Tips for taking casual party shots with flash

Don L. · Dec 20, 2003

Juli Valley said:
I find that shooting at a slow speed 1/30th at f 5.6, 200ISO with a
550EX with Sto-Fen diffuser works well for informal party shots. I
used the 28-135IS with my 10D. It allows for nice ambient lighting
without the extremely slow shutter speeds that Av allows. Here
are some examples. http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/advent_party_2003

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

Sharif · Dec 20, 2003

Don L. said:
Juli Valley said:

I find that shooting at a slow speed 1/30th at f 5.6, 200ISO with a
550EX with Sto-Fen diffuser works well for informal party shots. I
used the 28-135IS with my 10D. It allows for nice ambient lighting
without the extremely slow shutter speeds that Av allows. Here
are some examples. http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/advent_party_2003

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

Click to expand...

--
Sharif El-Hamalawi
http://members.chello.at/alfalfa/
http://www.pbase.com/alfalfa

Seb D · Dec 20, 2003

Hi Juli,

I have the identical setup as you.

I found that my 550ex with omni bounce was always over exposing with the same lense.

I tried to step the flash down a few notches, but still tons of overblown highlights. Gotta play with it a bit more.

Do you have any further advice?

Thanks,

--
Seb D
Moncton NB Canada

Juli Valley said:
I find that shooting at a slow speed 1/30th at f 5.6, 200ISO with a
550EX with Sto-Fen diffuser works well for informal party shots. I
used the 28-135IS with my 10D. It allows for nice ambient lighting
without the extremely slow shutter speeds that Av allows. Here
are some examples. http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/advent_party_2003

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

Steven Baker · Dec 20, 2003

Seb D said:
I have the identical setup as you.

I found that my 550ex with omni bounce was always over exposing
with the same lense.

I tried to step the flash down a few notches, but still tons of
overblown highlights. Gotta play with it a bit more.

Do you have any further advice?

Thanks,

--
Seb D
Moncton NB Canada

Juli Valley said:

I find that shooting at a slow speed 1/30th at f 5.6, 200ISO with a
550EX with Sto-Fen diffuser works well for informal party shots. I
used the 28-135IS with my 10D. It allows for nice ambient lighting
without the extremely slow shutter speeds that Av allows. Here
are some examples. http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/advent_party_2003

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

Click to expand...

Diane B · Dec 20, 2003

Steven Baker said:
Seb D said:

I have the identical setup as you.

I found that my 550ex with omni bounce was always over exposing
with the same lense.

I tried to step the flash down a few notches, but still tons of
overblown highlights. Gotta play with it a bit more.

Do you have any further advice?

Thanks,

--
Seb D
Moncton NB Canada

Juli Valley said:

I find that shooting at a slow speed 1/30th at f 5.6, 200ISO with a
550EX with Sto-Fen diffuser works well for informal party shots. I
used the 28-135IS with my 10D. It allows for nice ambient lighting
without the extremely slow shutter speeds that Av allows. Here
are some examples. http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/advent_party_2003

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

ETTL really does require a knowledge of it---and some practice in various modes (AV and M will give you very different final images AND--technique). Do remember about either FEL on faces (about 18% gray for exposure) OR putting them under your AF point--but DO NOT recompose if you do just this--you must FEL to do that. YOu can get really really quick with FEL, BTW LOL.

Diane
--
Diane B
http://www.pbase.com/picnic/galleries
B/W lover, but color is seducing me

Seb D · Dec 20, 2003

Diane B said:
Steven Baker said:

Seb D said:

I have the identical setup as you.

I found that my 550ex with omni bounce was always over exposing
with the same lense.

I tried to step the flash down a few notches, but still tons of
overblown highlights. Gotta play with it a bit more.

Do you have any further advice?

Thanks,

--
Seb D
Moncton NB Canada

Juli Valley said:

I find that shooting at a slow speed 1/30th at f 5.6, 200ISO with a
550EX with Sto-Fen diffuser works well for informal party shots. I
used the 28-135IS with my 10D. It allows for nice ambient lighting
without the extremely slow shutter speeds that Av allows. Here
are some examples. http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/advent_party_2003

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

ETTL really does require a knowledge of it---and some practice in
various modes (AV and M will give you very different final images
AND--technique). Do remember about either FEL on faces (about 18%
gray for exposure) OR putting them under your AF point--but DO NOT
recompose if you do just this--you must FEL to do that. YOu can
get really really quick with FEL, BTW LOL.

