Chapter 8: Working with Flash

With the EOS 60D, you have the option of using the built-in flash, which is handy in a variety of scenes and lighting situations, as well as the option of using one or more Canon EX Speedlites. You can also use the 60D as a wireless transmitter to fire one or more Speedlites, creating a lightweight and versatile portable studio.

In addition, you can control the built-in flash and one or more Speedlites directly from the camera menu, making it quick and easy to set up and use flash lighting. And you can control the settings as well as the Custom Functions for accessory Speedlites such as the 580EX II, 550EX, and 430EX II from the 60D’s Flash Control options (Shooting 1 menu).

Flash Technology and the 60D

Canon flash units, whether they’re built-in flashes or accessory EX-series Speedlites, use E-TTL II technology. To make a flash exposure using Evaluative metering, the camera takes a reading of the light in the scene when you half-press the shutter button. When you fully press the shutter button, a preflash is fired and read by the camera. The camera compares the existing and preflash readings to determine the best flash output, and then stores that information in its internal memory. The camera also detects when there is a difference between the existing and flash light readings, and assumes that the difference is the subject. If the camera detects areas where there are large differences in readings, it attributes them to a highly reflective surface, such as glass or a mirror, and ignores them when calculating the exposure.

During this process, the flash unit also receives information from the camera, including the focal length of the lens, distance from the subject, and exposure settings, and this information confirms if the subject distance from the flash reading is correct. The flash also automatically figures in the angle of view for the 60D given its cropped image sensor size. Thus, the built-in and EX-series Speedlites automatically adjust the flash zoom mechanism to get the best flash angle and to illuminate only key areas of the scene, which also conserves power.

To make a flash image, the camera’s reflex mirror flips up, the first shutter curtain opens and the flash fires, the image sensor is exposed to make the exposure, and then the second curtain closes.

The built-in flash offers coverage for lenses as wide as 17mm and a recycle time of 3 seconds.

Shooting with the built-in flash

The built-in flash is handy when you need a pop of fill flash for a portrait, or when you are in low-light scenes where you might not otherwise be able to get a shot without a flash. The built-in flash offers coverage for lenses as wide as 17mm and sync speeds between 1/250 and 30 seconds, and it recycles in approximately 3 seconds. Depending on the shooting mode you choose, Tables 8.1 and 8.2 show what you can expect when you use the built-in flash and the flash range estimates.

Table 8.1 60D Exposure Settings Using the Built-in Flash
Shooting mode	Shutter speed	Aperture
Program AE (P)	The 60D automatically sets the shutter speed in the range of 1/250 second to 1/60 second.	The 60D automatically sets the aperture. With flash use, you cannot shift, or change, the exposure in P mode.
Shutter-priority AE (Tv)	You set the shutter speed from 1/250 second to 30 seconds. If you set a shutter speed faster than 1/250 second, the camera automatically readjusts it to 1/250.	The camera automatically sets the appropriate aperture.
Aperture-priority AE (Av)	The camera automatically sets the shutter speed from 1/250 second to 30 seconds. You can determine the flash sync speed by setting C.Fn I-7 to either Option 1, 1/250 to 1/60 second, or to Option 2, 1/250 second fixed. The 60D uses slow-speed flash sync in low light so that the flash exposes the subject properly while the existing light registers with the slow shutter speed. If you use slow-speed flash sync, use a tripod with slow shutter speeds.	You set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed.
Manual (Ml)	You can set the shutter speed in the range of 1/250 second to 30 seconds.	You set the aperture manually. Flash exposure is set automatically based on the aperture.
Bulb (B)	Exposure continues until you release the shutter button.	You set the aperture.
Creative Auto (CA), Portrait, Close up, and Full Auto	The 60D automatically sets the shutter speed in the range of 1/60 second to 1/250 second.	The 60D automatically sets the aperture.
Night Portrait	The 60D sets the shutter speed between 1/250 second and 2 seconds. Given the potential for a very long exposure, use a tripod and ensure that the subject stays stock-still.	The 60D automatically sets the aperture.

