The aim of this task was to use speed lights to improve light levels.
I had to set both my camera and flash to Manuel (M), then set my shutter speed to 1/125, then set my flash to full power; displayed as 1/1
Once my camera and flash were set up i then had to measure the distance from my flashgun to my subject – 10ft with my flash pointing straight at my subject.
In order to figure out the measurements i had to divide the flash’s guide number by the flash-to-subject distance which will give me the working aperture.
I set up my camera and flash, and then measured 10ft from my flash to the subject. I then had my model hold the light meter and set it off i then fired the flash on pilot and measured the light metre again.
(flash gun settings, M 1/1, ISO 100, 50mm )
Measuring Light
x the aperture of light meter by the distance
5.6.8 x 10 = (not a full number so rounded to) 58
58 = guide number
Divide the guide number by the distance. (to get exposure)
58 divide 5(ft) = 11.6 (aperture)
58 divide 15 = 3.84 (aperture closest to 4 – wide angle)
(F11 1/3)
(F11 2/3)
Overall i found measuring the flash quite simple. In the above images i calculated the exposure over 3 apertures as i found the first to images to be slightly too bright. F14 (F11 2/3) was the best light source at a distance of 5ft, as it isn’t as harsh on the skin tone and adds a softer feel.
At F4 i struggled however because of my lens length, however with the image cropped down and zoomed in you can see that the light is over exposed and is also bouncing/shining off the white door frame. It is ahrsh on the skin and not flattering.
Wide Angle
Bouncing Light
In order to bounce light off of somewhere you must work out the measurement of the flash to the surface to the subject.
I stood in a corridor about 5ft away from each other.
(F11 2/3) 5Ft
(F11 2/3) 5Ft
I used the same calculations as before, The first image is slightly flat which adds a harsh tone towards the skin as the flash is face on. Also due to the flash been face on shadows are harsh therefore i decided to move my flash and bounce the light off of the ceiling to see if it added a softer tone towards the skin.
(F5.6 2/3) 10Ft
Bouncing the light off of the cileing added a softer tone of light towards the model, the light hitting her is not as harsh and her skin tone does not look as bleached out. Overall i like the affect that bouncing off light has and want to experiment further by using deflectors.
