Examples of Ambient Light Manipulation with "Priority" Modes

[bono]

I shoot flash shots in Manual. I usual set the shutter any where between 60 and 200 depending on focal length (I prefer 60). I then meter for the background as if I weren't using a flash to set my aperture. Then the E-TTL will set the flash exposure for the subject.


The shutter has little effect on the flash. Shooting at f/1.4 is going to give you very shallow depth of field which is going to blur out any background you are trying to light. If you are shooting more than one person, you will never get then both in focus. It almost negates using a flash.
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Keith: Yes, I think M would be the ideal choice.


Steve: In your example, the Tv "priority" worked because your lens can open no more than f/1.4. I think in the first example, if you had a little bit more light on the box, with Tv at 1/30, the camera would have automatically set the aperture at something like f/4. Then, with every change in the speed you make, the camera would have automatically compensated by making the lens faster and faster. The background, therefore, will not change as you wish.


However, I found great value in your idea. That is, let the flash deal with your subject's exposure and use M to control the DOF, the movement of your subject and the background (think of something like a kid playing piano near the window). That's what Keith shared with us. Thanks, Keith!

[Steve Eisenberg]

There are a number of ways to force underexposure, which was what I was doing to make a point about the quality of light. And how it would affect the mood of the picture...


One can use Manual Mode for every photo, but Tv and Av allow you set certain variables, and force the camera to work with those only.