Balancing Ambient and Flash

[Sir SR]

I often shoot a frame like that, thinking it's adding something...

Then I get it home and think.... Nope

For it to add, there has to be loads more of it.

Gorgeous shots of the girls though

Exactly my thought process for taking the pic. And then exactly the thought process once David pointed it out regarding it needing to be wider!

 

[juggler]

Quick question.

Was away over the BH weekend and in my trusted messenger bag I had my sb900 and a small silver/white reflector.

I wanted to get some other folks opinion as to how best to shoot in darker conditions with this kit. Had a 35 f1.4 on a d800.

Was trying to get a shot of the girls toasting marshmallows over a campfire in dark conditions.

What I could have done is bounced the sb900 off the reflector (carefully propped somewhere) to minimise the full on flash look.

What do you wise folk reckon?

Thanks

Shaheed

For a single subject I'd have been tempted to try to use flash to augment the firelight rather than add extra fill or a large soft light source. Firelight is one of the few occasions when lighting someone from below and in a funny colour looks natural - so a snooted gelled speedlight placed on the ground, triggered either via a wireless trigger or slaved to on-camera flash at minimum power. I'd then shoot a fairly tight crop, probably over the fire for an interesting sense of depth, hoping to catch a few sparks, and balanced against the sky so as to let it go a deep blue.

And then I'd probably be posting here to ask what I could have done better