Cross Flash Effects, Outdoor flash photography

[X360KBaller]

DID he call it a COLD Shoe, its a HOT shoe lol

[dombower]

@X360KBaller you might want to double check that. its a hot shoe if it has electricity going through it like if it is on the camera but if it is off camera… its cold.

[Darw1n1st]

How come your out with only a shirt? Is it that mild where you live? i thought you were somewhere in the U.K.

[orangeadvan]

fantastic effect. now if you excuse me, i'll be doing a little experimenting of my own.

[misharussia9470]

is that a tokina lens on your nikon ?! Which one?

[DeejayyPuBLK]

for a photographer you sure move your camera ALOT while making your video.

[babeeshan9]

Ok, i can see that you have a lens adapter on your camera, right?

[jubjuber1]

wow the nikon setup for flashes seems so much better than what i use on canon (7d and a 580exII)

[ziggy149]

You just blew my mind. I haven't started messing with flash yet. Looks like I need to start thinking about it or better yet, doing it. Need to do some more research though, but this gives me a great idea of what's possible.

[hyperfocus2011]

@ziggy149 just easier than carrying bulky lights arounds!

[blickblocks]

This was a good one! I use a 4 head strobe system in my studio but I'm wanting to get more experience modeling light outdoors. It seems like much more of a creative challenge. Your videos have taught me a lot, thank you!

[VTC1000HP]

your so fucking professional :D

[jerlin007]

i got dizzy. lol.

[mensatic]

I love the effect. A sunny day ends up looking like night, but with sun flare. Cool! Nicely done. Oh, and I love your accent. :)

[DoomsDayAngel]

OMG you're hawt! ;) LOL

[hristijank2]

i like it when photos look dark at full bright day, or photos look like taken at daylight with long exposure at night :) it is a very creative way to take photos (either you can only take photos of ppl who are rock solid sleeping xD at night)

[katastihon]

Question: If I shoot the blades of a cooler with a sutter speed at 1/60sec and aperture of f5.6.. with the build-in flash of a camera.. the blades freezez.. when I shoot with the same settings on camera but no flash.. the blades ar in motion.. Why? The flash is affecting the shutter speed?

[aemravan]

does the exposure look different between the two? im assuming the flashed picture is a bit brighter?

but anyway, here is the answer, no, it doesnt affect your shutter speed, but you have to realize that the camera sensor sees images as light. Well, the flash only lasts for a fraction of a second... im not quite sure on the number but its really shot-lived, so basically your sensor only sees the blades during the very short burst of light, which is MUCH faster than 1/60 of a second.

[medped74]

Just wondering, if you increased your shutter speed to your max sync speed eg. 200 or 250, you probably could have got a larger aperture, and less work for flashes for quicker recycle times and saving battery power. Was there a reason you picked 125 for this demonstration?

[disruptfam]

So the reason your shooting in the shade is because the sb900 are not powerful enough to overpower the sun right?

[bhannahson]

you sound like shrek

[fatihgms]

wow! that is crazy! in fact i can say that this is real Digital Photography. thanks for idea. Pls ,capture your video professional as well.

[dannyOdr]

Really informative videos! thanks so much

[vinesboyseventysix]

man that is so cool! day into night.....incredible.

thanks for posting, cant wait to play with mine once it arrives.

good luck

[tartredarrow]

Flashes are affected by shutter speed, but only if your shutter speed exceeds the flashes sync speed.

[dombower]

@tartredarrow many cameras wont let you go above the sync speed, only clever nikon speed lights do. this tutorial is about flash, not just about speedlights, a new video will be coming up soon relating to this one

[eecckkaann]

@dombower Canon flashes do aswell

[eecckkaann]

@dombower Canon flashes do aswell

[xtysonboswellx]

He's stopping down in order to expose for the flash which has been set to be far more intense than the ambient light...

[crispycritterz]

This is a handy technique for shooting what was once called "day-for-night,"

[KeijinShiho]

ambient light is removed with shutter speed.

[dombower]

@KeijinShiho and aperture

[KeijinShiho]

@dombower no aperture controls the intensity of all light sources whether it be from a flash or environment. Have a flash at 1/2 power and shoot into a dark/no light room. Whatever your shutter speed, the exposure is the same ensuring there is no ambient light. Change the aperture and you will see the flash exposure go up or down. You cant dispute light transmission. I work with film and so I know how to not mess up my photo using natural and flash photography.

