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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Fill Flash for Rebel
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 05/27/2004 08:26:40 PM · #1
So I got some goo advice on some portraits I took. I was wondering what people do for fill flash. I understand what it is and how it works but am unclear on how I can use it? Is there a function on the rebel that is fill flash? Do people buy a fill flash or are people using othr alternative ways of creating the same effect. Someone write they used aluminum foil to create the fill flahs effect which I really like ;cause it's cheap but I was wondering where it goes and how exactly to use it.
Thanks in advance!
 05/27/2004 08:29:28 PM · #2
Don't forget the old standby, the car windshield sun reflector.
 05/27/2004 08:58:09 PM · #3
Originally posted by faidoi:
Don't forget the old standby, the car windshield sun reflector.


eh?
 05/27/2004 09:24:25 PM · #4
Originally posted by Rooster:
Originally posted by faidoi:
Don't forget the old standby, the car windshield sun reflector.


eh?


I assume Faidoi means for bouncing light to be more natural and for fill...if you've ever seen a professional photoshoot [outdoors] they hold big reflectors to create natural sun and lighting in certain areas of the shot being composed. Something like using a bounce on the top of your flash [angled up more] instead of a dead-on horrible flash effect.
 05/27/2004 09:25:28 PM · #5
cool. Lori got any pro advice for some cheap solutions?
 05/27/2004 09:30:14 PM · #6
Originally posted by Rooster:
cool. Lori got any pro advice for some cheap solutions?


LOL "pro" nice :-)

I use a medium sized white piece of strong cardboard with velcro on the under side which adheres to the top of my flash. It's awesome, I could never take flash pictures without it. Tilt your flash up about 45 degrees [different angles for different effects dependant apon surrounding wall color, ceiling height, etc]...the flash bounces off the white board when fired and gives much much nicer and more flattering results. Taking pictures with a flash dead on doesn't work for many situations, it's like having a flashlight shining in your subject's face. The board makes a huge difference and you can make one for about 50 cents. The board has to be white. If you're shooting in a small white room [like an average living room] you might not need the board, but still try angling the flash. Let me know if you try it :-)

P.S. someone probably has a picture of their own bounce set up somewhere on file! Maybe they'll post it.

Message edited by author 2004-05-27 21:32:14.
 05/27/2004 09:33:13 PM · #7
very cool but I am daft & having trouble visualising this. got a pic of it?
how big is the board?
sorry about all the questions. I just pm-ed you as well!
05/27/2004 09:34:19 PM · #8
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
Originally posted by Rooster:
cool. Lori got any pro advice for some cheap solutions?


LOL "pro" nice :-)

I use a medium sized white piece of strong cardboard with velcro on the under side which adheres to the top of my flash. It's awesome, I could never take flash pictures without it. Tilt your flash up about 45 degrees [different angles for different effects dependant apon surrounding wall color, ceiling height, etc]...the flash bounces off the white board when fired and gives much much nicer and more flattering results. Taking pictures with a flash dead on doesn't work for many situations, it's like having a flashlight shining in your subject's face. The board makes a huge difference and you can make one for about 50 cents. The board has to be white. If you're shooting in a small white room [like an average living room] you might not need the board, but still try angling the flash. Let me know if you try it :-)

P.S. someone probably has a picture of their own bounce set up somewhere on file! Maybe they'll post it.


Which flash do you use?
 05/27/2004 09:34:50 PM · #9
Originally posted by Rooster:
very cool but I am daft & having trouble visualising this. got a pic of it?
how big is the board?
sorry about all the questions. I just pm-ed you as well!


No worries, I don't have a photo but I can probably find one online since you can buy the boards as accessories at some places...hold on..let me see what I can find.....the board is about 5"x6"
 05/27/2004 09:36:10 PM · #10
Originally posted by TooCool:
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
Originally posted by Rooster:
cool. Lori got any pro advice for some cheap solutions?


LOL "pro" nice :-)

I use a medium sized white piece of strong cardboard with velcro on the under side which adheres to the top of my flash. It's awesome, I could never take flash pictures without it. Tilt your flash up about 45 degrees [different angles for different effects dependant apon surrounding wall color, ceiling height, etc]...the flash bounces off the white board when fired and gives much much nicer and more flattering results. Taking pictures with a flash dead on doesn't work for many situations, it's like having a flashlight shining in your subject's face. The board makes a huge difference and you can make one for about 50 cents. The board has to be white. If you're shooting in a small white room [like an average living room] you might not need the board, but still try angling the flash. Let me know if you try it :-)

P.S. someone probably has a picture of their own bounce set up somewhere on file! Maybe they'll post it.


