Go wild.. and get creative

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Michael Willems

Creative lighting is all about what you do not light:

A chiaroscuro picture of a model, by Michael Willems

Recent chiaroscuro picture of a model

I used one bounced flash and a prime 35mm lens on a full-frame body.

The camera was on manual of course, and shutter, aperture, and ISO were set to make sure the background was dark, but with colour showing in the background.

Flash was on TTL.

I wanted to emphasise the girl’s striking eyes and hide her face, and emphasise her look, so I bounced off a black ceiling above her. Yes, even a black ceiling will reflect some light! And 1600 ISO and the lens wide open ensured that “some” light was “enough” light.

Not your typical party picture – precisely because I did not light all of the girl.

Why set White Balance when you shoot RAW?

Posted on May 24, 2010 by Michael Willems

When you shoot RAW (as you probably should if your pictures are important t0 you) then your in-camera image processing settings are not important. Setting like colour space (AdobeRGB or sRGB), sharpening, noise reduction, colour saturation, saturation, white balance, and more.

They are not applied, just attached to the sensor information as “suggestions”. You can always set, or change, them later in Lightroom, Photoshop, or whatever you use.

So why set Light Balance in the camera anyway? It is time-consuming, and if those settings are not permanent, why bother?

First, if you shoot RAW, you should turn off all image settings that make the preview look very different from the RAW image. Set your camera to “normal” picture style and disable auto lighting optimization, lens correction, extra contrast, and so on. I have written about that before on this blog.

Then, white balance. Why you might want to set it:

Your images will look more like the finished product. You will get a better idea of “what you are getting”
You know whether to correct anything.
They will also look better, so you will feel better about your skills
Most software will take the White Balance setting at least as a suggestion, so you can start off in Lightroom, say, with colours already almost right.

Against this: it takes time. So what I DO IS THIS:

Not worry about it
If shooting in a studio, and I have time, I set it to Flash
If shooting a sunset, or late day light, or snow on a sunny day, and I have time, I set to daylight
If shooting in Tungsten light, and I have time, I set to Tungsten
But when in a hurry and at all other times than those above, set it to auto.

That’s simple, no?

Manual flash or TTL flash?

Posted on May 21, 2010 by Michael Willems

You know (if only because I have discussed it before) that you can set your flash to manual or TTL. I thought I would revisit this, and show you some shots I took Wednesday.

Manual means you set the power level; TTL means the camera fires a preflash and measures the return, and then sets the power level based on that. TTL (Nikon calls its version i-TTL, Canon calls its version e-TTL) is the default setting (the panel on the back of your flash says something like “TTL”).

An on-camera flash

Unlike David Hobby, I tend to use TTL most of the time, not manual.

TTL is a major revolution in camera technology, because it allows you to shoot varying scenes without having to worry about distance. In particular, you can bounce anywhere you like, off a different wall for every shot, and you can use whatever modifiers you like, and not worry about measuring. And you can use “fast flash” to exceed the camera’s flash sync speed – useful on sunny days.

A sample, shot with TTL on Wednesday:

Bartender at a reception, shot using TTL

Indeed as David points out, TTL has drawbacks: the major one being that it’s not perfect. Its measuring is finicky. If you always aimed your viewfinder at an 18% grey surface you would be fine, but the meter is in evaluative mode, and on top of that it has an undocumented bias toward the focus point. All that means that if I focus on a black area I get grey (too bright), and if I focus on a white area I also get grey (too dark). So I need to use flash exposure compensation. And check the back of the display frequently.

TTL’s pluses, then, are:

You can use it anywhere, any time.
You do not need to meter or set anything.
You can do it when the subject varies.
You can bounce off varying surfaces, like when you shoot an event and both you and the subjects are constantly moving around.
You can exceed your camera’s flash sync speed by using “fast flash” (“auto FP flash”in Nikon terms)
You can use any modifiers you like

And its minuses:

It can be infuriatingly inconsistent.
Your subject’s brightness makes a difference.
Reflections can spoil a picture by underexposing it.
You’ll need to do more post-production work, as in a fast-moving event, where the setup changes with each shot, quite a few images will be half a stop under or over.
You’ll even miss a few images.

So TTL is great when things are predictable, but it is also very useful when things are not predictable (like when you, and they, move).

Now let’s move to manual flash. Manual is the opposite to TTL: it is utterly predictable and consistent but you need to do all the work, and it is totally useless when you and the subject move.

