I don't like flash much...but...

[fike]

I generally avoid using flash, but occasionally succumb to the need for fill-flash.  I use it when I can even out dynamic range by bringing up the shadows. I almost always turn down the flash power when I use it, but occasionally it helps.

Recently I started focusing more on environmental portraits in landscape environments.  I found a limitation that I didn't know how to handle. Under really bright conditions, how can you use fill flash without blowing out the image.

For example, you are at the beach.  You want to shoot around the dreaded noon-time hours. at ISO 100, f/22, you have a shutter speed of 1/1000 (I hate shooting at f/22, particularly portraits).  You want to light up the shadows under the brow or a hat, so fill-flash seems desirable.  Of course, the flash synch speed is 1/250.  At 1/250, the image is horribly blown out.  What do people do in this circumstance?  ND filter?

Am I crazy or missing something?

[Gary Brown]

Here's one answer to a similar question:
My Cheatin' Light - Or How To get Your Flash To Sync At Higher Sync Speeds Than Normal

[JeffKohn]

Nikon's flash system has "FP Sync" which allows you to use flash-sync faster than 1/250s. It greatly reduces the flash's maximum output (since the flash basically fires multiples times during the exposure), but it works quite well for adding a bit of fill flash to a subject. I would assume the Canon flash system has something similar, but don't know the details.

If you're using strobes or a hotshoe flash that doesn't support high speed sync, an ND filter may be the only option.

[Ken Bennett]

For example, you are at the beach.  You want to shoot around the dreaded noon-time hours. at ISO 100, f/22, you have a shutter speed of 1/1000 (I hate shooting at f/22, particularly portraits).

Well, here in North America my average noontime exposure at ISO 100 is 1/125 sec at f/16, or 1/60 at f/22 -- if I were to shoot at 1/1000 I would be underexposing by four stops.

So at 1/250 sec we're at a reasonable f/11 -- maybe stop down half a stop to bring the bright sand down a bit, but not too much. A polarizer will knock you down closer to f/5.6, but test to make sure. At those exposures fill flash works reasonably well, though if your portrait subject is backlit I find a reflector works better.

[fike]

Well, here in North America my average noontime exposure at ISO 100 is 1/125 sec at f/16, or 1/60 at f/22 -- if I were to shoot at 1/1000 I would be underexposing by four stops.

So at 1/250 sec we're at a reasonable f/11 -- maybe stop down half a stop to bring the bright sand down a bit, but not too much. A polarizer will knock you down closer to f/5.6, but test to make sure. At those exposures fill flash works reasonably well, though if your portrait subject is backlit I find a reflector works better.

You are right about the settings I quoted being off.  I went back and looked at the images I was shooting and realized that I was also trying to shoot a wide open aperture to make the background fall out of focus.  I think I was trying f/2.8 or f/4 on top of a very bright and sunny rock. with really white-hot skies.

[semillerimages]

strobist.com has lots of great advice about the subject matter you are speaking of

*steve

You are right about the settings I quoted being off.  I went back and looked at the images I was shooting and realized that I was also trying to shoot a wide open aperture to make the background fall out of focus.  I think I was trying f/2.8 or f/4 on top of a very bright and sunny rock. with really white-hot skies.

[The View]

Nikon's flash system has "FP Sync" which allows you to use flash-sync faster than 1/250s. It greatly reduces the flash's maximum output (since the flash basically fires multiples times during the exposure), but it works quite well for adding a bit of fill flash to a subject. I would assume the Canon flash system has something similar, but don't know the details.

If you're using strobes or a hotshoe flash that doesn't support high speed sync, an ND filter may be the only option.

Canon's 580 EX II also allows for faster sync times than 1/250.

[Morgan_Moore]

I generally avoid using flash, but occasionally succumb to the need for fill-flash.  I use it when I can even out dynamic range by bringing up the shadows. I almost always turn down the flash power when I use it, but occasionally it helps.

Recently I started focusing more on environmental portraits in landscape environments.  I found a limitation that I didn't know how to handle. Under really bright conditions, how can you use fill flash without blowing out the image.

For example, you are at the beach.  You want to shoot around the dreaded noon-time hours. at ISO 100, f/22, you have a shutter speed of 1/1000 (I hate shooting at f/22, particularly portraits).  You want to light up the shadows under the brow or a hat, so fill-flash seems desirable.  Of course, the flash synch speed is 1/250.  At 1/250, the image is horribly blown out.  What do people do in this circumstance?  ND filter?

Am I crazy or missing something?

You are not crazy - DSLRs are seriously flawed in the envionment you talk of

The bad news .. You need to buy a hasselblad H1 and digital back - 25 ISO and 800 synch speed

or use reflectors instead of flash

or HMI movie lighting

or put you subject under a california sunbounce and blow the background out

or 25 ISO FILM

or FP mode and 8 SB flash guns (there is a strobist post on that somewhere)

FP mode reduces the effective power of flashes - hence the need for lots to fight bright sun

or wait for evening/morning

S

[dwdallam]

It's a really easy solution, but harder to set up correctly. There are two options I use:

1. Flash guns, like the Canon and Nikon high powered models will sync at any shutter speed, but you lose distance. If you are doing one person portraits in that situation, you can make it work by getting closer to the subject and using high speed sync. That's one of the benefits of using the newer and strong flash guns. And don't worry about the flash being on the camera--it's only fill flash and that's a fine place for fill flash.

2. This is the solution I prefer, since it allows you to use all natural light: Set up a scrim, which is a translucent piece of cloth, to filter the direct sunlight. Doing such turns harsh noon light, or side light, into diffused light that looks like overcast--nice very soft transitions. You can buy thick or sheer nylon at a fabric store, or use large fold out or aluminum tube panels  and fabric. There are many ways to mount and set it up, including complete store bought systems. After you get the scrim set up, set another reflector on the key light side and use that as a key light. I'll bet you won't believe your results. Beautiful lgiht in 12 Noon overhead summer hard light.  If you have an assistant, or someone willing to hold the scrim for you, it makes it much easier. You can also use your flash gun on a stand as the key light to the left or right. The effect with today's flash guns is very good, but never as nice as natural, diffused light.

Here is a shot I took recently using an off camera bracket bounced up and angled to get a left side key look in an abandoned building, where natural light was pouring in from the left giving a nice back light effect.

This is straight out of the camera, RAW to Photoshop to JPG sRGB. RAW settings were all "as shot" and no adjustments made in the RAW converter. No adjustments of any type were added in PS. So as you can see, you can get some damn decent lighting right out of the can using an off camera flash bracket and bouncing the flash in a creative manner.