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How do you use off camera flash [metz 44 af1] on an ivory and gold wedding dress?

caj26
Posted 28/09/2016 - 09:06 Link
My daughters getting married next month.With a months notice! I need some advice please. I know exposing for wedding dresses is tricky and would like some help and advice.Thanks.
Chrism8
Posted 28/09/2016 - 09:13 Link
If your balancing flash with daylight, set you max sync speed on the camera then set F8 on the camera and go for say 1/2 power on the flashgun, if over or under exposed to taste, either move the flash closer ( more exposure ) or further away ( less ) or dial in more power to suit or reduce the aperture ( F5.6 ) or increase it ( F11 )

Once you've got the setting correct, keep that distance and power and you'll get good balanced exposure all the time in similar conditions
Chris

www.chrismillsphotography.co.uk

" A Hangover is something that occupies the Head you neglected to use the night before".

-------------------------------------------------------------
K1 - Sigma 85mm F1.4, Pentax DFA 150 -450 F4.5 / 5.6, Pentax DFA* 24 - 70 F2.8

Samyang 14mm F2.8, Pentax DFA* 70-200 F2.8

K3iii + K3ii + K5iis converted to IR, Sigma 17 - 70 F2.8, Pentax 55 - 300 F4.5 / F5.6 PLM
cardiffgareth
Posted 28/09/2016 - 10:03 Link
What Chris says ^^

Remember when working with flash, the shutter speed has no effect on the flash as it strobes on and off in a thousandth of a second, it only effects the ambient lighting. Depending on the time of day you may want to drag the shutter longer to let more ambient light in, for instance on the dance floor, first dance, sunset portraits etc.

Don't try and change too many variables at once as it'll be an overload and if goes wrong you won't know why. Shooting a wedding dress next to a black suit is a nightmare exposure wise. Ideally you're looking for an exposure that retains shadow detail in the suit and slightly dulls the wedding dress so in post production you can then bring the brightness back in without blowing the highlights. It's impossible to have an exposure out of camera that is correct for the suit, skin and the dress. Always think highlights, highlights, highlights as shadow detail can be brought back.

If she shadows are clipped slightly I wouldn't worry. There is a fashion to have very warm images with contrast and clipped shadows which can work if the image suits.
Gareth Williams ARPS

My outfit: K1ii - Pentax D FA 24-70mm f2.8 - Pentax DA* 300mm f4 - Pentax modified DA* 60-250mm f4 - Irix 15mm Firefly - Pentax FA 35mm - FA 50mm f1.4 - Tamron SP 90mm macro - Pentax AF 540 FGZ II

Welsh Photographer
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McGregNi
Posted 28/09/2016 - 12:07 Link
Yes ! Your highlight metering is the most important thing .... Bright dresses with shine will play havoc with your auto metering, leading to underexposure when close in and blown highlights when further out.....

I would fix everything in manual, both camera and flash exposures. Zoom in to the dress only, exclude everything else, see what the camera thinks,, then add exposure value as needed to pull the highlights up towards the right edge of the histogram. You're probably talking around plus 1 or plus 1.5 stops for that sort of dress you described. Include the flash as well to get the power right for this correct highlight exposure.

Once that's fixed you know your key subject is correctly exposed no matter what zoom setting you then use, so long as the subject stays in the same light and your flash to subject distance remains the same.

I'm really talking here about static, more organised shots..... For the dynamic, moving around ones, then you might want to go to on -camera bounced flash, and I would switch to P-TTL and juggle with flash compensations. The ambient exposure can remain fixed in manual, that usually works well.

Set up the dress if possible and practice this stuff now, try to simulate similar might conditions you will have, just to get quicker and efficient at getting it all set up.
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
Edited by McGregNi: 28/09/2016 - 12:10
stu62
Posted 28/09/2016 - 21:36 Link
McGregNi wrote:
Yes ! Your highlight metering is the most important thing .... Bright dresses with shine will play havoc with your auto metering, leading to underexposure when close in and blown highlights when further out.....

I would fix everything in manual, both camera and flash exposures. Zoom in to the dress only, exclude everything else, see what the camera thinks,, then add exposure value as needed to pull the highlights up towards the right edge of the histogram. You're probably talking around plus 1 or plus 1.5 stops for that sort of dress you described. Include the flash as well to get the power right for this correct highlight exposure.

Once that's fixed you know your key subject is correctly exposed no matter what zoom setting you then use, so long as the subject stays in the same light and your flash to subject distance remains the same.

I'm really talking here about static, more organised shots..... For the dynamic, moving around ones, then you might want to go to on -camera bounced flash, and I would switch to P-TTL and juggle with flash compensations. The ambient exposure can remain fixed in manual, that usually works well.