[dombower]

@KeijinShiho are you agreeing or disagreeing? as you state "Aperture controls all light sources",....

and that is what i am saying, in your first comment you say ambient light is removed with shutterspeed, and i add "and aperture". you then confirm this statement. so thanks. i guess

[KeijinShiho]

@dombower to say that aperture mainly controls ambient light is wrong. Aperture controls the intensity of the source. If you set the shutter to 250th/sec at f/8 to achieve MIR on subject, ambient is minimal/gone. You slow down the shutter, more light enters because of DURATION yet the exposure of the flash stays constant.

[dombower]

@KeijinShiho ambient light is controled by aperture, shutterspeed and (in terms of senor exposure) ISO Some flashes can only sync to 1/125th and if you already have your iso as low as possible then the only other options is a nd filter or stopping down the aperture, so again in reference to your first statement: "and aperture" as there is no mention of flash in your first post. I am still confused if you are agreeing or arguing as you make different points

[AkHarith67]

WOW I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS POSSIBLE! THANKS

[krc7878]

wow... i would have never thought of doing that...thank you soooo much...i will have to try it out soon... :)

[Santiagoyt18]

I do all the right set ups, but i just cant get my sb-900 to work properly wireless.I have a d90! can u tell me what i could be doing wrong??

[wakamoleee12]

That's Rad Bro~han!

Thanks for the Vid!

[jamesryanphoto]

here's the trick to using off camera strobes. set camera and flash to Manual

Set your apeture for the brightness of your subject and set the shutter speed to lighten or draken the background this will give you the most control over your pictures.

[MrKritzendorfer]

your videos are soooo nice and good explained! good job (Y)

[matsas16193]

How does the sb-800 works on the commander mode?

[arpachief]

@matsas16193

it works great as the sb-900

[Nikonpro5000]

Dude this is freakin great, you are awesome, keep it up bro.

[MrLallaboy]

what lens are you using?

[madiaz29]

@dombower Great Vids!.. Thanks for all the tips man!...

[dombower]

@madiaz29 no problem, lots of new videos on the new page, dombowerphoto

[ramian86]

Great videos. Learning a lot. Thanks!

[Puddi77]

Nice video, thanks for sharing!

[danewtl]

I now have a SB900 Flash and thinking about buying another to get those effects in most of your videos. There is a new SB700 launching and despite not knowing the price yet, it will definitely be more than the SB600. Question is whether it is necessary for me to get such a good flash as a 2nd/ 3rd flash or it is simply ok for a cheaper unit such as the SB400? Thanks

[dombower]

@danewtl i always say buy the best you can afford

[danewtl]

@dombower I do agree with you but at times thinking to get a couple in order to get the effects as shown in your video. So, buying a few SB900 is outta the question, get what i mean? That's y asking you whether the difference in range makes that much of a difference as a 2nd/3rd/4th flash unit :)

[danewtl]

jus wondering if the dark effect during day light is only achievable using manual setting on camera or it works equally on Aperture priority or Shutter Speed priority?

[dombower]

@danewtl using manual for me to control all the elements, i could have shot aperture mode and done a -3ttl exposure but it might still not have been as dark as i wanted it.

[danewtl]

@dombower you have been great and very helpful. Thanks

Learned a great deal from your videos

[dombower]

@danewtl thanks glad you enjoyed it, hope you check out my new channel dombowerphoto

[ptlofts]

Ive found this vid to be very useful. Many thanks.

[sillywabbit92]

i have a question

when you use you flashes as a slave and your pop up flash on your camera as the commander, will your pop up flash fire off with the other strobes thereby increasing the birghtness of the photo?

[jaypsns]

@dombower

I was commenting on what someone else had said, i know how aperture affects the ambient light, smaller aperture = less light getting to the sensor etc.

The comment was made towards "tigerspy44" who said the aperture controlled the flash :)

[dombower]

@jaypsns thank you for clearing that up, ill delete my comment so that there is not confusion, reading text of riiiigggghhht got a bit confused

[jaypsns]

@dombower

hah, no problem [:

I admit I could've made it a little clearer

fantastic little tutorial anyway :P

[dombower]

@rezrocknj you were not rude but you clearly don't understand. in that video he is explaining how to increase ambient light by increasing shutterspeed, the exact same can be done by making your aperture bigger.

BUY a book! and learn before commenting incorrectly

[rezrocknj]

@dombower While using flash if you meter for the face and you get f/8. According to what you are saying you can change f/8 to f/5.6 and the face won't get over expose but you'll get more ambient light? When using flash I know ambient light should be controlled by the shutter and aperture controls the exposure of the flash. What you are saying is true when shooting without flash.

[dombower]

@rezrocknj if you change your aperture your flash will not need to blast out as much power. going from f4 to f8 is a doubling of the power from the flash so that the exposure of object that the flash is hitting stays the same. but in doing so the ambient light will also half going from 4-8 meaning it will be twice as dark.

