The Strobist Technique - DPChallenge Forums

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM for Nikon

04/28/2008 10:01:25 AM · #1

Ok, I'm gathering/ordering all the equipment I need to get started with off camera flash. I had a question though.

In all the pictures I've seen, the background, whether sunrise, sunset, mid-day, or dark is always exposed while the subject is lit by the lights. Can we go over the process of how to do this?

Step 1:

Find the proper exposure for the background and then drop it by two stops or so.

Step 2:

Use the flash (manual-varying the power) to light the subject.

Is there any easier way of doing this, will this work, etc.?

I've heard some people say...

Step 1:

Set your camera to max sync speed.

Step 2:

Adjust the aperture until you get what you want...

and so on...

Can someone please clarify the best way to expose the background (or underexpose it as seems to be popular) and light the subject with off camera flash? I'm a 1, 2, 3 kinda guy so if you can keep it simple and straightforward that would be amazing!

Message edited by author 2008-04-28 10:02:26.

pix-al

Canon EOS-5D

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

04/28/2008 10:06:14 AM · #2

I'd say your first set of steps is bang on...

FireBird

04/28/2008 11:43:55 AM · #3

Balancing flash and ambient PT I

Balancing flash and ambient PT II

kgeary

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM for Nikon

04/28/2008 02:33:31 PM · #4

^^

I've read that, but it doesn't really explain the specifics.

Also, that talks about "balancing" the light, which to me sounds like you're just using a little fill flash. I'm looking for info on using strobes as main light sources.

He throws out a lot of numbers, but he never says where he gets them from. Is he just estimating? I'm looking for a step by step process.

hopper

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM

04/28/2008 03:03:16 PM · #5

You kind of clumped every lighting situation into one and then asked for the proper steps. Each situation will have at least slightly different steps. Your first steps 1 and 2 will work for a sunset, but only if the shutter speed stays above say 1/10 of a second (and you're using a tripod, of course).

But if it's a bright noon sun and you expose for the background ... and then add flash ... most likely you're going to blow out your subject (too bright). In this case, you let the flash overpower the sun (if that's what you're going for) - get proper exposure on your subject - but keep in mind this will make the background appear darker than what it really is, like this one:

FireBird

04/28/2008 03:10:46 PM · #6

Originally posted by KevinG:

Is he just estimating? I'm looking for a step by step process.

Yup, he's estimating. He has a light meter built into his eyes/brain. Developed through years of shooting daylight/flash balanced shots for a newspaper. He has to make the subject pop off the background for the shot to look good on the newspaper photo printing process.

There are other articles on the strobist website that cover what you want. I doubt that you'll find David using step by step specifics much. However, I remember seeing a number of other sites he referenced on the blog that did go more into detail. I'll let you find them as I didn't make bookmarks.

But the governing mentality of the Strobist blog is experimentation. The last time I checked, digital film costs nothing. Practice til it hurts.

maggieddd

04/28/2008 03:25:31 PM · #7

Originally posted by fir3bird:

Originally posted by KevinG:
Is he just estimating? I'm looking for a step by step process.

Yup, he's estimating. He has a light meter built into his eyes/brain. Developed through years of shooting daylight/flash balanced shots for a newspaper. He has to make the subject pop off the background for the shot to look good on the newspaper photo printing process.

There are other articles on the strobist website that cover what you want. I doubt that you'll find David using step by step specifics much. However, I remember seeing a number of other sites he referenced on the blog that did go more into detail. I'll let you find them as I didn't make bookmarks.

But the governing mentality of the Strobist blog is experimentation. The last time I checked, digital film costs nothing. Practice til it hurts.

how did you get the model to be isoleted like that?

04/28/2008 09:07:17 PM · #8

I love balancing flash and daylight - Often in the middle of the day I will put the flash less than 1 foot from the subject and use f22 - That way you keep all the sky and sunburst.
It comes with practice - Experiment is the best way.
Here are a couple of examples to show you can keep both well exposed - Bang in the middle of the day.

kgeary

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM for Nikon

04/28/2008 09:19:13 PM · #9

So in the daytime, you expose for the background, drop it by two stops, and then light the subject right?

04/28/2008 09:24:39 PM · #10

I never get that technical - I just know at iso 100 f22 renders the sky blue and retains the sunburst - I then adjust the flash accordingly not my f stops.
All depends on what you want to preserve in the background though. If I want to retain the back ground then I will measure for the background to find out what the correct exposure is then set my flash distance and power output accordingly - If I started setting the background 2 stops darker it would be just that. All depends on the type of effect you are after. My rule of thumb as I say is - I meter for the background - Decide how light or dark i want it - Also determine how much depth of field I want and then change the flash distance and the power output to match and make a balanced picture. With digital it's soooo much easier - Just look at the back and see if you like what you see.

Message edited by author 2008-04-28 21:24:47.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G

04/28/2008 09:30:07 PM · #11

A couple more examples - For this picture I wanted the background clouds to be very strong and moody so I did underexpose the background by a couple of stops at least

For this picture I wanted a more natural feel but still just a tad darker so i just exposed for the correct background exposure then adjusted my flash accordingly. Note on this one I was at F22 but using iso 400 - This enabled me to capture more details in the trees - At iso 100 at F22 the trees would have been black.

For this one I needed the most amount of depth of field - That was F22 - But at 1/250 and F22 the rope in the foreground bore no detail and was very underexposed - So I lit the foreground with an on camera flash (Light a ittle fill) and had the main strobe on the subject at the back with the horse set according to what would make them best exposed at F22

Message edited by author 2008-04-28 21:32:55.

breadfan35

Nikon D3

04/28/2008 09:37:31 PM · #12

Originally posted by jblaylockrayner:

How did you use an on camera flash and fire the second strobe? Was it a speedlight using Nikon's CLS, or did the strobe have an optical slave?