Question about exposure w flash and streetlights

[get_me_a_gun]

Hi,

Im starting a series of outdoor urban fashion photos (probably all in color film) and I was wondering if theres a way to let some of the street lights/colors from neon signs fill in the shot and the flash just lighting up the model enough without washing them out and losing all the gorgeous colors.

I use a crappy flash that doesn't have many settings.

Also which speed of film is the best for what im trying to accomplish?

Thanks in advance, you guys rockkkk

Lisa

 

[Steve Roberts]

Hi,

Im starting a series of outdoor urban fashion photos (probably all in color film) and I was wondering if theres a way to let some of the street lights/colors from neon signs fill in the shot and the flash just lighting up the model enough without washing them out and losing all the gorgeous colors.

I use a crappy flash that doesn't have many settings.

Also which speed of film is the best for what im trying to accomplish?

Thanks in advance, you guys rockkkk

Lisa

Lisa,

Only this past weekend I bought a book written by APUG's Roger Hicks which deals with the issues you raise. Called "Low Light and Night Photography", it deals in depth with film speeds and implications thereof, lighting, equipment, etc.. Written in Roger's usual style, it's more than the usual nerdy, factual publication and Roger's comments and observations are always interesting, well-informed and sometimes provocative! Frankly, I don't have any great plans for low light photography and just bought it (in the local Oxfam!) for a good read. Watch out for an illustration of a what I initially took to be a lens with Cyrillic characters, but is actually just a picture that the publisher managed to reverse L to R in the edition I have. Highly recommended.

Steve

 

[Soeren]

Lee frost also wrote a book on the subject "Night and Low light Photography" Dealing with many things there is also a chapter (or 2) on flashphotography.
The flash determins your F-stop based on the guidenumber on the flash. Based on your F-stop and a meter reading from a a incident meter in the right light, a Spotmeter on a "known value" or a gray card in the same light as your subject you get your shutterspeed. Ah crap, read the Lee Frost book
If its a powerfull flash you may get away with 100 ISO but 400 ISO would probably be better.
Kind regards

 

[Bob Carnie]

Pop and drag,,, light with the flash at apeture and drag the shutter to get the ambient lighting... with this method you can get a very good balance with a bit of practice.