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Fill Flash....It's not Just For Portraits
Workshop at the Ranch
August, 2005 Edition
Hi and welcome to this edition of
Workshop at the Ranch. By now you may have read the current issue
of On The Road and have seen the image of Trapeze. The director
of the Trapeze program is Bobby Penotti who encouraged the participants
at both International Gymnastics Camp and International Sports
Training Camp to experience this terrific blend of physical and
mental training. The brochure would need a strong Trapeze image
because of its popularity each year with students. Many of the
Trapeze training sessions occurred when the sun was directly overhead.
This "Top Lit" situation can be very difficult to photograph
if I need to see my subjects face and hold the sky exposure to
a deep blue. The use of strobes to "Fill Flash" the
shadowed subject is the solution and the Nikon SB800 Speedlight
System with iTTL would be my choice of equipment.......Let's take
a look.
Image#1 Here is an example
of the problem at hand...I have set my exposure for a
deep blue sky ISO100, 1/1250 at f5.6. I arrived at this
setting manually using the Nikon D2X in camera meter and
the Flashing Highlights on the LCD screen. I have stopped
the action and have a nice deep blue sky, but my subject
is in shadow because the sun is directly overhead. Well,...
I have some choices to make if I am to reveal my subject
from the shadow. Usually photographers choose to expose
for the shadow by under exposing the entire image...OK,
let's try that.
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Image#2 There, ....ISO100, 1/500
at f2.8. I have exposed for the shadow but now my sky is all
washed out (over exposed). I solved one problem but created
another. We as photographers must not be satisfied with this
kind of image. I must GO THE EXTRA MILE for my client and
for myself. |
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Image#3 I want the well
exposed, deep blue sky AND I want to see my subject too
.....I WANT IT ALL ! ....And to have it all I will need
to FILL in the shadowed area with some light. I have gone
back to my original idea of exposing for the sky, but with
a change....ISO100, 1/5000 at f2.8. This setting gives me
the same sky exposure as image#1 (ISO100, 1/1250 at f5.6)
but with a wide open aperture. The SB800 Speedlights will
sync at shutter speeds up to 1/8000 so I can shoot wide
open apertures, perfect for outdoor fill flash work.
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Image#4 I used a total of 7 SB800
Speedlights. One as the Master located on the hot shoe of
my Nikon D2X and 6 as remotes. The 6 remote SB800s were divided
into 2 groups of 3 and clamped to Bogen lightstands with Bogen
175F Clamps (Justin Clamp). The group A SB800s were at a power
output of +1 while the group B SB800s were at a power output
of -1. The power output difference of the groups would give
a more modeled lighting look instead of a flat blast of light.
I zoomed all 6 units to 105mm so as to concentrate the light
on my subject. I arrived at the power outputs by what I call
"take a shot, take a look" method. I started with
both A and B groups of SB800s at a power output of 0.0 and
"take a shot, take a look." I will power up or down
according to how I want the light to look. This is how I set
power outputs on the SB800s for any situation. |
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Image#5 I placed the A group
of 3 SB800s to my left and angled the units at the area
were the "catch" would take place. I positioned
the B group of 3 SB800s on the other side of the Trapeze
net directly across from the A group position. All 6 SB800s
fired wirelessly from the Master on my D2X and lit the Trapeze
artists easily.
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Image#6 This final image captures
a flying split from the bar to the catcher. My exposure
is for the sky and my SB800s fill in the shadowed subject
approximately 60 feet away. The area I lit is large enough
to fill in the shadow on both the flyer and the catcher
with room to spare should they swing higher or lower than
I predicted. Perfect fill exposure was maintained with each
image thanks to the wireless iTTL technology of the Nikon
SB800. My set up time was about 20 minutes and as you may
have already guessed....this is all battery powered, no
AC in the area. (I use the Energizer E2 Lithium Batteries
to power my SB800s.)
The Trapeze program at both
camps are under the directorship of Bobby Penotti. His group
of talented and skillful artists of the air work with many
different groups during the year. For additional information
about Trapeze contact Bobby Penotti through his email address
bobijp@aol.com
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Well, I hope you have enjoyed this
edition of Workshop at the Ranch. The need to reveal my subject
from a shadow is very common and can be easily done with fill
flash.....even on a big scale like this. See you next time here
at the Workshop at the Ranch..........................Adios, Dave
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