Table 8.2 60D Built-in Flash Range
ISO sensitivity setting	f/3.5 (ft/meters)	f/4 (ft/meters)	f/5.6 (ft/meters)
100	12 (3.5)	11 (3)	7.5 (2.5)
200	17 (5.5)	15 (4.5)	11 (3.5)
400	24 (7.5)	21 (6.5)	15 (4.5)
800	34 (11)	30 (9)	22 (6.5)
1600	49 (15)	43 (13)	30 (9.5)
3200	69 (21)	60 (18)	43 (13)
6400	97 (30)	85 (26)	61 (19)
H (12800)	138 (42)	121 (36)	86 (26)
Information in this table provided by Canon

From the information in Table 8.1, you can see that flash use differs based the shooting mode you choose. In Av and Tv shooting modes, the 60D balances the existing light with the flash light to provide fill flash. Fill flash uses the light in the scene for the exposure and provides just enough flash illumination to fill shadows and brighten the subject. Fill flash provides natural-looking exposures.

In Av shooting mode, you can choose the aperture you want, but because more existing light is used for much of the exposure, it’s up to you to ensure that the shutter speed is fast enough to prevent the blur that can occur when you’re handholding the camera. Just monitor the shutter speed in the viewfinder when you’re using the flash in Av shooting mode. If the shutter speed is too slow, you can use a wider aperture, use a tripod, or use a higher ISO setting. Also, you can use Custom Function (C.Fn) I-7 to set the flash sync speed to ensure a fast-enough shutter speed to prevent that blur that comes from handholding the camera.

In Tv mode, you can set a shutter speed that is fast enough to prevent handshake. But if you set a shutter speed that is out of range for the amount of light in the scene, the aperture value flashes in the viewfinder, alerting you that the camera can’t record enough of the exiting light to get a balanced fill-flash exposure. In those cases, set a slower shutter speed, use a tripod, or increase the ISO setting.

In Manual mode, you have full control over the balance between existing and flash light. With fast shutter speeds, less of the existing light is captured — unless the existing light is very bright — and the background goes dark. If you choose a very slow shutter speed, you run the risk of camera shake if you’re handholding the camera, but the background will be brighter because more of the existing light factors into the exposure.

Working with the built-in flash

The built-in flash features options you can use to control the flash output to get natural-looking flash images. These options include Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC) and Flash Exposure Lock (FE Lock). In addition, you can set flash functions using the Flash Control options (Shooting 1 menu) when you shoot in P, Tv, Av, M, and B modes.

Flash functions include setting the flash mode, shutter synchronization with either first or second curtain, setting Flash Exposure Compensation, selecting Evaluative or Average metering, and using the Wireless function. You can also turn on Red-eye reduction on the Flash Control options (Shooting 1 menu).

To use the flash in P, Tv, Av, M, and B shooting modes, you have to press the flash pop-up button. In automatic modes except Flash Off shooting mode, the flash pops up and fires automatically when the 60D determines that flash is needed.

When you use the built-in flash, be sure to remove the lens hood to prevent obstruction of the flash coverage. And if you use a large telephoto lens, the built-in flash coverage may also be obstructed.

Red-eye reduction

The red appearance in a person’s eye is caused when the bright flash reflects off the retina, revealing the blood vessels in the reflection. The Red-eye reduction function fires a preflash, causing the pupils of the subject’s eye to contract when the subject looks at the preflash.

You can turn on Red-eye reduction on the Flash Control options (Shooting 1 menu). Just highlight Red-eye reduction, press the SET button, and then choose Enable. Then press the SET button to confirm the change.

Modifying flash exposure

There are times when the flash output won’t produce the image that you envisioned, and there are times when you want a slightly increased or decreased flash exposure, or to avoid a hot spot on the subject. In these situations, you can modify the flash output using either Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC) or Flash Exposure Lock (FE Lock). You can set both of these options for the built-in flash and an accessory Speedlite.

