being taught means lowering ourselves? Now yes, some workshops are designed to take your hard earned money and try to distract you with new shiny things so it seems as if you made a great investment in learning... but not every opportunity is built that way, and not everyone is out there to con you. You just have to wisely do your homework.

I never have a ton of money for the big traveling workshops anyways, but if I did, I would find one that combined a dream come true location with talented seasoned instructors. And of the smaller and more inexpensive seminars and teaching webinars I've signed up for, I've come away with more knowledge about photography than I had going in.

Things like A) knowing your reciprocals saves your work at a shoot happening in constantly changing light when your meter swings back and forth on you,

B) knowing how to read a histogram properly so that every shot has skin tones looking amazing, C) finding out that every time you add a flash you double your Fstop, and D) that your website and your blog need to be cohesive, yet fill different needs at the same time.

All these things were things I didn't know, till someone more in the know told me. And they've improved my photography because of it.

Don't let anyone tell you you're past learning. Devour information coming your way... then instead of sitting on it, grab your camera, call your web designer, or whatever it is you just figured out you need to improve your approach to photography and get out there and prove you can do it!

Thanks for the preachy little ramble folks! Feel free to sign in and leave a comment too. And have a super day.

Time to Grow Again ~ Floral Friday!

"And Then She Bloomed"

(1/1000 sec.@ F/4, 50mm prime, ISO 100, Center Weighted Metering, overcast light)

Flowers. If they don't grow, we can't photograph them. Obviously. Someone took the time to plant the baby rose bush in a bed, they watered it, fed it, and nurtured it. They pruned it, they trained it, and they supported it. And carefully it begins to emerge. It begins to bloom.

"So where are you going with the rather obvious rose garden metaphor Christine?" you may ask. Well I'll tell you. It dawned on me the other day that I haven't learned anything new in a while. I mean pertaining to photography. Of course I read up on things, sit in on webinars (I can see them, but they can't see me... LOVE webinars.) and read all the pros blogs. But I haven't stretched myself or tried to actually utilize the new things I'm learning with my camera. It's like my motivation and my brain have been stuck on auto for the last while. So all my shots look the same, all my topics are the same, all my results are.... you get the drift.

As a photographer, I have to think about my craft more. Like that rose bush. I need to plant it somewhere productive. I have to plant new ideas and techniques, and then nurture them. New ideas need to be fed... I have to get all the right info I can and then use it. I need to delve into more intense skill sets, so better and more interesting results begin to bloom. When you don't take the time to do any of that, your skills and your motivation shrivel up, fall limp, and wither.

But the similarities will stop there. Because there's one big difference I need honing my craft to accomplish. I don't want to just be known for images that are pretty. I want to be known for images that had a purpose. Whether the purpose is to inspire, to teach, or to change someones ideas about art, or about the world. Just to make an impact. A tall order. I know. Guess I better get learning.

Have you taken your photography, or any passion/vocation to the next level?

Thanks for the ramble gang!

And have a great Mother's Day Weekend as well all you Mom's out there!

Something New ~ Exploration Thursday!

"The Window of Possibility"

(1/60sec @ F/2, 50mm fl, ISO 100, 50mm prime lens, pattern metering, overcast light, handheld, late afternoon)

I do believe this is the first time you will have seen this type of photo from me here at the blog. A portrait. The act of posting this means I have no trouble being transparent with you all. For the fact of the matter is this: portraits stress me out. Big time. I'm in awe every time I meet a full time portrait photographer because they balance their understanding of human beauty and emotion with art. If they're really good at what they do, it captivates. But for me, it is probably my weakest area, so every once in a while I decide to play with whatever light there is and a family member/volunteer. And I explore and pinpoint what I have trouble with so that it's not a wasted skill.

This portrait of my daughter was taken in preparation for an exercise in available light. This means I didn't use a flash, and did not set up strobes or studio gear of any kind. Just the light coming through the window. I played with distances from the window, my Depth of Field, and different parts of the scene to meter from. I am also trying to finesse how to direct the model better. If I were totally honest, I'm so used to sizing up ready compositions before me in architecture or city scenes and landscapes, that I forget to slow down and really direct the model. I need to work on this. And the results are getting better as I go along.

