filling the shades against the sun.

[Quinten]

Hi All,

It wasn't whise but I said yes to photographing one of these parties that take all day. I know my way around in the studio but now it's up to this little sunpack (32) I just borrowed and oops how do I mesure the light now...

The sunpack probably won't really work on auto mode when flashing in full sun (I hate automodes anyway.) But it can be used manually and set on full strenght half 1/4th 1/8th and one 1/16th.

So how to decide what strength is whise? distance, light, direction of the sun....

Thanks,
Quinten

 

[blaze-on]

Test. Use it before hand with various settings that will emulate your party shots. Go from there.

 

[John Koehrer]

In the past I've used a vivitar 283 in auto for flash fill outdoors. It wasn't perfect but you could see the difference between fill & no fill. Sure was easy though.

 

[Nick Zentena]

Set it in auto mode with the film speed set one stop faster for one stop fill. Then go out and test and see if you're happy.

 

[MattKing]

This may be unnecessary but:

1) you will most likely need a leaf shutter lens, unless your focal plane shutter synchs at a very high speed;
2) if you use the flash on "auto", be sure that the sensor is pointing toward the subject.

I've done this a lot with colour negative film (Portra 160 and before, Vericolour III) and using the "one stop" adjustment, on manual, works well.

Also remember that if you are working in crowded areas, anything that gets between you and your subject will tend to be overexposed and to light, due to the flash (or alternately, your subject may turn out too dark).

 

[Quinten]

Thanks for the tips. I just saw I am forced to use 1/125th of a sec with these nikons... (with an hasselblad it doesn't matter.) Maybe I should just bring a big white foam board and walk around with that these on camera flashes scare me...

 

[Quinten]

Since my e6 test roll will not be back in time this is just be sure:

When I mesure the shade at say f/8 I should set the flash at f/5.6 (manual) for a natural looking fill right? Thanks!

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Since my e6 test roll will not be back in time this is just be sure:

When I mesure the shade at say f/8 I should set the flash at f/5.6 (manual) for a natural looking fill right? Thanks!

Yes, that should be about right. If you're in manual mode, be sure to stay aware of the subject distance, because it will be f:5.6 in this example only at that distance. If you're shooting a party in 35mm, a constant aperture zoom lens is handy in this situation (like a 35-105), so you can maintain a constant subject distance and aperture, but frame as the composition dictates.

 

[blansky]

Since my e6 test roll will not be back in time this is just be sure:

When I mesure the shade at say f/8 I should set the flash at f/5.6 (manual) for a natural looking fill right? Thanks!

Fill flash is almost never "natural looking" fill. Although sometimes you have to use it.



Michael

 

[Quinten]

Thanks for the tips lads! I should be okay now Still participating in parties stays the better alternative, the people near the food and the bar will sure be the ones on most of the pictures!

cheers!