Flash Exposure Compensation

Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC) enables you to manually adjust the flash output without changing the aperture or the shutter speed in P, Tv, and Av shooting modes. This function is effective when you want to adjust the balance between the foreground and background exposure, and it can help compensate for high or nonreflective subjects. FEC is also useful for balancing lighting in unevenly lit scenes and reducing the dark background flash shadows. When you are using the flash as the primary light, FEC gives good results. If you’re using the flash for fill light, then you can use FEC as a dimmer switch to turn the amount of light up or down.

With FEC, you can increase the flash output up to +/–3 stops in 1/3-increments. As a result, you can maintain the camera’s original E-TTL (Evaluative Through-the-Lens) readings while manually increasing or decreasing the flash output.

If you use an accessory Speedlite, you can set FEC either on the camera or on the Speedlite. However, the compensation that you set on the Speedlite overrides any compensation that you set using the 60D’s FEC function on the Shooting 1 menu. In short, set compensation either on the Speedlite or on the camera, but not on both.

FEC can also be combined with Exposure Compensation. If you shoot a scene where one part of the scene is brightly lit and another part of the scene is much darker — for example, an interior room with a view to the outdoors — then you can set Exposure Compensation to –1 and set the FEC to –1 to make the transition between the two differently lit areas more natural.

Auto Lighting Optimizer can mask the effect of FEC. If you want to see the effect of the compensation, turn off Auto Lighting Optimizer by setting it to Disable on the Shooting 2 menu.

To set FEC for the built-in flash or for a Speedlite, follow these steps:

1. Set the camera to P, Tv, Av, M, or B shooting mode, and then press the Q button. The Quick Control screen appears on the LCD.

2. Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select the Flash Exposure comp. icon, and then press the SET button. The Flash exposure comp. screen appears.

3. Turn the Quick Control dial to the left to decrease the flash output or to the right to increase it. The FEC icon appears in the viewfinder when you half-press the shutter button.

4. Make the picture and check the exposure. If necessary, adjust the amount of compensation by repeating these steps. The Flash Exposure Compensation you set on the camera remains in effect until you change it. To remove FEC, repeat these steps, but in Step 3, move the tick mark on the Flash Exposure Compensation indicator back to the center point.

Flash Exposure Lock

Flash Exposure Lock (FE Lock) is a great way to control flash output for any part of the scene or subject. For example, you might set the flash exposure for a subject’s skin in a portrait or for a gray card. FE Lock fires a preflash that is read from a very precise area at the middle of the frame — a Spot meter reading from 2.8 percent of the frame at the center. So be sure to point the center of the viewfinder over the part of the scene or subject from which you want to take the meter reading. This preflash meter reading is stored temporarily so that you can move the camera to recompose the scene, focus, and make the image.

If you’re accustomed to using gray cards, then you can use the one provided in the back of this book, or identify a middle-gray tonal value in the scene and lock the flash exposure on it. If the area from which you take the meter reading is brighter or darker than middle gray, you can use Flash Exposure Compensation to compensate for the difference.

Regardless of your approach, FE Lock is a technique that you want to add to your arsenal for flash images.

If you are shooting a series of images under unchanging existing light, then FEC is a more efficient approach than using FE Lock.

To set FE Lock, follow these steps:

1. Set the camera in P, Tv, Av, M, or B shooting mode, and then press the Flash button to raise the built-in flash or attach an accessory Speedlite. The flash icon appears in the viewfinder when you half-press the shutter button.

2. Point the center of the viewfinder over a gray card, an area that is middle (18 percent) gray, or on the area of the subject where you want to lock the flash exposure, and then press the FE Lock button on the back of the camera. This button has a magnifying glass with a minus sign in it. The camera fires a preflash. FEL is displayed momentarily in the viewfinder, and the flash icon in the viewfinder displays an asterisk beside it to indicate that flash exposure is locked. If the flash icon in the viewfinder blinks, you’re beyond the flash range, so move closer and repeat the process.

