More Flash Research - Webinar through Collage.net notes

These are just my notes from a webinar that Collages.net had today.  You can watch this same webinar if  you are a professional photographer and a member of Collages.net for  your printing needs.  Later, after I buy myself a flash gun I will try to post a picture.  Though, I will try to use a reflector today to see if I can control the light even more and post that image.

So, these notes are just for my use and might not make sense to you...sorry! :)  I suggest checking out the very imformative webinar over at Collages.net.  Have a nice day!

• get hand held meter if you have time and want more control
• attempt drama on subject by lighting face with highlights, shadows, and giving a real 3D look to the face
• ISO Exposure Index, find out what mine is.  Really understand the capabilities of my gear...best to do with a hand held meter.  So, if my camera runs "hot" then when I meter with my hand held meter, I might set it to ISO 125, while my camera is at ISO 100
• Latitude Exposure in RAW, only a 5 stop range to play with is being told.  Really our cameras only capture 50% of what the histogram says when it is in the last stop towards right(white).  Do not underexpose, shadow range doesn't have the same amount of information.  Push exposure to the right a tad, more usable information.
• Reflected metering, what is on my camera.  Hand held meter is the incident, use the flat disk if possible over the dome.  The dome just gives you an average of all the light.  Flat disk will help with main light and fill light and the meter will tell you what you to meter on... ?
• Light is accumulative, very important with reflectors especially using flash.
• want to see  highlight side of face, shadows aren't as important today.  We want to see saturation of color, etc.  Base exposure on main light coming on the face!  Still pay attention to the background, but with a portrait face is most important.
• make sure to use light to highlight the subject to make them look the best.  Using reflectors, flash,etc.  Need to show depth to the face, highlight side to shadow side...added drama!
• background shouldn't be more than 2/3rd stop difference between subject and background
• Light comes from all directions outdoors, has many different colors, is specular or soft light, and will be affected by man made and natural elements.
• secret to finding quality light...look for trees,columns,buildings.  Look that that element has a highlight, shadow sides with a gentle transfer between the two highlights/shadows.  think of Chico state archway!
• light above head being blocked by trees, then trees to right say to create shadow, then all light fills from the left and background.  exp.  river trail
• shoot parrell to tree line, don't shoot into trees, especially if sun is behind trees.  The trees create the shadow and sun will create the highlight.  Shoot into the shadow...short light equals drama! research short light!!!!  Does that mean have the shadow close to camera?
• Overcast days: best days to work as far as even distribution of tones/light/information
• Heavy overcast days, flash is essential!  Might need to do relationship pictures, people interacting with one and another rather than posed formal pictures.
• Time of Day to take pictures: morning, evening.....mid day...avoid at all costs on a sunny day.  Would have to use electronic flash
• morning light is directional, good color temperature...narrow window of light to work with
• Evening light is also directional, good color, low light on horizon line to sculpt subject, control of subject and background, if sun is on horizon...same amount of light all around...could do that water shot that was blown at Red's.  Even light at that moment!
• Window light is directional, soft, and easy to learn...really helps you "see" the light.  What you see is what you get.  It is like the parrle light with trees.  Often requires some fill flash.  Avoid direct sunlight.  Avoid other lights from the room
• The power of reflectors: if in an area with no directional light, add a reflector to catch some light and bounce on side of subject.
• back lit portraits, some the side of hair the light is hitting from behind...bring reflector to that side and bend reflector til you get some light on her face
• research black reflectors
• FLASH:can use as main light, fill light or clean up faces, or accent light exp back light.
• Types of flash, straight flash, fill/bounce flash, mini soft box,open or bare tube, umbrellas
• If the intensity of the flash more than the ambient light...will look like flash.  Use hand meter to decide how much flash
• If intensity of flash is less than ambient...known as fill light. can help green reflections, opens eyes,
• light is accumulative? learn the math...how much light is added by your flash?  research.  Find out your raw light, then add flash at 20%,, 40% ,etc and see the difference.  add the % to the net exposure depending on how much drama is wanted
• shutter speed does ambient background light with flash.  the aperture is only illuminating the subject!

short light, meter off the main light!  also meter the subject in the shadow side and compare to highlight side.  So with both readings, need to keep the stop difference less than 3 stops for sure.  that is when you add the flash light to compensate between the shadow and highlights  don@macgregorstudios.com he suggests sending in an image with the question.   can re watch webinar on the Collages.net Blog.