Which flash do you use?

me? most often I dont but if I have to just the built in one. I know, I know, it sucks!
 05/27/2004 09:38:48 PM · #11
Photo is about half way down the page

Here you go..check this out..the example shows a small white board on the flash [tilted up] but I use one about 3 times that size.

P.S. I've been using the Canon 550EX but just bought the 540EZ since the other one was on loan and I couldn't afford a new 550....I haven't gotten the 540 yet so I'm crossing my fingers that it's as good.

Message edited by author 2004-05-27 21:41:04.
 05/27/2004 09:39:23 PM · #12
Originally posted by Rooster:
me? most often I dont but if I have to just the built in one. I know, I know, it sucks!


I was really asking GoldBerry! One thing I read about to help the built in flash is to use a cap (like from solid deoderant) that is white but kind of see through and put that over your flash. It will help soften (difuse) it. Also a couple of layers of toilet paper taped over the built in flash will help...
 05/27/2004 09:40:39 PM · #13
Originally posted by TooCool:
Originally posted by Rooster:
me? most often I dont but if I have to just the built in one. I know, I know, it sucks!


I was really asking GoldBerry! One thing I read about to help the built in flash is to use a cap (like from solid deoderant) that is white but kind of see through and put that over your flash. It will help soften (difuse) it. Also a couple of layers of toilet paper taped over the built in flash will help...


I think you're talking about an omnibounce...I've seen them fit over the plastic part of an external flash, never on an internal one, though.
 05/27/2004 09:41:21 PM · #14
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
Photo is about half way down the page

Here you go..check this out..the example shows a small white board on the flash [tilted up] but I use what about 3 times that size.

P.S. I've been using the Canon 550EX but just bought the 540EZ since the other one was on loan and I couldn't afford a new 550....I haven't gotten the 540 yet so I'm crossing my fingers that it's as good.


cool. thanks so much. I think i can do that, at least. i will have to buy an external flash then, eh?
Thank Lori! you RAWK!
 05/27/2004 09:41:55 PM · #15
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
Originally posted by TooCool:
Originally posted by Rooster:
me? most often I dont but if I have to just the built in one. I know, I know, it sucks!


I was really asking GoldBerry! One thing I read about to help the built in flash is to use a cap (like from solid deoderant) that is white but kind of see through and put that over your flash. It will help soften (difuse) it. Also a couple of layers of toilet paper taped over the built in flash will help...


I think you're talking about an omnibounce...I've seen them fit over the plastic part of an external flash, never on an internal one, though.


Yeah, but I'm kind of cheap. (wink) Why buy if you can make easily?
 05/27/2004 09:42:54 PM · #16
Originally posted by Rooster:
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
Photo is about half way down the page

Here you go..check this out..the example shows a small white board on the flash [tilted up] but I use what about 3 times that size.

P.S. I've been using the Canon 550EX but just bought the 540EZ since the other one was on loan and I couldn't afford a new 550....I haven't gotten the 540 yet so I'm crossing my fingers that it's as good.


cool. thanks so much. I think i can do that, at least. i will have to buy an external flash then, eh?
Thank Lori! you RAWK!


LOL no problem, I got my flash used for $320CND. I searched everywhere for a good used one, you have to be careful. But it's totally worth it. A new 550 which is a great powerful flash is about $550..I had a really tough time finding a used one.
 05/27/2004 09:44:35 PM · #17
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
A new 550 which is a great powerful flash is about $550..I had a really tough time finding a used one.


That's because they're such a good flash no one will give it up after they have it... I unfortunately can't afford one...
 05/27/2004 09:52:55 PM · #18
Originally posted by TooCool:
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
A new 550 which is a great powerful flash is about $550..I had a really tough time finding a used one.


That's because they're such a good flash no one will give it up after they have it... I unfortunately can't afford one...