[rezrocknj]

@dombower Wait are you saying if I change from f4 to f8 on my aperture my flashes output changes?

[Kain987]

@dombower Well, actually from f4 to f8 there is a 2 stop difference (that means quadrupling the needed flash output (i.e. 2 more stops of flash exposure). Anyway, that aside, i noticed that you set your camera for 1/125. from my experience, i know it's better practice to set the camera at the highest sync speed (1/250 on a D300 if i'm not mistaken?) because it lets you open up the aperture another stop to keep the flashes from working overtime. Anyway, by all accounts, good vid :).

[dombower]

@Kain987 totally correct, I had it at 1/125 as i forgot the sb900 can sync up to 1/250 as i was using it in a studio earlier and the fastest was 1/125 but yes changing the shutter by that extra amount would mean i could have had the aperture at f16 instead of 22, givnig the flashes a bit of a break

[rezrocknj]

He is wrong aperture does not control ambient light. AT time line 3:04 he said Fstop22 cuts out ambient light. The shot is nice I have to admit that good affect. What is the syenc speed on your camera?

[dombower]

@rezrocknj yes it does! aperture and shutterspeed affect ambient light. shutterspeed does not affect flash. try learning flash photography before you make incorrect statements.

[rezrocknj]

He is wrong aperture does not control ambient light. AT time line 3:04 he said Fstop22 cuts out ambient light.

[dombower]

@rezrocknj it cuts out as much as possible, after you have reached your flash sync speed and lowest iso

[jarenwhitehouse]

@rezrocknj : How does aperture not cut out ambient light? ISO, aperture and shutter speed all affect ambient light. Flashes are only affected by aperture and ISO... maybe that's why you're confused?

[pedalman]

@jarenwhitehouse The f22 he used cut out the ambient light from around him thats why its dark like a vignette, the flashes were aimed at him thats why he is correctly exposed. If he had used say f18 the dark surrounding area would be lighter and lighter stll at f14 , f11, f8 etc until all the image would be evenly lit, I like the effect he got with his settings .

[The48thRonin]

@jarenwhitehouse Aperture does but the idea is to control flash with the aperture and if it is adjusted you will have to adjust your shutter speed to maintain the same ambient exposure (other wise it will affect both). This is how you can use aperture to control flash exposure. It's just the way photographers talk. Good Luck.

[hyperfocus2011]

@jarenwhitehouse WHAT???

[ImageXPhoto]

@rezrocknj

Actually, you can control ambient light by choosing a smaller aperture at a given shutter speed or iso setting. How can you say he is wrong when he just showed you the actual results of doing just that?

[kikinisyun]

@rezrocknj Actually you can. When on flash photography, max shutter speed can only go from 200th to 250th of a second maybe a little bit more in more expensive cameras. Otherwise your flash and your shutter will not sync. By adjusting the fstops to a bigger number, you are actually reducing the aperture to a very small whole blocking lots of light going it to your camera sensor. cheers! =)

[rezrocknj]

@kikinisyun he claims controlling ambient light with the aperture setting. Look again at the video his camera's shutter was @125 and I have the same camera and the sync speed is 200. If you drop the shutter from 200 to 125 your are letting in half more Ambient light. fstop 22 is controlling flash. Get a camera and try controlling ambient light at its sync speed with a camera. No matter what fstop is use. Ambient light was controlled by the shutter. This is flash photography not natural light

[rezrocknj]

@kikinisyun he claims controlling ambient light with the aperture setting. Look again at the video his camera's shutter was @125 and I have the same camera and the sync speed is 200. If you drop the shutter from 200 to 125 your are letting in half more Ambient light. fstop 22 is controlling flash. Get your camera and try controlling ambient light at your sync speed with your camera. no matter what fstop is use. Ambient light was controlled by the shutter.

[dombower]

@rezrocknj oh deer… I highly suggest you go watch my updated video I did just last week on my new channel dombowerphoto where i address your claims that ambient light is only controlled by the shutter. please comment on that new video

the link is x3B8pQWfBzA

[rezrocknj]

@dombower I don't understand the link

[dombower]

@rezrocknj if you dont understand the link then click on the video response below saying cross flash sunny day photography tip

[tigerspy44]

shutter speed controls available (ambient) light....aperture controls flash.

[dombower]

@tigerspy44 so you think aperture doesnt control ambient as well?

[hivewasp]

@dombower technically; aperture is the one photographers will use to control ambient light; but the shot in the video is quite not the same thing.  What you are doing there is overpowering the sun; if you want to do that exclusively from aperture; you'd need such shutter speed that you'd be out of the flashsync range.

