Flash?

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mapster1989

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James
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Hi forum,

I was there at Brands for the BTCC Media Day, like many of you on here was, and saw some of the 'togs' carrying and using their speedlights.

Could someone explain why they would do this when their was sufficient lighting during the day anyway, or so I thought. :)

I would post up some of my pics but some of the others on here put mine to shame.

Thanks for reading,

James
 
mapster1989 said:
Hi forum,

I was there at Brands for the BTCC Media Day, like many of you on here was, and saw some of the 'togs' carrying and using their speedlights.

Could someone explain why they would do this when their was sufficient lighting during the day anyway, or so I thought. :)

I would post up some of my pics but some of the others on here put mine to shame.

Thanks for reading,

James
Click to expand...

Hi. I maybe new here and was at Oulton on BTCC Media day but I always carry my speedlight with me as if you taking photos in the garages its easier and better for the photos. I am not sure of other peoples reasons but thats mine for carrying it around.
 
mapster1989 said:
Could someone explain why they would do this when their was sufficient lighting during the day anyway, or so I thought. :)
Click to expand...

Daylight can produce very very harsh shadows, and a level of contrast between sunlit and shaded areas on a subject that is beyond the dynamic range (the amount of different shades or stops of light it will capture between pure black and pure white) of most digital cameras.

So, they use flash as fill flash to brighten up the shadows. It can't really compete with the sun when it's being used as fill flash so it doesn't affect the areas much that are lit by the sun, but it brings the shadows up so the camera can see in both the lit and dark areas.

There are other reasons to use flash during the day, but that's generally the main one. :)
 
If you're walking around with your speedlite on camera, you've got options:

1. You can use it as a FILL LIGHT to lift ugly shadows, get inside the panda eyes shadowing and help with white balance - quite often a touch of fill flash can warm a face.

2. You can use it as a KEY LIGHT (ideal if you can get it off camera), or bounce, or fit with an 80/20. You can then split control of the exposure between your subject (which is in range of your flash) and between the background (out of range of your flash). You can gel up your flash light and use split white balance too - allowing you to turn boring grey skies into rich cobalt blue, or warming the face of your subject with what looks like warm evening sun, etc.

3. At a flick of a switch you can run with no flash at all.

I go every where with my speedlites. Essential kit!

Steve
 
I use it for portraits and static stuff in the pitlane. Particularly important at Brands where the pitlane is in the shadow nearly all of the day.

I don't use it for stuff on track though... even though the SB900 will fire out to 200mm! Did notice several folk who left their flashes on their cameras even when they weren't using them out on the track.. which is madness because it makes it really heavy and after a day of it your back is killing you! Take the damned thing off and stow it when its not needed - fits nicely in my assault vest pocket.
 
desantnik said:
... even though the SB900 will fire out to 200mm!

- fits nicely in my assault vest pocket.
Click to expand...

Wow 200mm! Wish canon speedlites would do that!

Assault vest...:thinking:...might get one of those.

Wife (and Boss!) wants a "Shootsac" - great idea, great look, but they're really pricey. *whispers* she'll have to wait.
 
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