This was taken with one of my favorite lenses in my kit. In fact, there's only three that stay in my kit at all times, my 18-55mm wide angle zoom, my 55-200mm telephoto zoom, and this lens used here, the 50mm prime lens (or fixed lens). No fancy zoom feature, very little perspective distortion, and a very fast piece of glass at F/1.4 which allows for low light, very soft, handheld portraits. I've been known to use it though on everything.

This was one of the first results, and although most people would show you the finished shot or the best, I thought I'd save that for later. Because a good photographer doesn't just rush ahead, a good photographer also studies the results that needs some improvement. Mistakes are never a bad thing, you study them so you know what NOT to do next time. And next time I know I would shoot on the vertical, fill some of the darker areas of her hair and face with some reflected light bounced back into the shot, and get the model to tilt her head slightly to the right, like she's really looking for something, or someone. Lot's of possibilities, lots of things I know I need to consider for the final shot. I'll let you know how it goes. And there are things I do like about this one, don't get me wrong. Her placement of the hand on the sill, the overexposure washing out everything but her so that she's the focus, and a tight framing so that nothing else in the room distracted.

There you have it. Never be afraid to conquer something new or intimidating.Yes, there's a possibility that you'll fail. But with that possible fail comes an opportunity to grow. Sounds idealistic? Maybe, but it's working for my photography. How about you? Taken on any huge challenges lately and been surprised at how well you adapted? Shows you aren't afraid to learn. And that's exciting.

A special thanks to my beautiful daughter who has a light all her own that shines! Thanks for being up for a spur of the moment shoot to help your crazy photog mom! And...Thanks for letting me ramble on, and have a terrific Thursday folks!



Still Learning!

"DeGroote School of Medicine"

At the start of January I made a conscious decision to take myself back to school as it were, to read, dig through various learning sites, and tweak all the areas of my photography AND small business skills that are in desperate need of tweaking if I'm ever going to expand my horizons as a serious photographer. I am even now on the lookout for a couple of specific night classes or workshops to hone two areas that have always intimidated me. I knew I had two choices. I could waffle around and learn what works and what doesn't by accident, or I could take the bull by the horns and make a serious effort to be the photographer I know I can be. Anyone out there know anything about bulls before I step into the proverbial ring?

Part of this learning process has brought me back to older, earlier photo files. Specifically images that on the whole would be considered very successful if only I hadn't ______ (pick any flaw here). Now, this isn't dwelling on the negative just for the heck of it. This is being realistic about whether I have been growing, learning, and improving since then. This is about taking stock and figuring out where I'm still struggling. I must admit, doing this very simple step has been enlightening. And it's not as awful as I thought, since being real about my weaknesses has strengthened my resolve to start getting it right. And not by fluke. Although I too love a good "happy accident" where everything comes together in the lens despite my disjointed efforts.

The image above is a reworked version of one I took two years ago, on a photo walk with the Hamilton Flickr Group on the McMaster University campus. This may have been one of my first attempts at night photography from back then. I was able today to correct the distorted perspective gotten from my wide angle, decrease the noise overall in editing, and sharpen it much better than in the original. (And even now it's not that sharp, lol) With this first attempt reworked I can still see where I went wrong. I had paid no attention to my aperture (sitting at F/5 if you can believe it) which meant  lost clarity as the building faded into the background, and since I had a tripod with me, should not have needed my ISO to be at 400 either, and wouldn't have needed to excessively reduce the grainy effect like I did to get it looking cleaner. I know now, to enable my remote shutter release so as to avoid touching the camera and avoid any camera movement whatsoever when using a slower exposure on tripod. And my speed would have been set to an ISO 100 to allow for more light, and less noise. I also have learned since that night, that you never walk away with one shot or composition, you keep shooting, you keep changing your angles, your point of view. Then I would have had more than one image to show from that part of the walk. (In fact, it's almost second nature to me today.) And all this is just grazing the surface. Man I was so green... and still am in so many areas.

We artistic types often times will move on to some new inspirational lesson, something that excites us, leaving the flops and failures in the foggy past where they can't squelch our enthusiasm. But after working on this image from the past, and isolating what went wrong AND what went right, I find myself deeply motivated and inspired. In fact, if I can convince my poor hubby to brave the -18 degree temps with me in Hamilton, Ontario tonight, I may go practice a bit, just because I can.

Thanks for letting me ramble on! And have a good one folks!