[rezrocknj]

@dombower Yeah that pretty much how it work. Have you ever used a light meter? Watch that video I gave you... there is really no thinking about it.. it was demonstrated

[jaypsns]

@tigerspy44

Aperture. Controls. Flash. . . . . . . .Riiiiigghhhht.

Might wanna go look up your definitions again.

Anyway, nice little tut, could see this being incredibly dramatic with the flashes on full power, quicker shutter speed and tighter aperture. . . . . . . .or just increased contrast in pp.

[Spaeckli]

sorry I'm a beginner and don't want to criticize you but: you don't really have to put your camera in the shadow if you have a lens hood, but a biger lens hood and wide angle doesn't fit too, I don't know what lens you use so...

so with a bigger hood you could place it in the sun

right?

thx

[dombower]

@Spaeckli all depends on the position of the sun and the camera

[rezrocknj]

@Spaeckli I agree, but not all of us have a lens hood. I think that was good advice and move the camera to a shaded area if that was the affect he was going for. I would have tried both shots. to see which one cam out better. I really like his final results. 

[vince1485]

very informative sir. thanks for sharing....

[labilemind]

wow. amazing...

[MrRedoven]

but you could do that at night with a small aperture and a flash gun? 

[dombower]

@MrRedoven obvious

[ezrahumane]

This is freakin useful information Dom! Love your work and enthusiasm.

BTW are you using a manfrotto? If so which series. I like the way it goes way down to the ground.

[PurpleCorvette]

That was interesting, not familiar with using a flash I didn't expect that kinda of result. Great.

[matt160177]

I like the way the photo's look like they've bee taken in the dark. :)

I'm new to the dSLR photography, hoping to get the Canon eos 450d v-soon.

Nice work!

[JxOxTxSxB]

HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT.

[joey75220]

Hey, Dom....this was a great vlog! I don't have an SB 900 right now....just one SB800 (wished I'd bought another before they stopped selling it!) and one SB 600. I may buy and additional SB 600 later just so I can have three speedlights and have a bit more creative freedom. If you have an SB800, could you do some vlogs on it showing it in commander mode w/additional lights as the slaves? Thanks!!

[yumohvideo]

thanks Dom, really enjoying your vids on flash - I fiiiiiiiiinally get it!!!!! Your casual yet informative style really got through to me! I tried out your suggestions on the weekend and I got some winners of shots. Thanks heaps.

[katource1]

Good job on this video. If you could show some more on flash that would be great.

[MrChill111]

how you do it that you are sharp, although the remote release is on?

[dombower]

@MrChill111 no idea what you just asked

[MrChill111]

@dombower okay..^^ my english is not so good, and my 1. comment i've

made it with the google translator^^ sorry

[rezrocknj]

@dombower I think Mrchill111 was referring to. If you use a time or a timer release cable.

[iraqiboy90]

@dombower

I think what he means is: How does the camera manage to re-focus at you when it did already when you pressed the shutter-button and the timer started?

I have a EOS 500d and when I set it to timer, and press the shutter button, it already focused on the scene which I wasn't in. So how do I make it re-focus when the timer ends?

[dombower]

@iraqiboy90 you dont, you pre focus on the area you are going to be in, the set the focus to manual so it doesnt change.

[iraqiboy90]

@dombower

thanks, nice tutorials btw, even though I don't have more than 1 flash :D

[nerxboy]

@MrChill111 manual focus dummy..

[quiero3ver]

@MrChill111  i guess it´s the very small aperture used: 22

[AZNFlipy12]

@MrChill111 sorry i meant small

[Tortuga699]

Hello, if you could do an " how to shoot skateboarding in broad day light with a sb800 & sb25 " that would be great lol because Im having some issue on how to freez the subject. Seems like my flash are not powerful enough to overcome the ambiant light with a shutter of 1/200 or 1/250. I have a D80 & I fiered this via cactus v4. Maybe im doing this the wrong way. Anyway if you cant do it, no harm done. Have a nice day & keep posting!

[tony77tony77]

why don't u have it od TTL?

[dombower]

@tony77tony77 i could have but i just wanted to have more control and adjust the flashes manually

[tony77tony77]

@dombower good stuff there man!! thanks!!!

[QUEERYDOTCOM]

amazing

[arijit02]

Very Nice, what's the camera you were shooting with ?

[spaded]

@arijit02 nikon d300

[quickshooter100]

cold shoe! lolol :O)

[monopodi78]

Nikon has the CLS (creative lighting system) in their new cameras and flashes meaning infrared connection between each other. Good thing is that it's built in and the bad thing is that flashes has to be on-sight to the camera.

