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

Select a theme–then shoot for it

Barn looks quite old in color shot.

Recently, I was at an old farm that has been re-purposed into a perennial flower center. All flowers are grown on the property which make them about the newest things you’ll find there. The “old” concept works well when associated with black and white (or monochrome) images, so I decided this photo tip would be how to shoot subjects that are older than you. For comparison, take the shot in color, then convert to mono when you’re back at the ole computer if you can’t shoot directly in b+w.

Mono adds “age” to subject.

Depending on the subject, the term “old” can have different definitions as these call boxes denote. Age can be a relative term that’s determined by time.

State of the art travel until sometime in the 1950’s.

Life before mobile phones is “old”.

 

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.