I prefer available light and natural light over flash ...

[spystyle]

Hello from Maine,

I really like available light and natural light photos. I really dislike flash and never use it. I a prefer fast lens for indoor shooting rather than flash. I don't mind ISO 400-800.

It's been my experience that flash photos look unnatural and are intrusive, tempoarily blinding the subject.

I explained this to my buddy today and ordered a 50mm f/1.8 AF for my secondary camera (Canon Rebel) but I wondered if anyone else would agree ...

Am I the only one who dislikes flash?

I also realize that as I study more I might warm up to flash.

Cheers,
Craig

[Songman45]

The opinion of flash is different depending on a nummber of factors. Not the least of these is the availability of light, its quality and the ability to modify it. There are situations where using flash is required. This brings up the next factor, skill level. Some photogrphers hate using flash; not because they don't like the extra effort involved, but because they get inferior results when it's used. The better one becomes at using a tool, the less he objects to using it.

I don't know so much about blinding people with flash. I worked in a high volume big box portrait studio for years. I was subjected to repeated flash cycles all day and had no ill effect, nor did my customers complain of blindness. Then I was shooting on film rated at 100 and an f stop of f8 in an unlit camera room. I'd say the light was pretty bright, but not blinding. Considering the much higher ISO digital cameras handle so well the output requirement of flash can be greatly reduced.

I think your opinion of flash will change if you study it and apply yourself to the learning. All the things you mention fueling your dislike for flash are real possibilities but they are not at all necessities. Yes, you can blast someone in the face with a full power flash and temporarily blind them, the resulting image will probably be less than flattering and your subject/victim most likely won't love you. Just because it can be done doesn't mean that's the way to do it.

Best regards
Steve

[spystyle]

Thought provoking ...

[Take12]

Originally Posted by spystyle

I really dislike flash and never use it.

Sounds like you need to learn how to use it, Craig.

[rshunk]

Originally Posted by spystyle

Hello from Maine,
It's been my experience that flash photos look unnatural

Then whomever took the photo(s) wasn't using flash correctly.

Using flash/fill-flash correctly can make all the difference in the word on a shot. You need to learn to balance the flash and natural light to achieve a nicely lit shot that gets rid of nasty shadows, but doen't look "flashed". Even the photo you use for your avatar could use some help from flash - it's suffering from "raccoon eyes" and a little flash would have avoided that.

It's not an easy thing to get correct, you need to play around with your camera and flash combination to get it correct.


Bob S.

[spystyle]

All very interesting

Alright, I will keep an open mind about flash and study it

Cheers,
Craig

[Mike_e]

A photon doesn't care where it's from and looks the same regardless.

Wait and see what the future brings.

Life fills an open mind but a closed mind is left empty.

[spystyle]

Very profound!

Light is light, it doesn't matter if it's from the sun, the flash, or light bulbs.

When I said I dislike flash, I guess I meant to say I dislike the intensity of the light from flash.

I will figure out how to create a soft diffused gentle fill flash that enhances the photos without making an artificial looking intensity or blinding the subjects

Thanks all, that's why I asked, I wanted to know if I was the only one who disliked flash, but now I know why.

Cheers,
Craig

[Songman45]

Originally Posted by spystyle

I will figure out how to create a soft diffused gentle fill flash that enhances the photos without making an artificial looking intensity or blinding the subjects

You are in luck. Many others have done the same figuring and have applied decades of experience to the figuring. No need to re-invent the wheel for yourself. I suggest picking up some instructional books and videos. Be wary of commercially offered products which offer to provide results they cannot deliver.

Mixing fill flash with other light can be done well and its difficult. It can also be done horribly which is not at all difficult. It stands to reason you'll see more poorly executed examples than excellent ones. Don't let the volume of one fool you about the other.

Regards
Steve

[spystyle]

I'll have to get back to reading my NYIP books

Too bad "real life" so often interferes with my "shutter stuff"

Have fun!
Craig

[JohnC]

I like "Available Light," too. Sometimes the available light is sun. Sometimes it is flash. Sometimes it is a neon sign.

What you probably don't like is on-camera flash. And it is probably the direction, rather than the intensity that you don't like. You can lower or raise the power on the flash to affect intensity. But you probably still won't like it until you get it a few feet away from the camera so it has different direction and dimensionality. After all, the sun is much more intense than most/any camera flash.

[swampler]

Originally Posted by spystyle

It's been my experience that flash photos look unnatural and are intrusive, tempoarily blinding the subject.

Craig,

I won't put you on the spot and ask if you think this photo was taken with flash:



It was taken with flash (fill flash with FEC at -1), in fact, it was the tiny on-camera flash. Without a flash, she would have been a silhouette (or the sky would have been blown out).

[spystyle]

No I was saying it was my experience, I realize that others are able to use flash without disaster.

[swampler]

You were asking if anyone else disliked flash. I was trying to illustrate by example that I liked flash when, used correctly. Not to mention that it is sometimes necessary.

[spystyle]

I agree completely, it's just the way you worded it I guess, it seemed you thought that I thought all flash photos came out wacky.

Text is subjective

[Scoril0]

sometimes flash is absolutely necessary:

[spystyle]

You used flash at a show? I wonder if the performers and audience find that intrusive?

[JohnC]

I never use flash at a performance. A fast lens and good stage lighting usually work out just fine. Flash would be terribly annoying (and dangerous, as I often photograph aerial performers and acrobatics). And it would flatten things out. Again, back to dimensionality.

[spystyle]

Rock on JohnC, you are a hero photographer!

As for no flash - even with my pocket camera (tiny lens) I can use a tripod and half second exposure to get a good shot in uncooperative evening lighting.



But of course that require an agreeable and still subject.

Have fun!
Craig

p.s. For those just tuning in, I do resolve to learn to operate a flash in a diffused and gentle manner that enhances a photo in a soft way, without blinding the subject.

To the op.Last year i could have submitted this thread myself.Now 80% of my images have flash/mixed light.Once you master the percentage of flash to use and how you will never go back.
I still prefer ambient light but in the real world it just doesn't cooperate the way we need it to,and hence we need to mimic it.
Have a look here.