So I use manual when:

I want consistency, and I can ensure that nothing moves (like in studio portraits).
I have time to meter.
The flash is just adding light, like an accent, or like fill on a sunny day, when the exact power level is not that important (if the flash were a bit under or over it would not make a material difference to the image)
I am using Pocketwizards, e.g. for outdoors shots – which will therefore need to be predictable.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the predictability of manual flash firing, not to mention the predictability of the use of Pocketwizards.

So in fact I shoot manual flash if possible, and if not, then TTL.

Do I sound like I am contradicting myself? No. Because I shoot events. And events mean I need to be on my feet in a constantly changing environment. And that is when TTL shines (pun intended). Every shot I am in a different room, and I bounce off different surfaces. So that is why I usually use TTL.

And when using TTL, it is all about knowing how it is going to react, and being able to solve the problems. That is what I teach in my courses (e.g. at Henrys School of Imaging, and in the all-day course coming up on 30 May, and in Las Vegas on July 12+13, and many more times in between). There’s a lot of problem solving, involving tools like:

Flash lock (FEL/FVL)
Fast flash
Flash compensation
Knowing exactly what it will do

Remember, while a setup shot has to be right, in a fast-moving event, the objective is to get within half a stop to a stop, as long as you shoot RAW. And believe me, this is eminently doable.

Another sample from Wednesday, where bright ambient light necessitated 1/400th second, which meant using Fast Flash:

Oakville's mayor Rob Burton and family

Snacks, also from Wednesday:

Snacks at a high-end reception

Do try to bounce, and use you camera on manual settings (flash is still measured). The following may work, but only if you are lucky:

Photographer using popup flash

I would like to see her shots, but I know they would be better if she used an external flash and bounced it off the ceiling behind her!

Ten Portrait Tips

Posted on May 20, 2010 by Michael Willems

Here’s ten important portrait tips for you today:

Use the right lens. A lens in the 35-100mm range is best (on a crop camera). A 50mm f/1.8 lens can be had very affordably, and this length (equivalent to 80mm) is great for headshots.
Think about your lighting. Natural light is best (from a north facing window). Avoid direct flash: when using flash, bounce it off a white or near-white wall or ceiling or use other modifiers or off-camera flash. Use a hair light when needed to separate a person from the background. Consider adding a splash of colour. Match the light to the mood, and realise that good light is all about the shadows.
Closest eye sharp. Ensure that the eyes are sharp. Nothing else needs to be sharp, but the closest eye in particular has to be in focus.
Think about the environment. If this is an environmental portrait, use a wider angle lens and show the subject interacting with, or surrounded by, that background. But if the background is not meaningful, blur it.
Get the Moment! Shoot a lot, so you will catch the right moment, not the cheesy expressions.
Catchlight: ensure the eyes show a little catch-light. If not, they look lifeless.
Off-centre composition: do not put your subject, or your subject’s eyes, in the centre of your photo: Uncle Fred does that. Instead, use off-centre composition (“the rule of thirds”).
Directing: never tell your subjects you are posing them: say “positioning” instead.
Positioning: Angle your subjects unless they are very thin. In multiple-person groups, make little groups, use a combination of “sit”, “stand” and “lean”, and use joiners to join the groups. having a subject lean into the camera is often flattering.
Props – consider using props that are meaningful (an author holding a book, for instance).

An environmental portrait sample:

Audio Expert Victoria Fenner in the studio

And another one: a headshot, but still environmental:

Christy Smith of Studio Moirae

And here’s a traditional headshot:

Army Reserves Private

There are of course legion more tips and tricks, but the above will get you going. There will be more tips coming!

If you want to learn more, and “hands on”, then come for a short, effective, course – send me an email to hear when and where. Like the all-day Advanced Lighting course on May 30 in Mono, Ont: there are still spaces.

Soon: review of the Honl Softbox

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Michael Willems

I have been using the Honl Photo Traveler 8 softbox, and will post a review soon: in the next week, if I can.

Here’s the softbox, packed in its optional traveling case:

Honl Photo Traveler 8 softbox

And here, unpacked, assembled, and attached to a speedlite:

As always, the convenience and sturdiness is what sets these Honl products apart. We can all do things in a thousand ways, but:

When your customer (or worse, your customer’s personal assistant or PR person) is tapping their fingers and getting visibly impatient and you know you have an hour to go to even set up your shoot, every second counts.
When you have to personally carry everything you use, every gram counts.
When it has to fit into bags, every fraction of an inch counts.
When you shoot for a living and hence throw things about, every bit of sturdiness counts.
And when you are far from home, every bit of reliability counts.

