Jack Carlson Photography

DIY Challenge #5 — Indoor Flash

DIY Photo Challenge # 5–Flash

Jack Carlson, Photography Instructor

jack@jackcarlsonphotos.com

When using any type of flash (in camera or external) remember to change the White Balance to Flash. Don’t rely on “AWB”. Light from a flash tube—either in-camera or external—can be softened by using a bounce card.  One can easily be made by using a rubber band to attach a white paper or index card to either the flash tube on your camera or the head of your external flash.

  

Wrong flash position creates nasty shadows.

     Image 1 Set-up Steps

  1. Find an indoor subject that’s made of glass. 2.Set ISO to either 400 or 800 3. Set WB to Flash. 4. Use a rubber band to secure a white card behind the flash. 5. Bounce light to soften it on an inside subject. 6. All other decisions are yours to make.

    External flash to the rescue.

 

Angle camera & flash to prevent reflections

Image 2

This subject is also inside but will be behind glass such as a curio cabinet. Move the subject to the front of a shelf so that it’s completely visible while still inside the cabinet.  Allow enough time to find one that will benefit from additional light. Follow steps listed in Image 1.

Your goal for both images is to add just the right amount of light. This challenge coulg be just that, but will go by in a ….. (No, it won’t stop just because we’re not in the Plant Science Lab.)

Once you have taken both pictures   Attach both images in jpeg format to an email and send to jack@jackcarlsonphotos.com.

New Rule

  1. Images may be from any place where you need to add light from a flash.

  2.  Old Rule I know what some of you are thinking, but no dice: POST-PRODUCTION IS STILL NOT ALLOWED for the images you send since it’s the same instructor. 

 

 

 

Filed Under: DIY Photo Challenge

Weekly Photo Tip

Get outside even when the weather is not your friend

 

Gray days create a sense of softness.

PROBLEMS: Lack of Sun, abundance of moisture 

Current spring days often suffer from a lack of sun and (often) rain. This does several things to the light level of any scene:

–the overall light level is flat –shadow areas block up without light  –the entire scene may have a boring sameness

Solution: Dial up creativity and reach for a polarizing filter

Here’s what to do in this situation:

                        –allow enough photo time to find contrasting areas of a scene where flowers have added color

                        –a slight overexposure will add some detail to shadows OR add light by bouncing light from an external flash on to a large white card

                        — increase depth-of-field when photographing large areas

–use a polarizing filter to saturate the small amount of color that exists in the scene OR  think small

— use a close-focus setting or macro lens to capture water drops on petals or images reflected by water on newly-emerging leaves

–look for single leaf on a branch, then fill the frame with it

–consider shooting in monochrome mode if your camera has that provision OR take out the color when you’re on the computer back at the ranch

In any light level:

–use moderate ISO setting (100 or 200 best, 320 ok, 400 if you must and have no camera support) and turn off auto focus

                      

 

Read more tips

About Jack

A classically trained musician since childhood, Jack Carlson always had the “ear” of an artist. It was only a short step to develop the artist’s “eye” as well.

The portfolio of this certified photographer reveals images that emphasize mood and composition. Their purpose is to present a feeling in addition to portrayal of person, place or thing. Sometimes that feeling is nostalgia; other times it is serenity.

Each photograph tells a story.