how to take a pic of a lit flash unit?

kevinpwkevinpw Registered Users Posts: 124 Major grins
edited February 25, 2010 in Technique
been trying this for a couple of hours now without good results. trying to take a good pic of my SB900 when it's actually flashing (sb800 commander). all of my results are the same: the unit is bright as the sun. not entirely unexpected of course.

I've tried a few things: on TTL dropped everything to -3 EV. on Manual dropped everything to lowest power (M 1/128). stood several feet away and shot from that far. stood several feet away, zoomed in, and shoot. none of these worked.

I was inspired to try this from readin Hot Shoe Diaries, pages 6-7, and 33. perhaps if you have a copy available u can refer to it to see what I'm trying to do.

Thanks!

edit: i found a pic that shows what i want to achieve - http://www.flickr.com/photos/foto71/3898448540/

3898448540_a6b20ed0b1.jpg
Hi, I'm Kevin

Comments

  • angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited February 23, 2010
    Your shutter speed (appears) too high to register more ambient. lower the shutter speed. I couldn't access your exif data here or at flikr~
    tom wise
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,159 moderator
    edited February 23, 2010
    A couple thicknesses of an ultrawhite printing paper should get your light output down to reasonable levels for shooting at the flash at close distances using manual mode at lowest power. Cut the paper to fit the flash as a filter. A "washable" glue stick should allow securing the paper onto the flash without visible means.

    You also need separate illumination for the scene, if I understand your use correctly.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • kevinpwkevinpw Registered Users Posts: 124 Major grins
    edited February 23, 2010
    angevin1 wrote:
    Your shutter speed (appears) too high to register more ambient. lower the shutter speed. I couldn't access your exif data here or at flikr~


    the above picture is not mine, if that's what you're thinking. that is an example of what I am trying to achieve. what I got instead is a pic of a flash unit that is shining as bright as the sun.
    A couple thicknesses of an ultrawhite printing paper should get your light output down to reasonable levels for shooting at the flash at close distances using manual mode at lowest power. Cut the paper to fit the flash as a filter. A "washable" glue stick should allow securing the paper onto the flash without visible means.

    You also need separate illumination for the scene, if I understand your use correctly.

    hmmm paper is it... ill give that a try. thank you.
    Hi, I'm Kevin
  • dbddbd Registered Users Posts: 216 Major grins
    edited February 24, 2010
    You might try using a tripod and shooting two images, one exposed for the background objects and one exposed to keep the highlights unclipped. You may need the paper trick to shoot the second image. Then blend the two with a mask derived from the clipped areas of the brighter exposure to select the highlight regions from the image less exposed. That will give the effect in your example of having the illumination come from the flashes pictured instead of separate background illumination.

    Dale B. Dalrymple
    "Give me a lens long enough and a place to stand and I can image the earth."
    ...with apology to Archimedies
  • babygodzillababygodzilla Registered Users Posts: 184 Major grins
    edited February 24, 2010
    I just figured it out. I was using ISO 2000 before and that made the flash burned so bright, thought I don't know why. I dropped it to ISO 200 and I got results just like in the example picture. Can anyone explain why this is so?

    Thanks

    edit: just realized I accidentally made 2 account here... my bad -__-
  • angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited February 25, 2010
    babygodzilla wrote:
    I just figured it out. I was using ISO 2000 before and that made the flash burned so bright, thought I don't know why. I dropped it to ISO 200 and I got results just like in the example picture. Can anyone explain why this is so?

    Thanks

    edit: just realized I accidentally made 2 account here... my bad -__-

    You're right in a round about way: the ISO made it burn so bright. But your reasoning is off a bit.

    ISO is the sensors sensitivity to light: Meaning Higher ISO, Higher sensitivity to light. SO turning the cameras ISO down did not make the flash burn less bright, but it did make the cameras sensor less sensitive to the flashes power.

    Just for future ref. include your camera settings. It'll make it much easier for others to aid you.
    Glad you got it figured out~
    tom wise
  • babygodzillababygodzilla Registered Users Posts: 184 Major grins
    edited February 25, 2010
    angevin1 wrote:
    You're right in a round about way: the ISO made it burn so bright. But your reasoning is off a bit.

    ISO is the sensors sensitivity to light: Meaning Higher ISO, Higher sensitivity to light. SO turning the cameras ISO down did not make the flash burn less bright, but it did make the cameras sensor less sensitive to the flashes power.

    Just for future ref. include your camera settings. It'll make it much easier for others to aid you.
    Glad you got it figured out~

    DOH! 11doh.gif i should have figured that out on my own. i feel like an idiot now. thanks very much...
  • angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited February 25, 2010
    babygodzilla wrote:
    DOH! 11doh.gif i should have figured that out on my own. i feel like an idiot now. thanks very much...

    An idiot? No way. An idiot would continue in the same vein and never ask for help~:D
    tom wise
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