I don't have a big fancy hot-shoe mounted flash, so I haven't spent much time taking flash photos. I don't like the harsh shadows cast by the built-in flash on my camera while taking photos in low-light situations, so I have pretty much only used the flash as a fill-flash for heavily back-lit shots. I have always said my next project would be to learn how to take flash photos and the opportunity, well really necessity, presented itself.
My wife loves to cook and so I suggested she make a blog about cooking. Everyone knows that blogs are no good without pictures, so I get to take pictures of her dishes. I don't mind, but its difficult to take pictures of food when all you have is a built-in flash and a poorly lit apartment!
I tried putting the food in the window and getting natural light. That works pretty well, but sometimes I need a little more light. After reading a few ideas and trying some things of my own, I have found that a simple index card does wonders.
There are different ways to deal with the built-in flash. Two common ways are to diffuse the light or bounce the light. I have sort of figured out how to do both. If you put a piece of paper in front of the flash you will see that the picture turns out a bit warmer and the shadows are softer. You can experiment with different thicknesses. I found that index card is nice, since it's stiff and a good size. If you hold the card further from the flash, the shadows will get softer, because the card is reflecting some of the light in different directions. If you hold the card about and inch or two from the flash and angle it toward the ceiling, the flash will be diffused and bounced off the ceiling. You can also use a mirror to bounce the light, but if you used a card, you get bounce and diffusing. Turn the strength of your flash up or down as needed and put the camera on manual so you can get a good exposure.
No comments:
Post a Comment