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Flash for Nature Photographers

NECCC - July 2003

SLIDES:

FLASH!

Flash example 1

Flash example 2

Flash example 3

Flash example 4

Flash example 5

Flash example 6

Improving Natural Light (No Flash)

Improving Natural Light (Fill Flash)

Creativity — Seeing Things Differently

Freeze Motion (Six Manual Flash Heads)

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Broad-billed Hummingbird

and ...

What We'll Cover Today

Part 1 – Flash Basics

How Far Will My Flash Reach?"

Light Falloff

The Inverse Square Law

Guide Numbers

TTL Flash

The Features to Look For

Caveats with TTL Flash

Elf Owl at night

Part 2 – Fill Flash

Flash Tip:

Eliminate Shadows with Fill Flash

Late Afternoon — Sidelight & Backlight

Flash Extender, Fill Flash, 300/2.8 + 2X

Foraging Laughing Gulls, Deep Shadows

Fill Flash, Flash Extender, 300/2.8 + 2X

Eggs on Tongue Frozen by Flash

Backlit Subject — No Flash

Flash Tip: Balance Foreground, Background

Fill Flash -2

Flash Tip for Canon EOS Users

Flash Tip for Nikon Users

Flash Exposure

Why not shutter speed??

What is Sync Speed?

Example 1: Speed = 1 Second

Example 2: Speed = 1/1000 Sec.

What is Maximum Sync Speed?

First Curtain Sync

Normal (First Curtain) Sync

"Second Curtain"/"Rear Curtain" Sync

The Problem of Sync Speed

High-Speed Sync

Sidelight — No Fill

Sidelight — Fill at TTL -1

High Speed Sync Mode — Fill -1, f/2.8

High Speed Sync Mode — Fill -1, f/2.8

Flash Tip:

Yellow Wagtail with fill flash - Nome, AK

Bar-tailed Godwit with fill flash - Nome, AK

Part 3 – Equipment Options

John Shaw on equipment:

MOVE IT!!!

Off-camera Flash

Off-camera Shoe Cord

Connectors for Multiple Off-camera Flash

Wireless Multiple Off-camera Flash

Flash Tip:

The Visual Echoes Flash Extender

Putting the Flash Extender on a Flash

Flash Brackets — For Telephoto & Macro

Collar lenses can be rotated, and the flash stays upright.

Lift Your Flashes to New Heights!

Power to the People!

Alkaline Batteries

Nickel Metal Hydride

Lithium Batteries

The High-Voltage Advantage

High Voltage External Battery

Flash Recycle Times

Total Flashes

Battery Weights

Quantum High-Voltage Packs

Part 4 – Macro and the Outdoor Studio

Edward Weston:

Tabletop

Advantages of Flash for Macro

Flash Tip: Use a Light Modifier

A Micro Softbox for Your Hotshoe Flash

Two TTL Flashes, Diffusers, 108/3.5 Macro

Controlled Conditions

What Can We Learn from Portrait Photographers?

Various Clamps & Arms for Mounting

Flash for macro stop-action

Flash for captive mouse

Studio flash for captive snake

Studio flash for captive gecko

Stop action flash for Horned Lizard

The Digital Advantage

Consider Studio Flash Indoors

Part 5 – Hummingbirds

What You'll Need

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Step Into the Outdoor Studio

Four Hotshoe Flashes

How Fast is Fast?

Freezing Motion: Putting the Flash! in Flash

Flash Tip: Turn Your Hotshoe Flash into a High-Speed Flash

Controlling Flash Output — and Duration

Low Power = Low Duration

How a Flash Works

Non-dedicated flash units are economical for hummingbirds

Vivitar 283 + VP-1 Vari-Power Module

Add a Wein Peanut slave

Lightstands for Support

Mini Ballheads for Holding Strobes

Flowers positioned in front of the feeder

From the camera, the feeder is hidden.

Using a Flash Meter

Combination Flash/Ambient Meter

Meter the light level where the bird will be

Set up the Background

You photograph the bird "visiting flowers."

Make Friends with a Hummingbird!

Angle of the iridescent gorget is critical.

Position lights close to the lens axis.

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Violet-crowned Hummingbird

Hummingbirds of Costa Rica

The End