I saw a used 550 on Vistek in great shape for pretty cheap [under 300] but I thought about it too long and it was gone :-(
 05/27/2004 09:55:52 PM · #19
Hey Lori check this out!

found the 550 for 309 & the 540 is 249 at b&h photo.
 05/27/2004 10:04:16 PM · #20
Originally posted by Rooster:
Hey Lori check this out!

found the 550 for 309 & the 540 is 249 at b&h photo.


The 550 is $299 on B&H, too. Those are good prices. My 540 was $320CND not sure what that is in USD. It's supposed to be almost brand new [we'll see once it gets here]. ARe you thinking of investing?
05/27/2004 10:05:56 PM · #21
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
Originally posted by Rooster:
Hey Lori check this out!

found the 550 for 309 & the 540 is 249 at b&h photo.


The 550 is $299 on B&H, too. Those are good prices. My 540 was $320CND not sure what that is in USD. It's supposed to be almost brand new [we'll see once it gets here]. ARe you thinking of investing?


I think i am. I want to take more pictures & really good ones as well. I am working on my fotog eye but find that my shots lack some tech stuff that i just dont know about.
what do you think?
 05/27/2004 10:15:00 PM · #22
Rooster...the white card taped/attached to your pop-up on board flash is certainly a good idea to soften the light but won't always be able to aim the light at an angle you may need for flash-fill. Here's something else you could do, but it will be a little more expensive because there's another thing you have to purchase. That is, use the detachable flash that you're going to purchase as a slave (excuse me?). That's right, I said as a slave. Here's how it works. You purchase a slave sensor that attaches to your new flash unit and you don't have to keep it attached to the cam. You can mount it anywhere you want and when you take the picture with your popup flash enabled, it will also set off the slave unit. Thus, you'll be able to aim that flash at an angle to get the light in the part of the shadow that you want to lighten. The slave sensor costs about $70 buckeroos, though.
 05/27/2004 10:34:23 PM · #23
Originally posted by Olyuzi:
Rooster...the white card taped/attached to your pop-up on board flash is certainly a good idea to soften the light but won't always be able to aim the light at an angle you may need for flash-fill. Here's something else you could do, but it will be a little more expensive because there's another thing you have to purchase. That is, use the detachable flash that you're going to purchase as a slave (excuse me?). That's right, I said as a slave. Here's how it works. You purchase a slave sensor that attaches to your new flash unit and you don't have to keep it attached to the cam. You can mount it anywhere you want and when you take the picture with your popup flash enabled, it will also set off the slave unit. Thus, you'll be able to aim that flash at an angle to get the light in the part of the shadow that you want to lighten. The slave sensor costs about $70 buckeroos, though.


hmmm. very interesting. I have acutally heard about this but never thought to do it myself. too much money! I want it all! is there a way to set up a studio, with home depot cheap lights on stands & bounce light off of it to create fill flash effect?
 05/27/2004 10:43:15 PM · #24
Yes there is, and it's quite a cheap way to do it, Roos. You can get work lights for about $20 bucks and get your self some white poster board or, if you have some extra cash laying around, I would purchase some opalescent fiber glass. I would prefer the fiber glass because there's less chance of it catching on fire. The work lights are halogens and get very very hot and can ignite flammable things, especially in a small work area. So be careful!!!

The way you set it up is to aim the lights at the fiber glass so that it bounces the light onto your subject. Another way to do it, but more expensive is to purchase a couple of photographic umbrellas. Again, those probably can catch fire easily, so BE CAREFUL.

There's another way to go if you want to stick with flash. That is, purchase a used one off of ebay and then use them with a slave sensor. You can get a Vivitar 283 or 285, which are both professional models and very powerful, for as cheaply as $35, if you keep on top of the auctions. I wouldn't attach either of those to your camera directly because they put out more volage than your camera is capable of handling and it could do some damage to the circuits in the cam.
05/27/2004 11:16:06 PM · #25
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
Photo is about half way down the page

Here you go..check this out..the example shows a small white board on the flash [tilted up] but I use one about 3 times that size.

P.S. I've been using the Canon 550EX but just bought the 540EZ since the other one was on loan and I couldn't afford a new 550....I haven't gotten the 540 yet so I'm crossing my fingers that it's as good.


Lori, I hope you are aware that the 540EZ can only be used in Manual mode with the 300D, it will not do E-TTL. I had the 540 EZ and sold it to get the 550 EX.
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