Thanks for flash help

sara505

After spending the past three days asking questions and reading tutorials I think I am beginning to understand my 10-D and 430-ex. My mistake was thinking that the 10-D was simply a digital version of my Elan. What I learned basically is: camera in P mode makes the flash act like fill for hand-held light situations and main light source for lower light situations. In AV or TV, ETTL flash acts as fill--expose for ambient light, add FED as necessary (-FEC for open shade; +FEC in bright sun to eliminate shadows). In M, set shutter and aperture for background, ETTL exposes for foreground.
I discovered that camera in M mode and flash in manual mode or AV (TV does not work with 430ex in manual mode is very interesting--the exposure is controlled by the link between the aperture + power output + distance--a little cumbersome but completely do-able. I also discovered, since I am mostly a photographer on the run, a flash meter would not work for me. Even the reflective attachment, I do not believe, is as efficient as the metering system in the camera.

Here are a few shots I took this evening while out on a walk. I shot at ISO 200 in AV with -1/3 fec, evening-diffused light, fairly large f-stops=2.8-4. 24-70 2.8 L lens. The images are completely unedited and I am very happy with the results.





I'm excited to be (slowly) gaining control of digital photography.
Thanks for all the help!

ziggy53

Sara,

Great balance and very natural looking. I'm gonna send everybody with flash questions "your" way from now on.

Good stuff! Keep 'em coming.

Thanks,

ziggy53

pathfinder

One more thing to be aware of in shooting in Av mode in the sunlight.

You may need to use High Speed Synch mode on the flash, when ever the ambient light calls for exposures shorter than 1/200th.
Shooting with a 20D, there is no high speed synch and no fill flash as exposures with shutter speeds shorter than 1/200.

With the 430ex, it is just a matter of hitting the button on the flash to activate High Speed synch:):

sara505

ziggy53 wrote:

Sara,

Great balance and very natural looking. I'm gonna send everybody with flash questions "your" way from now on.

Good stuff! Keep 'em coming.

Thanks,

ziggy53

Thank you! Still finding my way... I'll let you field the questions for a while :
This morning I shot a Solstice Sunrise wedding on the beach (5 am!) It was spectacular, a perfect summer day here on the Vineyard, had my first swim too!

Eager to see how I did with intense morning light and my new knowledge...stay tuned.

sara505

pathfinder wrote:

One more thing to be aware of in shooting in Av mode in the sunlight.

You may need to use High Speed Synch mode on the flash, when ever the ambient light calls for exposures shorter than 1/200th.
Shooting with a 20D, there is no high speed synch and no fill flash as exposures with shutter speeds shorter than 1/200.

With the 430ex, it is just a matter of hitting the button on the flash to activate High Speed synch:):

Thanks, Pathfinder. Have done a little HSS, and boy, it's one thing "knowing" stuff, in theory, another thing to be able to think on one's feet and have access to what we know under pressure, eh? Sometimes these newfangled gizmos remind me of flying a plane...so many controls. I guess the thing is to practice practice practice so it all becomes second nature.

Stay tuned.