Ron Fischer wrote:
It short, use it if its needed and let the shadows fall where they may. I suspect your comments are from your experience with
folks that just don't know how or when to use it. 

That's my 2 cents..

Yes, and it upseted me when I seen the images afterward they were very good BUT THAT STUPID FLASH, he could have just used the sun light because it was near dusk time.

KEVIN HILL wrote:
i have 2  xtra flash. they swivel  twist  and everything in between.. if i use them outdoor  i got a reflector as xtra otherwise i dont it just messes up the whole thing. if i travel light i just bring my lil soft box/difuser............ but its funny when i spend the day printing stuff from other fotog where  its a different shade from the neck down...... but i just love available light its just cool!!!

Agreed.. I REALLY prefer using speedlite style flashes remotely.. And best through an umbrella.. 

My avatar is both a good and bad example..  I wanted a kind of "moonlight from off camera" effect.. So set up a 60" umbrella off to the side pointed the flash into it and then had her looking away..  So it's kind of the opposite of fill flash.. But I like the way the umbrella softens shadows and expands the light..  (In theory just using the flash off camera wouldn't have been completely different, but if there were any shadows they would have been very harsh and sharp..)

Downside to reflectors and umbrellas and such?  First time I set one up outdoors (real outdoors not a backyard or enclosure).. A wind gusted up, knocked it over and mangled the hell out of my umbrella..

So it goes..

Coco from Houston wrote:
I've see photographers or GWC's work/pictures that use their flash when taking pictures, most of them are very noticable. I prefer natural lighting and studio lighting as my make up tends to reflect the light and not mach my body when using a direct flash of light.

Photograhers, is using the flash a bad thing???

To USE or NOT to use that is the question.

Coco
http://www.myspace.com/cocofromhouston

If you're being paid in cash for the modeling work, what kind of lighting the photog uses really doesn't matter -- you're there for the cash, not the photos.

If you're shooting TFP and are counting on using the pictures in your portfolio, I would be very cautious about photogs who shoot with a flash on camera. It IS possible to use on-camera flash artfully, particularly when just using it as fill-flash. But more typically, the results are ugly and lacking in quality, and are unlikely to be useful to you.

Generally, I think models are better off judging a photographer by the images in his or her portfolio, rather than by the way he looks, or the type of studio or location he uses, or the kind of camera, the kind of lighting, etc, etc, etc. There is some pretty amazing work done by some photogs who are wierd, and who use wierd techniques -- what matters is what the pictures look like -- not how they get there.

bang bang photo wrote:

If you're being paid in cash for the modeling work, what kind of lighting the photog uses really doesn't matter -- you're there for the cash, not the photos...

...Generally, I think models are better off judging a photographer by the images in his or her portfolio, rather than by the way he looks, or the type of studio or location he uses, or the kind of camera, the kind of lighting, etc, etc, etc. There is some pretty amazing work done by some photogs who are wierd, and who use wierd techniques -- what matters is what the pictures look like -- not how they get there.

Please understand that am not judging the pictures with anything than the images themself....
     And I do know about ppl that shoot from there homes or just with a back drop and those images come out terrific. I'm just upset at why do some use the flash on their camera and know that the pictures (on their digital camera) are not coming out right!

JJD Productions wrote:
I will add another outdoor image with the onboard flash from a Canon 10D was used for fill.  Generally, indoor shots should not have the onboard flash directed straight at the model and this is particularly true with if the model has dark skin.  If you see a lot skin shine and harsh flash reflected straight back to the camera, ask the photog to difuse the flash by placing an opaque material in front of it or by bouncing the flash off the ceiling.

I think thats a very good idea for all photog's that may not have the tools a lot of you exerienced photog's have.

bang bang photo wrote:
Generally, I think models are better off judging a photographer by the images in his or her portfolio, rather than by the way he looks, or the type of studio or location he uses, or the kind of camera, the kind of lighting, etc, etc, etc. There is some pretty amazing work done by some photogs who are wierd, and who use wierd techniques -- what matters is what the pictures look like -- not how they get there.

I use a flash mounted in my camera's hot shoe nearlly all the time. Go look and see if you can tell. I'd RATHER use a reflector but with no assistant I can't be mobile enough. Also most models can't stand the ammount of light I like with a reflector so I've just settled on the flash. And OCCASSIONALLY I even use the built in one in a pinch. If you know what you are doing and the effect you want then you can use anything. If not..well.. good luck no matter waht you are using. And Available light to me is horrible EXCEPT in sunrise/set or for B&W on an overcast day. Even then the eyses look dead if noting is reflecting back in them.
Mike

Christopher Bush wrote:
on-camera flash:

Yeah but those pics look too "washed out" and thats not the look that I was orginally going for... I guess it all about what you plan.

Coco from Houston wrote:

Yeah but those pics look too "washed out" and thats not the look that I was orginally going for... I guess it all about what you plan.

that's the point.  anything looks good if done with style.

Coco from Houston wrote:
Photograhers, is using the flash a bad thing???

To USE or NOT to use that is the question.

:::Coco:::
http://www.myspace.com/cocofromhouston
GetCoco.NET coming soon

If you know what your doing with it, then it works. If you don't, and spray and pray with them like a GWC you will end up with results like a GWC.

The answer is.... know when to use, how to use, and what it can do for you, before you can decide to use it or lose it.

J T

CLW Photography wrote:
As previously mentioned, on camera flash works if used properly. However, I think a great misunderstanding is what are we talking about here.

Are we referring to the "build-in" flash of the camera OR a separate shoe-mount flash that may or may not be attached to the camera?

If we are talking about the lil' flash that pops up from the camera I would say the photographer is not experienced and/or is in a desparate situation because their other gear is broken, stollen, or left at home/office.

If we are talking detachable flash units (hotshoe), those can be used just like studio flash units, but with less power. All of the images in my port are light with detachable flash units. I do own studio lighting, but I rarely use it because my work is primarily location driven.

I'm referring to the "build-in" flash of the camera.