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
Past Workshop at the Ranch Issues
July, 2010
"Moto Light"
June, 2010
"West Coast Flash"

May, 2010
"Little Lights, BIG Arena - PART 2"

April, 2010
"Little Lights, BIG Arena - PART 1 "

March, 2010
"Workshop Wonders"
February, 2009
The D3s Advantage
January, 2010
"New Nikon D3s"
December, 2009
"Year in Review"

November, 2009
Return to Neverland

October, 2009
"Dramatic Gym Light"
September, 2009
"Saratoga Light"

August, 2009
"Graduation Class"

July, 2009
"FourSquare Sensation"

June, 2009
"Print On Demand publishing is for you"

May, 2009
"Sports Shooter Academy"

April, 2009
"My New Book is Available"

March, 2009
"The Nikon D3X...Part II "

February, 2009
"The Nikon D3X...Part I "

January, 2009
"Book Ideas Wanted"

December, 2008
Year in Review

November, 2008
Action with the SB-900 Speedlights

October, 2008
Lightpainting Under the Stars

September, 2008
Long Island Photo Workshop
August, 2008
"Best Buy Summit in San Francisco"
July, 2008
"Rich Clarkson's Sports Photography Workshop"

June, 2008
"Seven Photo Techniques"

May, 2008
"Learn Something New"

April, 2008
San Diego TREK

March, 2008
Joe McNally's book

February, 2008
The Nikon D300

January, 2008
Shoot From Where They Ain't (click here)
December, 2007
D3 Questions , Answers and Images

November, 2007
New Nikon D3

October, 2007
Football...A Retro Look

September, 2007
Get Out of the Box
August, 2007
Portrait Session with Frankie Herr

July, 2007
"Cowboy Up at the Double JJ Ranch"

June, 2007
"Light on the Run"

May, 2007
"SB800 Location Lighting in Mexico"

April, 2007
"Take it From the Top"

March, 2007
"Triple Play, Hat Trick, Trifecta" of Design

February, 2007
Principles of Success

January, 2007
Answers to Popular Questions

December , 2006
TREK to Peru and Machu Picchu

October, 2006
Creative Lightpainting (click
here)

September, 2006
Tandem SB800 Speedlight Set Up (click here)

August, 2006
Get Pumped Up with Light (click here)

July, 2006
Sports Action SB800 Lighting on Location (click here)

June, 2006
An Artistic Look At Derby Week (click here)

May, 2006
Lightpainting....from the Beginning (click here)

April, 2006
Workshop 40: Arches Mentor Series TREK

March, 2006
Workshop 39: Let the Games Begin...

February, 2006
Workshop 38: My Moody Blue Location Lighting Formula

January, 2006
Workshop 37: Answers to Popular Questions

December, 2005
Workshop 36: Year in Review...
My Favorite Equipment of 2005

November, 2005
Workshop 35: Building a Portrait

October, 2005
Workshop 34: Game Coverage.....My Way

September, 2005
Workshop 33: Equipment...and How It Can Help A Career

August, 2005
Workshop 32, Fill Flash....It's not Just For Portraits

July, 2005
Workshop 31, Rock On!

June, 2005
Workshop 30, Remote Cameras at Churchill Downs

May, 2005
Workshop 29, Arena Sport Strobe Lighting 102

April, 2005
Workshop 28, Arena Sport Strobe Lighting 101

March, 2005
Workshop 27: Nikon's D2X Digital Camera

February, 2005
Workshop 26: Steps to Success

January, 2005
Workshop 25: Own Your Images!

December, 2004
Workshop 24: Step-by-Step Lightpainting
November, 2004
Workshop 23: The Importance of Recognizing Light


September, 2004
Workshop 21: Covering The 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens, Greece
(click here)

August, 2004
Workshop 20: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight
WIRELESS TTL LIGHTING
(click here)

July, 2004
Workshop 19: Location Portrait Lighting using
Nikon's NEW SB-800 Speedlights
(click here)

June, 2004
Workshop 18: Photography - Just Enjoy it!
(click here)

May, 2004
Workshop 17: Documenting the Masters
(click here)

April, 2004
Workshop 16: Scene Setters
(click here)

March, 2004
Workshop 15: THE JOY of FILL FLASH
(click here)

February, 2004
Workshop 14: Sports Strobe Photography
(click here)


December, 2003
Workshop 12: "Product Review - The Nikon D2H Digital Camera
(click here)

November, 2003
Workshop 11: "Be More Than a Fan"

October, 2003
Workshop 10: "More Porrage, Please"

September, 2003
Workshop 9: The Nikon COOLPIX 5700

August, 2003
Workshop 8: Using Wireless Remotes

July, 2003
Workshop 7: Approaching The Event

June, 2003
Workshop 6: To be noticed, to be published, to the marketplace

May, 2003
Workshop 5: What Drives an Image Part Two,
Slow Shutter Speed & Pan, (click here)
April, 2003
Workshop 4: What Drives an Image? (click here)

March, 2003
Workshop 3: Fill Flash Techniques (click here)

February, 2003
Workshop 2: Sports Arena Lighting (click here)

January,
2003
Workshop 1: Lightpainting (click here)