Set up the dress if possible and practice this stuff now, try to simulate similar might conditions you will have, just to get quicker and efficient at getting it all set up.

what this guy dont know about flash photography you could wright on the back of a postage stamp so realy theres nothing i can add lol
McGregNi
Posted 28/09/2016 - 22:04 Link
Well Stu I think there might be a range of opinions around here about that ! I wouldn't like to push it too much

I love to read books and articles on flash, I soak it all up and try it out for myself when I get the opportunity, and of course I like to regurgitate it all on the forums as well

The biggest obstacle we 'enthusiasts' face with flash is getting the chances to shoot things at the times when a model is available or family member willing, or an event is happening, and we can actually be there with enough time to set things up and test it all before everyones limited patience has expired! Well, I find those aspects to be the biggest challenges. Having the technical side of it well practised and the equipment working properly is only the start ..... but its critical because without that you can forget about having any opportunity to try being creative.

Unfortunately, I find, so much published material about flash photography is way over the top in terms of what a single non-pro person can do ....so much of it is pie in the sky sort of stuff.... you know, you get a few paragraphs on, say, a main light and a fill light ..... then the guy gives you a full page spread showing his studio fashion shoot with 5 models, 7 different lights with full panel grids and barn doors sprouting everywhere, with a football team of assistants holding everything in place while he happily clicks the shutter !

I like to focus on the realistic stuff, what I can do myself with my Pentax equipment and small amount of flash gear to help improve the lighting balance and try and improve my photos of family members indoors and out, plus things like close ups and forest shots.
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
Edited by McGregNi: 28/09/2016 - 22:12
Chrism8
Posted 29/09/2016 - 09:48 Link
This was shot yesterday under some trees, with sunlight coming in from over the left shoulder of the model, so used a Metz 64 AF1 on 1/2 power on a stand about 8ft away with the built in diffuser and zoomed to about 50mm. I then shot at about 90 deg to the light.

Shot at ISO 100, lens at F2.8 and a 150mm prime

Comment Image
Chris

www.chrismillsphotography.co.uk

" A Hangover is something that occupies the Head you neglected to use the night before".

-------------------------------------------------------------
K1 - Sigma 85mm F1.4, Pentax DFA 150 -450 F4.5 / 5.6, Pentax DFA* 24 - 70 F2.8

Samyang 14mm F2.8, Pentax DFA* 70-200 F2.8

K3iii + K3ii + K5iis converted to IR, Sigma 17 - 70 F2.8, Pentax 55 - 300 F4.5 / F5.6 PLM
Edited by Chrism8: 29/09/2016 - 10:01
cardiffgareth
Posted 29/09/2016 - 09:50 Link
Yeah, I read / watch loads of videos with cool flash images, most are easy to replicate, low light, dragged shutter, speedlight in a softbox / shoot through octo brolly on a lighting stand high up BUT! Then you see the cut back image and there's an assistant holding the lighting stand in place! Grr! Must invest in a good boom arm!

If you're new to flash, don't shoot with it square face on. It's very directional and will produce very harsh shadows and wedding photography is about soft lighting, plus face on will give you red eyes, which after a few beverages will be huge!

Stofen sell a diffuser that will help if you have to shoot face on, although I have the same flash as you and use the stofen on the flash with the head angled 45 degrees up so it's soft feathered light.

Stofen diffuser
2oAAOxysstSVS-U">http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sto-Fen-Omni-Bounce-For-Metz-44-AF-1-48-AF-1-50-AF-1-5...

Cheaper option
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pixco-Universal-Flash-Diffuser-Soft-Box-for-Canon-Niko...

If you watch any videos by Photigy etc you'll see that having a flashgun or having a studio head is great but unless you modify the light that comes out of it so that it softens it then you're not using it to it's full potential. That could be as simple as bouncing the light up or bouncing off a white wall (excellent as this replicates window light so the wall turns into a huge light source of diffused light)
Gareth Williams ARPS

My outfit: K1ii - Pentax D FA 24-70mm f2.8 - Pentax DA* 300mm f4 - Pentax modified DA* 60-250mm f4 - Irix 15mm Firefly - Pentax FA 35mm - FA 50mm f1.4 - Tamron SP 90mm macro - Pentax AF 540 FGZ II

Welsh Photographer
Flickr
Instagram
My PPG
Foundation NFT
caj26
Posted 12/10/2016 - 07:44 Link
Thanks everyone, going to try to practice today and not annoy the bride🙃 The wedding is Saturday 😱
caj26
Posted 29/10/2016 - 18:02 Link
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caj26
Posted 29/10/2016 - 18:03 Link
Thanks guys!

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