Mixing daylight and flash - DPChallenge Forums

01/27/2007 07:14:01 AM · #1

This was shot of one of Vivien Westwoods wedding gowns was taken in the dinning room at the Grosvenor House Hotel Park Lane London.

There was lovely daylight comming in through the windows that were not so clean and partly diffussed with frosted areas on them.

Just using the daylight would have meant burned out high lights and heavy shadows. I had 2 options for shooting here, 1 could use reflectors to bounce light onto my model but this would have been limiting for the other shots I was taking that day showing the whole room, so I decided the best method was to use some bounced fill-in flash.

I took my exposure reading from the high light of the shot, set my aperture and shutter speed to this setting, i seam to remember it was 15th sec at F5.6. (S....t tripod time, hate them) To achieve good fill-in flash I had to bounce a 500watt flash head of the walls to the right of my model and up high onto the ceiling/wall, which were white. (if walls you bounce of are coloured this will put a cast on your shot).

The power of this flash was set to give me a reading of f2.8 to f2.8 and a half, so my fill-in to daylight ratio was set to give me flash exposure 1.5 to 2 stops less than the high light reading given by the daylight.

Try it and post your shots.

Message edited by author 2007-02-06 11:06:49.

pineapple

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/27/2007 07:18:48 AM · #2

Here is the correct link. Nice photo indeed.

01/27/2007 07:22:27 AM · #3

Hey

Many thanks.

No idea why it wouldnt work for me

Bruce

pineapple

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/27/2007 06:46:09 PM · #4

That's a nice homework assignment, Bruce. Inspiring model and result. Vivien Westwood, as I remember (from when I lived in London for 10 years in the 70s and 80s,) was a punk doyen. That's a nicely mellow classic gown.

Cutter

Nikon D700

01/27/2007 07:49:20 PM · #5

Originally posted by BruceSmith:

Just using the daylight would have meant burned out high lights and heavy shadows. I had 2 options for shooting here, 1 could use reflectors to bounce light onto my model but this would have been limiting for the other shots I was taking that day showing the whole room, so I decided the best method was to use some bounced fill-in flash.

I agree with this method...I utilize it all the time. Even very subtly used can be all the difference.

Olympus 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital ED

01/29/2007 06:51:27 AM · #6

Hi Cutter. Can I see some samples. Post them on the thread for all to see.

Best wishes

Bruce

Fromac

Nikon D7000

01/29/2007 07:03:58 AM · #7

A great photo...and nice to get some practical, point-by-point description of the technique.

Thanks.

jan_vdw

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/29/2007 07:09:24 AM · #8

Thanks for the tips Bruce. Why don't you write a tutorial on it for the site?

02/06/2007 11:04:41 AM · #9

Originally posted by Fromac:

A great photo...and nice to get some practical, point-by-point description of the technique.

Thanks.

Thanks for comment.

Your welcome to the tip.

Bruce

Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS for Nikon

02/06/2007 11:08:07 AM · #10

Originally posted by jan_vdw:

Thanks for the tips Bruce. Why don't you write a tutorial on it for the site?

Now theres a thought.

Bruce

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

02/06/2007 11:40:15 AM · #11

bumping this thread makes more sense if the photo it references was available.

Greetmir

Nikon D60

02/06/2007 12:57:12 PM · #12

Thank you, Bruce. I think if you put together a lighting tutorial for us amateurs that it would be a great gift to give us.

fotomann_forever

02/06/2007 02:58:31 PM · #13

Originally posted by Greetmir:

Thank you, Bruce. I think if you put together a lighting tutorial for us amateurs that it would be a great gift to give us.

I'm sure he'd be happy for you to pay for one of his workshops or masters courses...

//www.brucesmithphotographer.com/workshops/index.php

02/10/2007 12:50:54 PM · #14

I am only too pleased to give tutorials.

Just select any image that i have shot and I will explain in detail how I shot and lit it.

FREE OF CHARGE LOL

Bruce

Message edited by author 2007-02-10 12:51:09.

Peleng 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye MC In M42 Mount

02/16/2007 03:52:29 AM · #15

I have been thinking about Greetmir suggestion about tutorials and will post some as soon as I have finished them.

Has any one got any suggestions as to what they would like to learn about and I will prepare tutorials to post.

Great idea Greetmir.

Matthew

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

02/16/2007 05:43:23 AM · #16

Bruce - I think that you would be a great person to prepare tutorials on lighting (it seems to be your baby!). Dragging the shutter is something that I need to understand better to balance fore- and back-grounds.

For a subject as important as lighting, it is amazing that there are only a couple of tutorials on DPC.

PS - when are you going to start submitting some challenge entries? - no excuses!!

02/16/2007 06:05:10 AM · #17

Hi Mathew.

I dont know..

I guess when I get my head around it

Bruce

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

02/16/2007 06:10:32 AM · #18

Originally posted by Matthew:

Lighting splits the men from the boys OHH and the woman from the girls.

The more you learn the more you find you need to learn.

Keep an eye on DPCHALLENGE. I will put tips up from time to time.

Take a look at my web album,

IMAGES YOU WANT ME TO EXPLAIN HOW THEY WERE LIT

pick out shots that you want to know how I lit them post the image on her and Ill tell you how they were done.

Bruce

swankFoto

Fujifilm X-E1

04/16/2007 07:59:32 PM · #19

Originally posted by BruceSmith:

pick out shots that you want to know how I lit them post the image on her and Ill tell you how they were done.
Bruce

Hey Bruce,
Old thread but really like the stuff on your site.
I love this one ...

Could you speak to what was involved with that one, pretty standard studio setup?

Also would like to hear more about using the natural "window" light in conjuction with some fill or reflectors.
My favorite light is the "gobo-ized" light through the windows/blinds/fence etc. but because of the extreme ev range it is a tough one to pull off sometimes.

virtuamike