SOFTENING THE LIGHT

For these subsequent exercises that followed, I realised I needed some basic kits like light stands, tripods,diffusers, clamps, light sources and flash triggers. So i quickly bought some of these to continue with my projects. I  have been reading up on flash photography to understand the basics and how my speed light works. Initial attempts to use it proved to be frustrating.

In Understanding flash photography (Bryan Peterson,page 26), the following summary is made:

1. The aperture and only the aperture controls the amount of electronic flash light allowed to expose the picture.All flash exposures are 100% dependent on the right aperture being selected and the right flash to subject distance that corresponds to that aperture choice.

2. The shutter speed controls the amount that any ambient light is allowed to expose that same picture for which you are also using a flash.

In this exercise,, I set up a still life arrangement and using the speed light as the source of light and the umbrella as a diffuser, took two pictures to show the effects with and without the diffuser.

Image 1:ISO 1600,50MM,0EV,F/8,1/6, NO DIFFUSER

Image 2:ISO 1600,50MM,0EV,F/8,1/6, WITH DIFFUSER

I shot handheld and therefore had to increase my ISO to 1600 to get a faster shutter speed. From image 1 , we see that the image has strong shadows since it was shot without a diffuser which was a white umbrella. But when i put in the diffuser between the light source and the object, the resulting image 2 shows less shadows. My speedlight gave me a flash to subject distance of 3.7 feet using ISO 1600 and an aperture of f/8. I reduced my flash power to 1/8.

Image 3: Sketch to show the camera's position

Image 4: My Set-up

I was pleased with the results though it took me a little while to figure out how to properly set it up. I think with a knowlegdge of how to manipulate artificial sources of light, the creativity in me will be ignited.


CONCLUSION:

1. Light from artifial sources can be modified to create pleasing effects in a photograph.

2. I  now understand the role played by diffusers to reduce or eliminate shadows in a photograph.

3. The diffusers employed in reducing shadows could range from soft boxes and umbrellas to the ones even attached to my speed lights.
4. The inverse square law plays an important role in the amount of light that falls on an object. It states that as the flash-to-subject distance doubles, the light reaching the subject is only 25% of the original light that left the source.



References: Peterson, Bryan: Understanding Flash Photography, Page 26.