How do I get rid of this shadow?

[shootingstar81]

Hope I'm posting this in the right place! I took this shot of my son against a white background (well a sheet tacked to the wall!). I personally really like the image but the shadowing around it bugs me so would I avoid it next time?


IMG_8337 by danijakeizzy, on Flickr

Thanks

 

[artyman]

That is the shadow cast by the light souce, flash?. Move him further away from the background to minimise that harsh shadow, or illuminate the background as well as the subject.

 

[AJQS]

Take the flash off camera and get a trigger cord/radio triggers if it's not a built in one - its caused because the flash is now firing from a totally unsuitable angle (vs it's original location) casting massive shadows on his RHS. Holding the camera upside down in landscape orientation sould help, but you'd still end up with the shadow on the backdrop.

Flash bounced off the ceiling would give a generally much softer lighting which may be more appropriate, but again only possible with a proper flash unit not the inbuilt thing.

 

[Pablo]

As Alan says bounce the flash or using ring flash would avoid this. Of course there is more expense having to buy a ring flash but from what i gather they are incredibly handy.

 

[shootingstar81]

Thanks for the input guys. It was taken just with inbuilt flash but I have since for a proper flashgun! So I will try aiming it at the ceiling next time and see what happens, thanks again!

 

[lawrie29]

I can give you this example of a flash bounced off the ceiling close to a background.

 

[Damian Brown]

Bounce the flash but consider the surface it is bouncing off as the source of the light. So if you bounce straight up off the ceiling you risk getting darkness under the eyes, if you bounce up and back then you'll possibly get a more flattering look. You could bounce to the side to lighten up one side of the subject.

You'll love this site: http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/

 

[lensflair]

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[lensflair]

Bounce the flash but consider the surface it is bouncing off as the source of the light. So if you bounce straight up off the ceiling you risk getting darkness under the eyes, if you bounce up and back then you'll possibly get a more flattering look. You could bounce to the side to lighten up one side of the subject.

You'll love this site: http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/

Spot on, ceiling bounce produces racoon eyes. For on camera bounce its best to use a flash with a swivel head. You want the light to be soft to reduce shadows and by bouncing it off a big surface it makes the light source much bigger. Bigger light relative to size of subject equals softer light. Neil's tangents blog is probably the best online resource for bounce flash techniques. Once you master the technique you will not even be able to tell flash has been used in many cases and the results are fantastic.

 

[awp]

It was taken just with inbuilt flash but I have since for a proper flashgun! So I will try aiming it at the ceiling next time and see what happens, thanks again!

You can't aim an in built flash anywhere - it just points straight ahead. Try using natural light until you can buy a separate flash.

 

[MatBin]

You could try softening the built-in gun by putting a couple of layers of tissue (or grease proof paper) over it (once its up )to diffuse the harsh output.

 

[Jelster]

You can't aim an in built flash anywhere - it just points straight ahead. Try using natural light until you can buy a separate flash.

He did say that he had now purchased a proper flash unit.....

Sent from my iPad using TP Forums

 

[Kerioak]

I have in the past when wanting extra light and only having the onboard flash, put a tissue in front of it or used something to deflect it so it bounces, not ideal and you lose a lot of it but can be useful if you are desperate for a little more light. Used a wicker basket once and that gave a very interesting effect.

 

[lensflair]

I have in the past when wanting extra light and only having the onboard flash, put a tissue in front of it or used something to deflect it so it bounces, not ideal and you lose a lot of it but can be useful if you are desperate for a little more light. Used a wicker basket once and that gave a very interesting effect.

The problem is the tissue is kinda just diffusion and its not really the same thing as making the light source bigger which is how you reduce shadow edge acuteness.

Diffusion will reduce specular highlights, they can make people look shiny or oily.


An object like a basket in front of your light is called a 'cookie' and you can get some interesting effects that way.

In a pinch you can hold a small card or your hand at an angle in front of the pop up flash and bounce it into a wall to your side. Your hand will make the light warmer which can be a good thing if you want to balance it a little with tungsten light in the room.