Diane
--
Diane B
http://www.pbase.com/picnic/galleries
B/W lover, but color is seducing me

Will do, thanks for the tips...have to used my 550ex much....

Thanks,

--
Seb D
Moncton NB Canada

Juli Valley · Dec 20, 2003

Hmmm, I'll try to remember that.

Juli Valley · Dec 20, 2003

It should work with the 420eX. I'm shooting in manual camera mode but ETTL with the flash.

Juli Valley · Dec 20, 2003

I try to focus on a face as a somewhat neutral subject. When you focus on something dark, you will get those blown highlights. I usually do some cropping of my images instead of shooting them full in the frame.

Lisa Neal · Dec 20, 2003

Mun Weng said:
my point was whether it affects the flash's decision to decide on
the output power of the flash.

Mun:

I took some images last night at a Christmas light display with my daughter in the foreground. Until I attempted dragging the shutter, I failed in my attempts (in years passed).

Using a 550EX on a 10D or D60, the flash will use the aperture setting to determine the output it produces. What is happening (as I'm sure was probably indicated in the articles Juli pointed you to) is that the flash will freeze your subject and the slower shutter speed will allow for more ambient light to show in the background of your image. I shot last night using 1/8 shutter speed at f/2.8 with a -1 on my flash. I did use a monopod but had no evidence of blur - even from my daughter.

Hope this helps explain it for you a little.

(don't know if this image will post - been so long since I've attached an image here, I've forgotten how)

rhsant · Dec 22, 2003

Thought I'd show an example of shutter drags I did recently -- (although I dragged a bit too much)..

Wanted to get a more creative shot of the bride/groom dancing..

Also, one of the reception..

--
Rich Santoro
10D
28 - 135mm

John Sullivan · Dec 23, 2003

I have come back to this thread several times because of the initial concept and the additional suggestions added. I purchased an Omnibounce and am ready to try this out for the unwrapping of Christmas presents. I always hate the "coal mine" effect of people and things in the background.

It would be great if someone who understood all of this better than I do could consolidate all of the tips into a single posting--but it was fun reading them all.

--
John S
http://www.jsullivanlawyer.com/Galleries.htm

Juli Valley · Dec 24, 2003

Why don't you save the whole thread as a Favorite for future reference.

jan sanders77139 · Jan 5, 2004

Juli Valley said:
I find that shooting at a slow speed 1/30th at f 5.6, 200ISO with a
550EX with Sto-Fen diffuser works well for informal party shots. I
used the 28-135IS with my 10D. It allows for nice ambient lighting
without the extremely slow shutter speeds that Av allows. Here
are some examples. http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/advent_party_2003

--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=19579
Canon 1oD, Olympus C-3o4oZ.
Juli

I find using the pull out wide angle difusser really helps to make the flash effect softer. At weddings I always use it on my Metz 54. Here's two examples. See how nice the white (lots of it) is exposed. No detail loss.

Jan Sanders
Los Angeles
--
'The learning curve is never-ending!' I love it!

Juli Valley · Jan 5, 2004

Those are really nice. I'll have to try that.

DOrtiz · Apr 23, 2004

Hi Juli,

Juli Valley said:
I find that shooting at a slow speed 1/30th at f 5.6, 200ISO with a
550EX with Sto-Fen diffuser works well for informal party shots. I
used the 28-135IS with my 10D. It allows for nice ambient lighting
without the extremely slow shutter speeds that Av allows. Here
are some examples. http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/advent_party_2003

Are you referring to this device?

If so, I have that on my shopping cart plan to order it today. Wasn't sure if this worked or not, which is why I hadn't ordered it yet.

Regards,
Dave

PS: Thanks for the tip. I imagine the flash (I have the 420EX) gets pointed as shown in the pic above, and thus bouncing is no longer necessary??

--
New member of the EOS-10D Family

homepage: http://dortiz.net
email: [email protected]

DOrtiz · Apr 23, 2004

Hi Juli.

Juli Valley said:
Google had several articles on this technique. Here's one.

http://www.eddiebonfigli.com/article9.html

This information is GREAT reading, especially for a newbie like me.

Thanks for sharing.

Dave
--
New member of the EOS-10D Family

homepage: http://dortiz.net
email: [email protected]

Juli Valley · Apr 23, 2004

I use it most of the time. Yes, that's the Omnibounce.

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Tips for taking casual party shots with flash

Don L.

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