Rock Skool

[hhcanon]

As part of the Jubilee celebrations on Lindfield Common, the local Rock Skool put on a concert with all their budding talent. This was my very first attempt with my newly acquired 580 flash so comments very welcome. I noticed on one or two shots a rather harsh shadow, so youre input on how to stop this would be appreciated.

#1

Rock Skool #1 by Robin M Jones, on Flickr

#2

Rock Skool #2 by Robin M Jones, on Flickr

#3

Rock Skool #4 by Robin M Jones, on Flickr

[tesarver]

Re: Rock Skool

Nice Series. I have a 580 EX and when I use it, it is either off camera or on a bracket attached to the Camera to raise it a bit higher off the body. I then will either Bounce the flash if I can or use a mini-softbox over the flash to stop it down by 1 stop & defuse the flash.

Tom

[Les McLean]

Re: Rock Skool

Still a good set, although as you say, the shadows are a bit harsh, I normally use a stofen type diffuser to soften the shadows



I also tend to use fill flash , in this post I outlined the settings I generally use

http://www.eos-magazine-forum.com/showthread.php?11534-Haworth-War-Weekend-some-of-the-Gals&p=89039&viewfull=1#post89039

[hhcanon]

Re: Rock Skool

Thanks Tom and Les - great advice. Looks like another 'skill' Im going to have to get my head around. Picked up the 580 for £160 off fleabay, which I thought was a bargain. The guy did supply an ill fitting difusser, which I never thought to use - ho hum. I bought some eneloops for the flash, which are amazing.

[Petros]

Re: Rock Skool

I got one of these for Christmas - http://www.lastolite.com/ezybox-speedlite-softbox.php which does a pretty good job. I used it in Haiti for some indoor shots which are made difficult by the fact that he walls are usually unpainted cement blocks and the ceilings rusty corrugated steel - no chance with bounce whatsoever! Last year, harsh shadows from direct flash, this year soft, even lighting courtesy my new friend! Bit bulkier the plastic diffusers, but in a different class.

Peter

[hhcanon]

Re: Rock Skool

I got one of these for Christmas - http://www.lastolite.com/ezybox-speedlite-softbox.php which does a pretty good job. I used it in Haiti for some indoor shots which are made difficult by the fact that he walls are usually unpainted cement blocks and the ceilings rusty corrugated steel - no chance with bounce whatsoever! Last year, harsh shadows from direct flash, this year soft, even lighting courtesy my new friend! Bit bulkier the plastic diffusers, but in a different class.

Peter

Thanks Peter (hope you are well). I could live inside that softbox quite comfortably!
Regards-Robin

[tesarver]

Re: Rock Skool

The mini-Softbox I uses for my 580EX is the RPS Studio

Tom

[Thndr_strck]

Re: Rock Skool

These guys have some nice flash accessories as well

http://www.lumiquest.com/

[hhcanon]

Re: Rock Skool

Thankx for the sage advice chaps. I told myself some time ago I would not be spending anymore money!

[clikklik]

Re: Rock Skool

Robin, don't spend another penny, set your 580 to external flash metering, this lets you programme the camera settings ( ISO, and F stop) you are using into the flash, it works wonders, you may have to lie to the flash about the F stop, but once you get it right the fill flash is spot on with no shadows.
Hope that helps, instructions on page 30 of the 580 manual.

[tesarver]

Re: Rock Skool

Robin, don't spend another penny, set your 580 to external flash metering, this lets you programme the camera settings ( ISO, and F stop) you are using into the flash, it works wonders, you may have to lie to the flash about the F stop, but once you get it right the fill flash is spot on with no shadows.
Hope that helps, instructions on page 30 of the 580 manual.

Wow, learned something new. Thanks for that info.

Tom

[Trevoreast]

Re: Rock Skool

Hi Roger I think you’ve did pretty well with these.

TBH I find a lot of these daylight concert type shots quite challenging, to get the kind of shot I’m after.

As for the flash shadow, its always going to be a potential problem. Especially with the subjects close to the BG, there are ways to reduce it as other above have said.

Robin, don't spend another penny, set your 580 to external flash metering, this lets you programme the camera settings ( ISO, and F stop) you are using into the flash, it works wonders, you may have to lie to the flash about the F stop, but once you get it right the fill flash is spot on with no shadows.
Hope that helps, instructions on page 30 of the 580 manual.

Ian, that external metering thing, although based on old technology was re-introduced on the 580ex 11. I don’t know if the mark 1 has it ?

I gave it a try, TBH I didn’t find it gave me any advantage over ettl with the flash on the hotshoe.
Trev

[tesarver]

Re: Rock Skool

Robin, don't spend another penny, set your 580 to external flash metering, this lets you programme the camera settings ( ISO, and F stop) you are using into the flash, it works wonders, you may have to lie to the flash about the F stop, but once you get it right the fill flash is spot on with no shadows.
Hope that helps, instructions on page 30 of the 580 manual.

Hmmm, my page 30 is how to use the 580EX as a wireless Flash. Must have the Mark I model.

Tom

[hhcanon]

Re: Rock Skool

Hmmm, my page 30 is how to use the 580EX as a wireless Flash. Must have the Mark I model.

Tom

Ill have to look into this...lots to think about, thankx everyone for the input

[clikklik]

Re: Rock Skool

Trev, the way I understand it..... in ETTL the flash fires a pre-flash to measure how much flash is needed which the camera reads to get a correct exposure, in external metering the flash measures the reflected light and cuts off when it thinks there has been enough, as you say much like the old thyristor technology. In ETTL unless you use the camera in manual you are stuck with that exposure, if you alter any of the camera settings, aperture or shutter, the flash adjusts the power to give exactly the same exposure as before you altered the settings; in external metering the reflected flash is measured in "real time" which is ideal if the lighting conditions are constantly and quickly changing, like stage lighting. If I use the 580 for fill flash I can get fantastic results using external metering. Of course in ETTL you can use FEC to improve the results, I just find external metering very quick and simple to get the exposure I want, rather than an exposure the camera thinks is right. Having said that it boils down to what you feel comfortable with, and yes I am using the 580-EXii so sorry if that has caused confusion.