3. Move the camera to compose the image, half-press the shutter button to focus, and then completely press the shutter button to make the image. Ensure that the asterisk is still displayed to the right of the flash icon in the viewfinder before you make the picture. As long as the asterisk is displayed, you can take other images at the same compensation amount.

Setting Flash Control options

You can set many of the onboard and accessory flash settings using the Flash Control options (Shooting 1 menu) on the 60D. This menu offers an array of adjustments for the built-in flash, including the first or second curtain shutter sync and the choice of Evaluative or Average exposure metering. This menu also enables you to change the Custom Function (C.Fn) settings for compatible Speedlites.

For all step-by-step instructions in this chapter, you can access the 60D camera menus by pressing the Menu button. Then press left or right on the Multi-controller or turn the Main dial to highlight the menu tab, and then press up or down on the Multi-controller to highlight a menu option or turn the Quick Control dial.

To change settings for the built-in or compatible accessory EX-series Speedlites, follow these steps. If you are using an accessory Speedlite, mount it on the hot shoe and turn it on.

1. Set the camera to P, Tv, Av, M, or B shooting mode, highlight Flash Control on the Shooting 1 menu, and then press the SET button. The Flash Control screen appears.

2. Press up or down on the Multi-controller to highlight the setting that you want to change, and then press the SET button. Table 8.3 details the Flash Control menu (Shooting 1 menu) and the options you can choose for both the built-in flash and/or an accessory Speedlite.

As you review this menu, know that

• A colon represents ratio control between the built-in and Speedlite flash units. Ratios and stops are equivalent. One stop is twice as bright as the other. With each stop being twice as bright, the formula is 2 × 2 × 2 = 8. An 8:1 ratio represents a 3-stop difference.

• A plus sign means that the built-in and Speedlite flash units act as one flash system.

• The letters A, B, C represent groups with one or more flash units in a group.

• Ratio control such as A:B ratio determines the relative power or brightness between two flash groups.

I recommend visiting MichaelTheMentor on YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/MichaelTheMentor) for flash tutorials.

Table 8.3 Flash Control Menu Options
Setting	Option(s)	Suboptions/Notes
Flash Firing	Enable, Disable	Turns the flash firing on and off for shooting in P, Tv, Av, M, and B modes. You can choose Disable if you want to use the flash AF-assist beam to help the camera achieve focus in low-light scenes, a technique detailed later in this chapter.
Built-in flash func. setting	Flash mode	E-TTL II, or Manual flash.
	Shutter sync	First curtain: Flash fires at the beginning of the exposure. Can be used with a slow-sync speed to create light trails in front of the subject. Second curtain: Flash fires just before the exposure ends. Can be used with a slow-sync speed to create light trails behind the subject.
	E-TTL II meter.	Evaluative. This default setting sets the exposure based on an evaluation of the entire scene. Average: Flash exposure is metered and averaged for the entire scene. Results in brighter output on the subject and less balancing of existing background light. You may want to apply some Flash Exposure Compensation if the subject exposure is too bright.
	Wireless func.	Disable, Speedlite or built-in flash, Speedlite only, or Speedlite and the built-in flash.
	Channel	Up to four communication channels
	Flash exp. comp.	Press the SET button to activate the Flash Exposure level indicator, and then you can set up to 3 stops of Flash Exposure Compensation.
	Clear flash settings	Press the INFO. button to display a screen where you can choose to clear the built-in flash settings.
External flash func. setting	Flash mode	E-TTL II, Manual flash, MULTI flash, and depending on the Speedlite, TTL, AutoExtFlash, and Man.ExtFlash. Note that the settings may depend on Speedlite settings.
	Shutter sync	First curtain: Flash fires immediately after the exposure begins. Second curtain: Flash fires just before the exposure ends. Can be used with slow-sync speed to create light trails behind the subject. High-speed: Enables flash at speeds faster than 1/250 second. However, the flash range is shorter.
	FEB	Set Flash Exposure Bracketing of +2/–3 stops.
	E-TTL II meter.	Evaluative. This default setting sets the exposure based on an evaluation of the entire scene. Average: Flash exposure is metered and averaged for the entire scene. Results in brighter output on the subject and less balancing of existing background light. You may want to apply some Flash Exposure Compensation if the subject exposure is too bright.
	Zoom	Auto, or turn the Multi-controller to set the zoom setting from 24-105mm.
	Wireless func.	Enable or Disable. See the flash manual for details on additional settings.
	Master flash	Enable to have the external flash control slave flash units. Disable.
	Channel	Select the communications channel for multiple wireless flashes. Flash units should be on the same channel.
	Firing group	All, A:B, A:B C
	Flash exp. comp.	Set +/– 3 stops of Flash Exposure Compensation
	A:B fire ratio	2:1, 1:1, 1:2. Sets the lighting ratio of external flashes.
	Grp. C exp. comp.	Press the SET button to activate the Exposure Level meter to set +/–3 stops of compensation for the C flash or group of flash units.
External flash C.Fn setting	Custom Functions depend on the Speedlite in use	Press the SET button to display the C.Fn screen for the external Speedlite.
Clear ext. flash C.Fn set.	Highlight and press the Set button, then choose OK.	Choose this option and press the INFO. button to display a screen where you can choose to clear the built-in flash settings.

