Shooting with only your built in flash

09/01/2004 06:19:28 PM · #1

Ok, how do I phrase this...I don't have enough money to buy a lighting kit yet. I have a built in flash on my camera (Canon Eos Elan 7). I would like to take some photos that traditionally require lighting units, for example food photography. Is there ANY way to get away with just using the flash in the camera, or available light. Are there any tips or tricks for using the in camera flash, like ways to bounce it off the ceiling/walls, or am I just stuck with harsh shadows or available light.

Thanks,
Chris

09/01/2004 06:21:45 PM · #2

I sometimes use just a piece of plain white paper curled around the flash. This helps diffuse it so it isn't so harsh, and it also spreads it out. Using bits of card attached to the flash, in front of it, also lets you direct the light at walls or ceilings so you can bounce it.

Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

09/01/2004 06:24:29 PM · #3

You can also use just regular house lights such as desk lamps. Your exposure times will just be longer. Mirrors and other pieces of reflective material can help bounce light in as well.

09/01/2004 06:26:23 PM · #4

All I ever use in the majority of my indoor studio shots is one simple desk lamp. It can work wonders :)

Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

09/01/2004 06:27:20 PM · #5

To add... the best thing about shooting things like food is that your subject dosen't move. This way you can easily use the longer exposure times without haveing to wory about motion blur. I might be able to find an example of one I did awhile back. I used film and my camera was the Rebel G.

09/01/2004 06:30:18 PM · #6

The problem with food, is under constant lighting it can melt in the case of cheeses, ice cream, things like that. The other thing is, the light temperature of ordinary house lights tend to make the color too yellowish.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

09/01/2004 06:32:42 PM · #7

You can use a blue daylight filter to correct the colour cast on your film camera, or white balance settings on a digital. When using a long exposure you could try holding the desk lamp at a distance and 'painting with light', so you're constantly moving the light around. This lets you create some dramatic effects if you want, and also you can evenly light a scene with only 1 light source. Without painting with light that would create nasty shadows.

Zoomdak

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

09/01/2004 06:34:02 PM · #8

Filter (tape on paper or paper towels or...) on your flash, desk lamps, whatever else your using.
There should be a setting in camera to adjust to indoor lighting. Can you change the white balance?

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

09/01/2004 06:36:52 PM · #9

Originally posted by Konador:

When using a long exposure you could try holding the desk lamp at a distance and 'painting with light', so you're constantly moving the light around. This lets you create some dramatic effects if you want, and also you can evenly light a scene with only 1 light source. Without painting with light that would create nasty shadows.

Do you mean to move the light around the subject while the shutter is open? How long of a shutter speed are we talking here? Wouldn't this cause overexposure?

bledford

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

09/01/2004 06:37:46 PM · #10

You can also achieve some great results using natural light. I prefer north facing windows, which is what I used for my chocolate entry.

I did use a 550ex for that shot, but only minimally for effect. And you're right, I had to shift white balance substantially to remove the orangey hue.

Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

09/01/2004 06:39:01 PM · #11

You can easily solve the color cast problem by using tungsten based films. They are balanced for indoor light instead of daylight. You can pick some up at almost any camera store.

As far as your concerns with melting foods, the exposures aren't that long. Set up most of your shot first. Then add the food. Another way is to substitute something for the food. You can use crisco or play-dough(still use an icecream scoop to dish it out so it looks like it was scooped) to take the place of ice cream and so on and so forth.

Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

09/01/2004 06:39:39 PM · #12

Originally posted by Zoomdak:

Filter (tape on paper or paper towels or...) on your flash, desk lamps, whatever else your using.
There should be a setting in camera to adjust to indoor lighting. Can you change the white balance?

He is talking about using his film camera.

09/01/2004 06:39:41 PM · #13

Thats what I mean yep.

It won't over expose if the light is dim enough or if your aperture is closed enough (high f-number). A closed aperture doesn't let as much light in so long exposures under normal lighting conditions are possible. You could also get a ND (neutral density) filter for the camera, or just use a pair of sunglasses over the lens, to block out some light and allow a longer exposure. I use digital so I just experiment with the shutter speeds in each individual situation. On film I imagine it would be a lot more complicated/costly :P

09/01/2004 06:40:52 PM · #14

Mashed potato is good for ice-cream too :) And diluted coca-cola for champagne.