[dombower]

@monopodi78 its not through infra red, and it doesnt have to be in line with the camera as long as there is reflection.

[marcokad]

buddy, how do u manage to trigger the flashes without a wireless transmitter and receiver ?

[dorozina]

@marcokad CLS :)

[dombower]

@marcokad by using the cls system

[jonnyweston]

@dombower respect the don..... respect the family!

[QuestionMarkCo]

love your accent

[thanatosanima]

Can you do a tutorial on how to get cool flares that diffuse sideways (i dont remember the exact name)

[frommanhattan42]

A quite question, can you use E-TTL with off shoe flashes in this situation?

[dombower]

yes

[likeasnowball]

Really useful. Thanks

[zeroexcfg]

that looks awesome dude. I like the idea of using flash at daytime, because that's what I'm doing too :)

Great Vid.!

[Igotbadjoints]

Never seen that done....But not sure i need to. Interesting stuff Dom will, keep watching...Thanks..!

[Gasoak]

Certainly an eye opener for me.

[JAbrahamCollins]

great video and the photos are great.

They seem rather underexposed on this youtube video though.. maybe you can stop down less? f/16 should be just peachy, your histogram is evidence enough!

can't complain about your choice of speedlight position though, the results speak clearly.

[dombower]

the histogramme shows the lighting for all of the image, i want it to be dark, but the light on me is mostly correcly exposed.

[JAbrahamCollins]

now that I look again I can see clearly the effect you're going for.

cheers!

[pokteak]

wow, awesome tips!!!

[spankbutt123]

Haha i love the pic at 5:11

Anyways, good video Dom.

[logotgr]

Wow great tip and great result.

[mahamza86]

Sorry bro, I really am.

Won't happen again.

Awesome channel btw.

your vids are so informative yet alive, unlike many other dead ones.

Keep up the good work

[mahamza86]

Don you are turning me into a Nikon Fan

Nice vid

[usmcdevildoc]

Great tip Bro.

[fallenembers08]

Nice hat dom. :D

[Bzzzrrr]

Dom, your vidz rock. There is a lot of lame shit out here, but you're actually one of few that don't look nerdy. Keep on playing with your tools!

[lorikzzz]

hey dom , what does the zoom on the flash change ?

[dombower]

@lorikzzz it changes everything! your life, your opinions, your personality, you name it that is what the zoom will change...... but maybe not.. give it a try and find out

[lorikzzz]

LOL i haven't got a flash yet maybe on wednesday

[WHEATTHlNS]

Matches the focal length of your lens (or tries to). For example, if you had a macro lens on, and were taking portraits, the area of coverage would be quite different than for a 50MM so the flash head will "zoom" and concentrate the flash when in telephoto, and spread it out when your lens is wide. This way it isn't wasting power on areas of your "scene" that aren't going to show up in your photograph.

[darrkkidd]

Nice tutorial. Whats the name of the clip-on gel/filter holder on the speedlights?

[Pileofdiscs]

What cold shoe connection are you using. It looks very solid. Mine are way too flimsy for my metz guns.

[ZENENTH]

thx for sharing.

[Milau12341234]

nice

but my sb 900 doesn't work wireless :S

[dombower]

why not? mine do. all sb900 and 800 do. is yours broken? or do you not know how to use it?

[Milau12341234]

@dombower haha sorry had some beginner problems all good now

[robm1969]

Great Video,

you do such a great jog explaining

in plain english!

[dombower]

my pleasure glad you enjoyed it

[MeneM2Mateo]

Boy you do use your 11-16mm a lot don't you? Can I ask where you got your gels (look like it's a clip-on version, instead of velcro. And what kind of tripod do you use?

[fadydrums]

The aperture affects the amount of any ambient light in this case,by making all the light entering the camera from the direction the flashes r pointed at!! As dom said,when ur max sync speed((in my case it's 1/200)) is 1/350,u have to stop down the aperture !! Trying the same photo with a shutter speed of 1/350 without flashes will show the difference!It's true ,shutter affects the ambient light,but in this shot..u need to do both!

[selectiveinspiration]

"a very small aperture cuts out as much of the ambient light coming into the camera as possible"

It's the shutter speed that affects the ambient portion of a flash-lit photograph, not the aperture.

In a situation like the one you show adjusting the aperture will only impact upon the portion of the image that is lit by the flash

[dombower]

when you can only sync your shutter speed up to say 350th of a second (and the sun being so powerful that you would want it to be at 1/8000th of a second) then you have to start stopping down the aperture. you will also have to get the flash up to max power. indeed aperture effects the amount of flash light but as with mornal photography it also effects the amount of natural light coming in.