Shooting with Speedlites

A single Speedlite offers many advantages, one of which is that it is more powerful than the built-in flash. With E-TTL II technology, you can simply attach the Speedlite and begin shooting good exposures. The camera and Speedlite communicate so that the cropped sensor size and the lens you’re using are automatically calculated.

However, to get better flash images, you need to remove the Speedlite from the camera. To do this, you can mount the Speedlite on a flash bracket. Alternately, you can handhold the flash while it’s attached to the camera by a flash cable, or you can fire the Speedlite wirelessly by using the built-in flash. Then as you progress, you can add flash modifiers. Modifiers can be as simple and inexpensive as a Sto-Fen cap that diffuses the flash light. Alternatively, you can attach a flash softbox or mount the Speedlite on a stand and shoot it into an umbrella. With any of these options, you can position and diffuse the flash light for excellent results.

If one flash is good, it follows that more flash units would be better. While that logic doesn’t hold true for everything, in the case of flash units it does. Multiple Speedlites enable you to set up lighting patterns and ratios similar to studio lighting. You also have the option of using one or more flash units as either the main or an auxiliary light source to balance existing light with flash to provide even and natural illumination and balance among light sources. Plus, unlike some studio lighting systems, a multiple Speedlite system is lightweight and portable.

For detailed information on using Canon Speedlites, I recommend the Canon Speedlite System Digital Field Guide by Brian McLernon (Wiley, 2010).

Setting up wireless Speedlites

The 60D is compatible with EX-series Speedlites. With EX-series Speedlites, you get FP (focal-plane) Flash Sync, Flash Exposure Bracketing, and flash modeling (to preview the flash pattern before the image is made). And you can use the 60D’s built-in flash as a wireless Speedlite transmitter to fire multiple Speedlites.

8.7 I used three Speedlites to light this image. The first Speedlite lit the white background, the second Speedlite was on the left of the camera, and the third Speedlite was on the right of the camera. Exposure: ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/6 second.

You can set up the flash units in groups and control the light output directly from the camera menu. Although this book does not provide extensive instructions for wireless flash techniques, the following sections help get you started with a wireless flash setup such as a single Speedlite with or without the built-in flash or a wireless flash with multiple Speedlites.

The first step is to mount one or more Speedlites on stands — use either the stands that come with the flash units or commercial stands — and then place them around the set or subject, and swivel the flash head toward the subject and/or the background if you are using multiple Speedlites. Just remember that the wireless sensor on the Speedlite(s) have to be pointed toward the 60D.

