Canon 430exii - is it powerful enough or am I setting up wrong

ChrisHeathcote

ChrisHeathcote

Suspended / Banned
Messages
3,717
Name
Chris
Edit My Images
Yes
Each year I set my self a challenge aimed around improving different areas of my photography, last year was wildlife, this year is people, mainly portrait style rather than candid. So after putting it off for a while, I have decided that it's about time I learnt to use my speedlite properly. But I'm not sure if it's powerful enough. My first job is to get it off camera and into a stand. It is fitted with an Ezybox speedlite. I am then using a 5 in 1 reflector to bounce the light into the shadows. What I've found is that with the flash 1m from the subject, angled at 45degrees to my left and the reflector on the other it is still leaving shadows around the eyes.

My question is this down to the flash not being powerful enough, Ezybox too directional (better with an umbrella) or reflector placement?

Thanks as always for your help
 
Shadows are nothing to do with flash power.

It's one of the early things you'll learn, because you kinda believe that raw power is like brute force and the light will force it's way into the shadows. It won't, it'll always travel in straight lines and follow the Inverse square law.

So your problem is your lighting pattern, slow down with your light and reflector placement, you'll probably reduce the shadows with a subtle change of head or light or reflector position.
 
As Phil said. To add to that, you need to ask yourself how your reflector actually works - light from the flash that has missed the subject travels in until it hits the reflector (losing most of its power in the process) then it bounces off the reflector, losing even more power, then it huts the subject after having lost even more power.
To get max efficiency from the reflector it needs to be as close as poss to the subject and the flash needs to be as far away as poss.
 
Ok so given that and taking into account light softness, by moving the light further away, the size of the light source (in relation to subject) becomes smaller and therefore not as soft. I am now thinking the Ezybox may be too small?
 
What you are learning above all else is the critical nature of lighting.
With tungsten or studio flash it is far easier, as you can see the effect in real time with the modelling lamps.

If you stand in line, between your subject and flash (with your eyes level with it), what you will see is where the strongest light will fall. what you can not see, is where the greatest depth of shadow will be. But even that is only a very rough guide, but can be a good starting point.
I do not care for the use of all over virtual surround light, produced by very large soft boxes as it makes the shots rather flat and uninteresting. I prefer the effect of a more directional main light placed rather further away, as it gives greater shape, depth and texture. But you need to learn how to do both, and know when each style is most appropriate.

Ok so given that and taking into account light softness, by moving the light further away, the size of the light source (in relation to subject) becomes smaller and therefore not as soft. I am now thinking the Ezybox may be too small?
Click to expand...

Your main problem is direction of the light, not the nature of the light.

Set up a dolls head, and light it with a single candle.
watch the effect as you move the candle around and up and down.
The great masters were very fond of candle light at it gives clearly seen and some very dramatic effects.
 
ChrisHeathcote said:
Ok so given that and taking into account light softness, by moving the light further away, the size of the light source (in relation to subject) becomes smaller and therefore not as soft. I am now thinking the Ezybox may be too small?
Click to expand...
Yes, moving the light further away will obviously affectthe quality of the light, and I'm not suggesting that this is what you should do.
My first reply, which was brief because I was tapping it out letter by letter from my phone, was only about getting the maximum efficiency from the reflector, which means making the most of the inverse square law.
Terrywoodenpic said:
What you are learning above all else is the critical nature of lighting.
With tungsten or studio flash it is far easier, as you can see the effect in real time with the modelling lamps.

If you stand in line, between your subject and flash (with your eyes level with it), what you will see is where the strongest light will fall. what you can not see, is where the greatest depth of shadow will be. But even that is only a very rough guide, but can be a good starting point.
I do not care for the use of all over virtual surround light, produced by very large soft boxes as it makes the shots rather flat and uninteresting. I prefer the effect of a more directional main light placed rather further away, as it gives greater shape, depth and texture. But you need to learn how to do both, and know when each style is most appropriate.
Click to expand...
Modelling lamps do help. But they are only a complete answer in complete darkness, i.e. with no ambient light present and the only light coming from the modelling lamps. Any ambient light will APPEAR to lighten the shadows, although in reality the ambient light is far too weak to actually affect the exposure.Therefore, the depth of shadows is much greater than you'd expect.


Terrywoodenpic said:
Your main problem is direction of the light, not the nature of the light.

Set up a dolls head, and light it with a single candle.
watch the effect as you move the candle around and up and down.
The great masters were very fond of candle light at it gives clearly seen and some very dramatic effects.
Click to expand...
Spot on. The lighting set up you're trying is straight out of the consumer magazines and from the useless tutorials all over t'internet. Experiment with a single light (and a candle works very well for this) to find out the light position that best suits your subject.

And don't be afraid of shadows, the right shadows, in the right places, at the right depth, are vital. Photographers are judged by the shadows they create, not by the shadows they avoid. Any idiot can light to avoid shadows, and many do.
 
Thanks for your advice. Although surprisingly I don't have any candles, I may have a play tonight using a cycle lamp instead.
Who'd have thought using a flash would be so complicated :). (Before anyone jumps in I know the fact it's flash has nothing to do with it. It's all about direction, quality of light and manipulating it)
 
ChrisHeathcote said:
Thanks for your advice. Although surprisingly I don't have any candles, I may have a play tonight using a cycle lamp instead.
Who'd have thought using a flash would be so complicated :). (Before anyone jumps in I know the fact it's flash has nothing to do with it. It's all about direction, quality of light and manipulating it)
Click to expand...


With out light there is no photography.
Learning how to use and to take advantage of all forms of lighting, is the single most important aspect of photography. With out light and shade you have nothing.
Flash is just one aspect of this, with its own advantages and problems.
Not every one will agree with me, but Tungsten lights are easier to learn with, and every thing you learn from them helps when moving to flash.

As you do not have a candle, do you have a small anglepoise to experiment with.

Above all, use you eyes and think about what you see.
 
ChrisHeathcote said:
Tell me about it, virtually every other weekend!!

However the meatballs are nice :)
Click to expand...
And the cheap hotdogs.

I'd recommend sticking your torch inside the ezybox, that way you'll see what the ezybox is capable of. Of course you'll need a completely dark room for that.
 
Oh yes, forgot the hotdogs. Although since the horse meat scandal they don't taste quite as good ;)

As always I knew I could count on you guys to help me out. Thanks :thumbs:
 
Understanding light, creating it and using it, is one of the most rewarding aspects of photography. And the knowledge gained will also benefit every area of picture taking.

You will be amazed at what can be done with just one speedlite, indoors and out. Highly recommend Syl Arena's book, the Speedliter's Handbook http://www.amazon.co.uk/Speedliters...91947513&sr=1-1&keywords=speedliters+handbook Pretty much the A-to-Z of using speedlites, easy to read, and it's also centred around Canon equipment :thumbs:
 
Looks a good book,just ordered it as well,thanks Richard.:):ty:
 
Book arrived today & it is excellent.:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top