2009/68: The One With Fill Flash
Michael assured me recently that using fill flash was easy. I had never tried it before, so I took my subject outside onto my covered porch, and tried it out…. and wouldn’t you know it, it was easy! Now I just need to remember to use my flash more often. I even used the Gary Fong Lightsphere with it.
The Daily Click 
Oh, do tell. I’ve read so much about fill flash but don’t know where to start. Was the flash aimed right at it? Settings?
Looks awesome, I never would’ve guessed you used flash.
9. March, 2009 at 06:31
Thanks, Doreen!
Fill flash always scared me because I thought the subject would look too flashy, but I really like how this turned out… although I do see some shadows on the inside of the flower, but that probably would have been the case if the flower was out in the sun.
Settings…. taken with the 60mm macro, cloudy fong attached to speedlite.
f/8, 1/250s, ISO 200
Speedlite was set to TTL BL (automatic balanced fill flash… I think that’s the same as iTTL?) and flash output-level compensation was set to +1 (not sure if that makes a difference?)
The flash was pointed straight up.
As you can see, I’m still not quite sure of what I’m doing LOL. I definitely need more practice!
9. March, 2009 at 07:02
Beautiful!
9. March, 2009 at 07:43
Darn that Michael is smart! Beautiful, just beautiful.
9. March, 2009 at 07:59
looks great to me. I need to practice fill flash more often as well. F8 for this huh… wow… maybe that is why me and macro don’t get the same results as you… I am going to play around with my f/stop some and see what happens
9. March, 2009 at 08:15
Play with the power setting when using fill flash. I find -1.0 a good starting setting and add/subtract from there.
In bright sun, fill flash helps to open up those shadows.
9. March, 2009 at 08:19
This is great!
Always inspiring me to try new things 🙂
9. March, 2009 at 09:00
that looks great!!! I really need to work on this too.
9. March, 2009 at 10:11
You done good here. You’d ahrdly know there was flash used. that’s the way it is supposed to be.
I find that I use fill quite often with flowers along with a diffuser like the LumiQuest Softbox (probably very similar to the Lightsphere).
And as Scott said, I usually hang around FEC -1.
9. March, 2009 at 18:02
I love this! Do you use a 50mm?
9. March, 2009 at 18:27
Thanks everyone!
Shelle, I don’t have a 50mm. The closest is my 60mm macro.
Michael, would you like me to fix that typo for you and add the A to the end of “Michael”? 😉
Ed, I think I’ll be using the flash/fong with flowers more often now, it seems to bring out the details more.
9. March, 2009 at 18:46