Setting up a single wireless Speedlite

An easy way to use the flash off the camera and gain much more control over the lighting is by using the 60D’s wireless flash transmitter function to fire the Speedlite. The setup is simple and quick, and the results are much better than what on-camera flash provides.

To set up the Flash Control functions for single-Speedlite shooting, follow these steps.

1. Set the Mode dial to P, Tv, or Av shooting mode and pop up the built-in flash. Review the details in Table 8.1 for the sync speeds in each shooting mode.

2. On the Setup 1 menu tab, highlight Flash Control, and then press the SET button. The Flash Control screen appears.

3. Select the Built-in flash func. setting, and then press the SET button. The Built-in flash func. setting screen appears.

4. Select the following settings, and after you make each selection, press the SET button:

Flash mode: E-TTL II

Shutter sync.: 1st curtain

E-TTL II meter.: Evaluative

Wireless func.: Speedlite (displayed as an icon of a flash unit without a base)

Channel: 1

Firing Group: Speedlite (icon) All

5. Set the Speedlite to Slave mode. Refer to the Speedlite instruction manual for instructions.

6. Position the Speedlite where you want it to light the subject and ensure that it has line-of-site transmission to the camera, and then focus and make the picture.

Setting up multiple wireless Speedlites

Setting up multiple Speedlites presents many more lighting options, including the option to control the ratio of lights that are controlled as slave groups. In multiple flash photography, there is a master unit, the 60D, and one or more slave, or secondary, units that are fired wirelessly by the master unit. Slave units can be Speedlites, such as the 580EX II, 580EX, and 430EX II. In addition, you can choose whether the 60D’s built-in flash fires; however, if you do not have the built-in flash fire, it still emits a low-level flash and it fires the slave Speedlites.

To light large subjects or scenes, you can set the Speedlites so they fire as a single unit, all at the same output. In that situation, you set the Firing group option on the Built-in flash func. setting screen to the Speedlite (icon) All option.

But more often, you want the Speedlites to mimic studio lighting so that you can control their output to create classic lighting patterns. And to achieve different lighting patterns, the Speedlites have to be in designated groups; this way you can control the lighting ratios.

Refer to the instruction manual for your specific Speedlite when you set it up. The following is a general checklist for setting up multiple wireless Speedlites.

Set the Speedlite(s) as slave units. The process differs by Speedlite. Some have a switch, and on other Speedlites, you set the Slave option on the flash menu.

Set the communication channels. Channels enable you to work in an area where other photographers are working with flash units; when you set a channel, your flashes do not trigger their flashes. You can choose any of four channels. Set the flash units to the same channel.

Set the slave unit group or ID. You can set up groups A, B, and C and then control the ratio — the output of each group relative to the other group. Set one Speedlite to A, set the second Speedlite to B, and so on.

On the 60D’s Flash control/Built-in flash func. setting screen, set the following, and press the SET button after making each selection:

E-TTL II meter.: Evaluative

Wireless func.: Speedlite (icon)

Channel: 1

Firing group: Speedlite (icon) (A:B) to set a ratio or Speedlite (icon) All for the Speedlites to fire as a single unit.

A:B fire ratio: Set the ratio you want. For example, for a portrait, a 2:1 ratio provides nice brightness on one side of the face, with a shadow on the other side of the face.

Position the camera and Speedlites. Set up the camera and the Speedlites to get the lighting effect that you want, keeping each unit within its range of coverage. The Speedlite wireless sensors must be set facing the 60D.

As you can see, the Flash control/Built-in flash func. setting enables you to control virtually all aspects of the lighting setup. You can add the built-in flash unit as part of the overall flash setup by changing the Wireless func. to include the Speedlites and the built-in flash. And you can apply Flash Exposure Compensation to all slaves or to the slave Speedlites and the built-in flash on the same screen.

Whether you’re using one or multiple Speedlites, you’ll get pleasing results by using modifiers. I routinely use silver, gold, and shoot-through umbrellas, a small Photoflex LiteDome for strobes, and I also mount the Speedlites on affordable Photoflex LiteStand LS-B2211s.

