Working with Flash
Author of the text and photographs: Goran Katić
When having poor light conditions, we’ll use camera flash or an additional flash which can be fixed onto the camera. We can also increase the film sensitivity (ASA) or extend the exposure if the camera settings allow us to do so, however, flash flare gives certain sharpness.
Tracing paper on flash reduces its strength by softening and spreading it. Its advantages are there are no sharp shadows and shimmery foreheads, but also, a fault is it reduces the shutter aperture by one. Although, there are additions which can be purchased (LumiQuest), the most inexpensive and easiest tryout is to tape the tracing paper over the flash. Just one caution, don’t use too much tape as it leaves marks which are hard to remove of the camera.
Exercise:
Remove the flash of your camera.
To create more professional photographs, you do not need enormous studio equipment.
For shooting smaller items you can use this equipment:
- Additional Flash (for example, Speedlite 550EX)
- Hot-Shoe adapters (if your camera has input for Synchro-cabel then you only need one hot-shoe adapter)
- Synchro-kabel
Photo #1: Photograph taken with Canon Eos10D and built-in flash.
Photo #2: Photograph taken with additional flash (Speedlite 550EX) fixed onto the camera.
Photo #3: Photograph taken with additional flash (Speedlite 550EX) which is connected to the camera by Synchro-cable. Flash is positioned 45 degrees away from the camera.
Photo #4: Flash is placed above the object of interest.As you can see from above examples, with, only, minimal equipment you can achieve good photographs.
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