Flash help please.

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sue

sue

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Ok doing this wedding tomorrow, and have never used a flash on my camrea, so please someone give me some advice, I will be using the 400D with the 430 flash attached. Matt isnt sure what he is doing either really, he says something about dialing in flash compensation and is it done on the flash or the body, and what the hell is he on about.

He is relaxed about it as they have a photographer anyway and we are extra, but I am worried.
 
Leave it on ttl Sue
This way the camera will work out how much light is needed.
If your taking shots of a white wedding dress, metre of the dress and over expose by 2/3rds of a stop.
 
Thank you, any more for any more thought need all the help I can get.

We have been talking about this, I am going to try to get shots of the actual wedding while matt gets some of the reception area, tables etc.
 
Sue if you have not used flash in anger LEAVE IT AT HOME!

You will probably be disappointed and more likely (unless it is dark) you will be able to compensate for natural light with the skills you already have.

JMO but at least take half and half as flash needs to be practised to get best effect (which is to take photos that do not look like flash has not been used!)

Good luck!
 
Depending on how close you are to the B&G, don't shoot the flash directly into their faces - angle it up slightly.

Sue, my advice to you and Matt. Don't be too worried about being nervous. It is good to keep the adrenaline flowing. The worst thing is to be too relaxed and complacent. I remember shooting my first Wedding. I did it for the cost of materials only as it was a friends and they weren't bothered about having any photographs anyway. So if I cocked it up, it didn't really matter. Make it matter....

I treated it as if the Royal Family had asked me to do it and was paying £5,000. I prepared and rehearsed and worked myself up into a bit of a state. I had backups for my backups.

The moral of this story is that I did need some of my backup support and because I had rehearsed and prepared, it all went very smoothly and the comments I received afterwards was worth every bead of sweat.

I wish you and Matt all the best and most of all - ENJOY too.

Gillian
 
Thank you for the advice everyone, I am trying to relax a bit otherwise I will never sleep tonight, and wont be able to concentrate tomorrow. I know how to use my camera, and can always stick it in auto for a shot or two if struggling but if I stress too much I am the type of person to make some kind of stupid mistake.
 
its okay, we'll be fine and we'll enjoy the day too, free meal and buffet remember!

Put your flash on the camera, you dont have to turn it on, but then at least you'll have it :)
 
Matt Charlton said:
its okay, we'll be fine and we'll enjoy the day too, free meal and buffet remember!

Put your flash on the camera, you dont have to turn it on, but then at least you'll have it :)
Click to expand...

uh? :thinking: Typical bloke comment :lol:
 
I'll have you know I've been in touch with my feminine side the last 20 minutes or so. I've been running around middle earth killing wolves and picking up some weeds, I'm a female human burglar called Catherine!
 
My top tip for using flash in daylight is switch to manual mode, meter as you normally would without flash and let the flash fire anyway - it will put some detail into the shadow areas and is good for balancing contrasty light.
 
pxl8 said:
My top tip for using flash in daylight is switch to manual mode, meter as you normally would without flash and let the flash fire anyway - it will put some detail into the shadow areas and is good for balancing contrasty light.
Click to expand...

Switch to manual mode on the camera or the flash? and spot for a wedding dress? or matrix with dark suit and white wedding dress in the same shot?
 
Camera in manual - basically shoot as if the flash isn't there and E-TTL will do a great fill flash.

As for metering I would take a manual spot reading either from my 70-200 case (18% grey) or from the subject face and maybe under expose a little to stop the highlights blowing and let the flash lift the shadows.

Here's a recent example shot indoors but the method is the same.

web_1727a.jpg
 
Thanks for that.......very helpful. :thumbs:
 
Thanks Pxl8

:)

Digital photo magazine just popped through the letterbox and its all about wedding photography :D

It says to dial in -1 of flash power - do I do this on the flash or on the camera because theres a setting on both?
 
ACtually, I think its only the 580ex I can dial in the flash power I might have to set it in camera for the 430....wheres the manual? :p
 
No you can do it on the flash. Hold down the centre button on the 430ex until the display flashes, then you can adjust as you need to.
 
From a couple of quick test shots you can see the difference the compensation makes.

I just tried and both seem to do the same thing - on flash -2 camera 0 looks the same as on flash 0 camera -2.

But I'll let you confirm that for yourself ;)
 
Matt Charlton said:
Digital Camera magazine even
Click to expand...

Oooh hope mine comes today then :D

To make it easier, if you're using flash exposure compensation, set it in one place only. Either on the flash or on the camera. Start using both and you might forget.

Keep an eye on your histograms, especially the highlights of you're shooting the bride.

Matt, if you can, use the spot metering on your 30D, you may find it quite helpful.

If you both get there early, try taking test shots of each other while youre there, to give you some sort of idea. Don't worry about going completely manual, you've got some nice expensive metering systems on the cameras, might aswell make the most of them ;)
 
Good luck guys! :thumbs:


I beleive that what you dial in on the flash overrides any flash compensation you have on the camera. dont hold me to that though! :D
 
You're correct Janice.

I read the manual on the way to the place and it said setting it on the flash overrides the camera setting. I thought it did, but the resident pro at knowsley last week said it had to be set on the camera...... oh well :)
 
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