First Day out taking Macro Shoot

rookies

rookies

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Andrew
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I have found qutie a few of my images having Dark Background whilst the object is ok...

How do I stop this from happening as I have been using my onboard flash.... But if i dont use the flash picture is VERY dark and it not bright enough out there at the moment to use without flash.

I been doing

F16
1/125 shutter Speed
Flash Fired
 
Will do this in a mo just checking them out and they upload them
 
Because the flash only provides enough light for subject and your settings are such that any ambient light in the scene won't be recorded - not enough light. Search the forums for fill flash and you should find lots of info about getting the right balance between flash and ambient light.
 
Would I then need a Flash Gun to do this as I dont think there much control over onboard flash is there
 
onboard flash does not give out enough light :(
 
Here one example

example.jpg
 
this is good reason why you should get a ring flash, with the ring flash it would be 100 times better :)
 
Will do next time am out.... So i still can do it through my onboard flash then?

Or would life be easier with a ring flash? Then again I bet there alot to learn on the ring flash ARGH
 
rookies said:
Would I then need a Flash Gun to do this as I dont think there much control over onboard flash is there
Click to expand...

d_pipa said:
onboard flash does not give out enough light :(
Click to expand...

Nope and nope.

The flash works but only putting out enough light to expose the first thing it hits which is normally the subject. Having a more powerful flash won't change that. Bouncing/diffusing the light will help but in order to light the entire scene just with the flash you'd need one mighty powerful flash.

The problem here is balancing the light from the flash with the rest of the scene. Your settings aren't close to recording any of the ambient light and you noted this in your first post.

There is no magic answer here, you need to get a better understanding of how to use fill flash and that's the same for macro as it is for weddings. Hit the forum search button and get reading :thumbs:
 
Ok look like I need to know how to work my flash then :)

But there only one thing that can be altered on my onboard flash which is Flash Exp Comp that about it really also which metering do you use for macro? could that be another reason?
 
Ok, get it out of your head that exposure for macro is any different than any other shot, it's not.

Try this simple test.

Using the settings you had before of 1/125s @ f/16 with flash set up some simply test scene in front of a window. Now take a shot at ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 but using the same shutter/aperture for each. Now review the shots.

What's different about them?
 
Background shows more but picture becomes more grainy

So is this the way of doing it then
 
Why did the background show more?
 
pxl8 said:
Why did the background show more?
Click to expand...

I mean the item was over exposed but could see the background better is this what it should do?
 
The dark background isn't necessarily a bad thing with macro shots anyway, as it eliminates unwanted distracting background detail. There's certainly nothing wrong with the example you've posted.
 
rookies said:
Have you got a ring flash? I know it would make me poorer lol
Click to expand...

No I haven't really seen the need yet. I bought an SB600 Speedlite which is the normal off camera flash, and it seems to do all I want it to. Maybe when I run out of ideas for Birthday presents etc I may see the need to buy one.:D
 
I do fancy getting a Speedlite Flash For my camera to use with my 50mm lens to take portraits pictures but then having the though about having a Ring flash too cost more money
 
rookies said:
I mean the item was over exposed but could see the background better is this what it should do?
Click to expand...

Ok, I was hoping a few pennies would drop here.

The dark background is a result of this exposure. By using 1/125s @ f/16 you're not letting enough ambient light into the camera for the sensor to record it so the background is dark. Imagine you were taking a shot of a series of pillars. The flash would expose the closest pillar correctly and only use enough power for that. To light the pillar furthest away you need much more light coming out of the flash which would mean the closest pillar would be far too bright.

By increasing the ISO you allowed more and more of the ambient light to be recorded and adjusted the balance between flash and ambient light. Equally you could have opened up the aperture or used a slower shutter speed or any combination of the three.

The important point here is that the flash on it's own won't light the entire scene. To light the background you need a much more powerful burst from the flash but that would means severe over exposure of the subject. So either you adjust the settings to allow some ambient light to be recorded (fill flash technique) or find a way to get the flash off camera and bounced or diffused so it is more evenly spread over the scene. It's still a compromise though, the more background you want to include the more diffused and powerful the flash will need to be.

Balancing flash and ambient light means you have good light on the subject from the flash whilst avoiding the black cat in coal shed effect of direct flash.
 
pxl8: Thank you for your time on the information you have provided on this... I am now with you on how it all works and I guess it just trying different things etc and like having off shoe flash to try and flash some of the back ground rather than the forground could help etc.

I keep trying but I am loving the macro photography thou something different from all landscapes I been doing
 
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