C&C for First Time Shoot

[MrGreenBug]

Just got myself a 580EX II hours before this shoot and I'm totally new with this flash. Used it bare and as is. Though I think I adjusted FEC by +1. Here are two of my best (IMHO) I was hoping you can give your C&C and probably some tips and notes for improvement. Post-processing was very minimal.


Thanks for viewing.


50mm, f/8, 1/125sec, ISO 200 (We were able to use this photo as an invitation layout where the blank space was used for the invitation details)





50mm, f/2.8, 1/80 sec, ISO 200





Thank you!

[Rodger]

Mr. Greenbug,


They look great. Honestly. I never would have guessed you picked up that light only a few hours before hand. I'm assuming you're working with it on camera which is cool. Off camera comes later


Right off the bat, it looks like you know what you're doing. (which is good because I don't know what I'm doing half the time! haha). I see no hard shadows which leads me t believe that you bounced the flash off the ceiling or wall. (I'm betting on wall, because I see some variations in the light gradient from side to side. Let me know if I'm right! )


The posing is nice in both photos too! It's hard focusing (pun very much intended) on more than one aspect of a shot at a time. My posing went to crap when I introduced intentional lighting to my shots.


Good job!


- Rodger

[MrGreenBug]

They look great. Honestly. I never would have guessed you picked up that light only a few hours before hand. I'm assuming you're working with it on camera which is cool. Off camera comes later


Right off the bat, it looks like you know what you're doing. (which is good because I don't know what I'm doing half the time! haha). I see no hard shadows which leads me t believe that you bounced the flash off the ceiling or wall. (I'm betting on wall, because I see some variations in the light gradient from side to side. Let me know if I'm right! )

Hi Roger! Thank you. Yes, they're on camera. Off camera will definitely be my next target. Well, I really don't know yet what I'm doing but reading a lot of things in here (TDP) has helped me a lot grow in this hobby. As I am unable to finance yet myself to go and take some classes, my motto is to read, read, read, practice, practice, practice, read, read, read..


For the first photo, I believe I bounced it off from a ceiling not too high but was on an angle towards the subject. The second photo was bounced of from a wall. Color of wall cast its color on subject.

The posing is nice in both photos too! It's hard focusing (pun very much intended) on more than one aspect of a shot at a time. My posing went to crap when I introduced intentional lighting to my shots.

I did find it a bit hard to take good photos as I was thinking too much. I mean, I have to consider additional factors like how much light should be thrown (though I believe E-TTL did that for me) unlike before when I think of compo, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, direction of ambient light. Oppsss.. let's not forget about focus.


It was a nice experience to just jump into the water and learn to stay afloat.


Thank you again, Rodger for your comments.


-- Angelo

[Sean Setters]

I agree with Roger...very good use of on-camera flash (bouncing off of large areas). The bouncing flash strikes the subject with a delicacy that works very well here. Certainly well done!

[MrGreenBug]

Hi Sean! I really admire your photos here and in your Flickr account. Thank you for the vote of confidence on my first experience with this type of photography -- flash + people. []


Don't you think that the first photo is a tad dark?


-- Angelo

[Sean Setters]

Don't you think that the first photo is a tad dark?

A tad, yes...but I think looks even darker because of the brightness of the second picture. Boostthebrightness of the first picjust a little in post and thetwo picswill look more even.

[Brendan7]

I think those are great Angelo, especially how you used camera tilt in the second one. Great use of flash.


brendan

[Sheiky]

Good shots Angelo! You get better results than I had after so little time, better yet I still can't use a flash properly [:P]


The first one is a little on the dark side at the left. You can't really see much detail in that part of the hair. But that's only a tiny detail which doesn't bother me at all to be honest.


Good work! [Y]


Jan

[MrGreenBug]

A tad, yes...but I think looks even darker because of the brightness
of the second picture. Boostthebrightness of the first picjust a
little in post and thetwo picswill look more even.

Thanks again, Sean! I'll try to adjust the brightness of the 1st pic once I get off from work. []

I think those are great
Angelo, especially how you used camera tilt in the second one. Great
use of flash.


brendan

Thank you very much, Brendan!

Good shots Angelo! You get better results than I had after so little time, better yet I still can't use a flash properly [img]/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img]


The first one is a little on the dark side at the left. You can't really see much detail in that part of the hair. But that's only a tiny detail which doesn't bother me at all to be honest.


Good work! [img]/emoticons/emotion-21.gif[/img]


Jan
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Thanks Jan! I agree, the first pic is a bit dark.. I only noticed this when they printed it out. I thought to myself, I could have done better than that and I'm sure you can too learn how to use your flash properly. []


Well, it's read, read, read time of the manual for me. []


Thank you again everyone for the positive feedback. You're all my mentors.

[Sheiky]

and I'm sure you can too learn how to use your flash properly. [img]/emoticons/emotion-1.gif[/img]

I know, soon I might try some more [8-|]

You're all my mentors.

Well you're my mentor as well [H] Isn't that just great?