In low-light scenes, the flash often illuminates the subject properly, but the background is too dark. You can switch to Av or Tv shooting mode and use a wide aperture or slow shutter speed respectively to allow more of the existing light to contribute to the exposure. With a slow shutter speed, use a tripod and ask the subject to remain still.

Using the flash AF-assist beam without firing the flash

In some low-light scenes, you may not want the built-in or an accessory flash, but the light is too low for the camera to establish focus easily. This is when you can use the flash unit’s AF-assist beam to help the camera establish focus without actually firing the flash.

Before you begin, check the settings for C.Fn III-4, AF-assist beam firing. If this function is set to Option 1: Disable, then change it to Option 0: Enable. Also if the Speedlite’s Custom Function is set to Disabled, the Speedlite AF-assist beam does not fire until you change the Custom Function on the Speedlite.

For details on Custom Functions, see Chapter 5.

To disable flash firing, but use the flash’s AF-assist beam to help the camera focus, follow these steps:

1. On the Shooting 1 menu, highlight Flash Control, and then press the SET button. The Flash Control screen appears.

2. Press up or down on the Multi-controller to highlight Flash firing, and then press the SET button. Two options appear.

3. Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select Disable, and then press the SET button. Neither the built-in flash nor an accessory Speedlite will fire.

4. Press the flash pop-up button, or mount an accessory EX-series Speedlite.

5. Half-press the shutter button to have the flash AF-assist beam fire to help the camera establish focus.

The advantage of the built-in flash is that it is available anytime you need a pop of additional light. The scenarios for using the flash in P, Tv, Av, and M shooting modes vary from filling shadows in portraits to providing the primary subject illumination.

On the 60D, the E-TTL II setting automatically detects when the flash pops up. Then when the exposure for the existing light in the scene is properly set, the camera automatically provides reduced output to fill shadows in a natural-looking way as opposed to a blasted-with-flash rendering.

Exploring flash techniques

While it is beyond the scope of this book to detail all the lighting options that you can use with one or multiple Speedlites, I cover some common flash techniques that provide better flash images than using straight-on flash.

Bounce flash

One frequently used flash technique is bounce flash, which softens hard flash shadows by diffusing the light from the flash. To bounce the light, turn the flash head to point toward the ceiling or a nearby wall, so that the light hits the ceiling or wall and then bounces back to the subject. This technique spreads and softens the flash illumination.

If the ceiling is high, it may underexpose the image. As an alternative, I often hold a silver or white reflector above the flash to act as a ceiling. This technique offers the advantage of providing a clean light with no colorcast. A few tips will help you get the best bounce-flash results:

Bounce the flash off a neutral and light color surface to reduce light loss and avoid throwing the color of the wall onto the subject.

Bounce the flash off the ceiling rather from directly above the subject to avoid casting shadows on the subject’s face. Better yet, bounce the flash off a side wall to create shadow patterns that add depth, or modeling, to the subject.

Bounce the flash as far as possible. The farther the bounce distance, the softer the light (at the same flash level). However, ensure that the distance isn’t so far that the flash becomes ineffective.

Adding catchlights to the eyes

Another frequently used technique is to create a catchlight in the subject’s eyes by using the panel that is tucked into the flash head of some Speedlites. Just pull out the translucent flash panel on the Speedlite. At the same time, a white panel comes out; you can use it to create catchlights. The translucent panel is called the wide panel and you use it with wide-angle lenses to spread the light. Push the wide panel back in while leaving the white panel out. Point the flash head up, and then take the image. The panel throws light into the eyes, creating catchlights that add a sense of vitality to the eyes. For best results be within 5 feet of the subject.

If your Speedlite doesn’t have a panel, you can tape an index card to the top of the flash to create catchlights.

© Peter Burian

8.8 Peter used fill flash to add catchlights to the eyes of this woman. The flash also improved the image contrast. Exposure: ISO 400, f/8, 1/60 second.