I think that is why I like these Honl products so much: it is obvious that Dave Honl lives in the same world as I do. And I suspect, the same world many of you live in. And no, Dave is not paying me for this; and yes, I plan to do more workshop together with him like the one I did in Phoenix in March: stay tuned.

But first, a review, soon, of the softbox, and some tips for its use.

Why use a hair light?

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Michael Willems

One of my favourite ways to use a light is a hair light. Add it to almost any picture to add some interest, contract, and separation from the background.

So you go from this picture of a very nice student in one of my classes recently:

A picture showing good lack of a hair light

Lacking a hair light

…to this subsequent picture of the same young lady:

A picture showing good use of a hair light

Using a hair light

Much nicer, no? And look, even the smile improves!

OK, I am kidding about t he smile. But the picture is better. A dark-haired person against a dark background particularly needs a hair light.

It is aimed directly at the subject from the back, usually diagonally. Use a grid (like the Honl Speed Grid) or a snoot for even more controlled light (like the Honl Speed Snoot).

Reiterated Trick

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Michael Willems

I mentioned this once before as an aside, but it is worth a post: a trick that tells you which flash is casting what light in your images.

Say I am lighting a person (like me) with a flash outside. Nice:

Subject lit with an off-camera flash

But how can I be sure this light is from the flash? I mean, is that really all the flash? Or is the subject in the sun? Or in a mix of light?

Solution: put a coloured gel onto the flash. Now you see:

Subject lit with an off-camera gelled flash

Ah. So it was the flash! Not only that – you can see exactly where it is -and importantly, where it is not – illuminating the subject.

Useful trick, eh? One more reason to always carry gels along with you.

Digital SLR Gotchas: Auto ISO

Posted on May 15, 2010 by Michael Willems

Auto ISO is a great feature, but use it wisely. Here’s when NOT to set your DSLR to “Auto”:

When using a tripod: you want low ISO then.
When shooting in a studio setting: same, low ISO
When using flash at events: dfoit yourself and select 400 or 800 as your starting point (and go higher if you need)
When shooting sports: your camera will go to a low ISO: you should go to 1,600 ISO instead.

My most expensive camera does not have auto ISO – you do not need it. I like having it, but I can live without it.

My starting points: 200 ISO outdoors, 400 indoors, and 800 in tough light (sports, museums). And then vary from there.

Pic of the day

Posted on May 14, 2010 by Michael Willems

And how would you like to take pics like this, shot about an hour or two ago on my way back home from day one of the excellent Henry’s Digital Imaging Show:

Oakville.com party in Oakville

How did I shoot this:

A Canon 1D Mark IV camera with a 16-35mm f/2.8 lens
The lens set to 16m (equals a “real” 22mm)
A flash on the camera set to -1 stop flash compensation
The camera set to -2 stops on the meter in manual (1/30th sec at f/4 if I recall correctly)
A Honl Photo half CTO gel on the flash
White balance set to “flash”

That’s how it’s done. Come to my courses and I’ll explain more!

Flash: TTL or manual?

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Michael Willems

Do I set my flash to TTL or manual?

Both.

TTL (fully automatic flash measuring) is a revolution, and you should use it whenever:

The subject moves
You move
You have little time
You use one flash on camera
You use multiple flashes but they are within eyesight of each other

Use it as is (your flash shows “TTL” on the back display), and do not forget to use Flash compensation to adjust to taste (or when shooting dark or light subjects).

I used TTL here, Sunday night (with -2 stops flash compensation, or it would have been too bright):

Berlin Nightclub in Oakville

Manual (your flash displays “M” at the back and you set the power level to 1/1, or 1/2, 1/4, etc) is useful in cases almost opposite to the previous, namely:

You and your subject are stationary
Things are predictable and you want full control
You have time to meter, try, and iterate
You use multiple flashes and they cannot see each other
You use Pocketwizards

You can even mix: use TTL for most flashes but fire small accent lights using Pocketwizards and manually set flashes.

Earlier that same Sunday night, when I had time, I used three speedlites set to manual and fired by Pocketwizards, here:

Berlin Nightclub in Oakville

You can probably see I also used some Honl gels: one red and one purple. And one flash was zoomed in to light the picture.

A good photographer knows both TTL and manual. Practice with both, and make them “your own”.

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Category Archives: Light