How to mess up by using flash

[aladyforty]

I took these the other day, It was really overcast and about to start raining. The camera was hand held and I was trying to get the exposure and settings right (with no luck) fast so I could get these shots andnot get the camera wet. I ended up giving in and using flash. I think that the flash spoiled the shots, even if they were not as good as they could have been anyway.



I think the flash over exposed on the white





this was a little better but the tree appears washed out:roll:







A bit shaky here





I think these could have been really good shots but alas they have fallen short of what I wanted to get.

[ImKayd1]

I don't think they're ruined, washed out in spots maybe. Next time try stopping the flash down a little. When I looked at the first photo I thought, Oh how wierd, she forgot to rotate the picture. LOL. What athletic birds.



Suzan

[aladyforty]

yes they are pretty athletic little devils, I was dissapointed with these shots though because through the lens they looked great:-)Still i live and learn more about photography every day.

[Normcar]

Exactly, I like your philosophy

[chris doudet]

not good ? better than i can get, i begin to try shooting birds, wow, and its hard, need to be fast, with good settings, no shake, pffffffffffffff

i prefer the #3 for the action, and , sorry alady, but the #2 is a really good shot

[aladyforty]

Thanks, they are hard to get good shots of, they move so quickly. I have no problem with the composition, but I like my photos sharp and these are not. I think a lot of it had to do with the lighting and conditions on the day.

I guess Im fussy:-)

The two shots below would be my two favorites of these kind of birds, and these have some of the quality I want.

[chris doudet]

great composition on the #2 and and good color

[aladyforty]

Thanks, i like the first of those two the best:-)

[eric s]

I don't think they are that bad. Sure, they aren't as good as they could have been, but if you have to use flash... that is what you'll get. I assume you used it because the shutter speed was too low (not enough natural light?)

In that first shot, I do agree that the white seems too bright, but the black in some places isn't washed out with light. Oh, and I too had had trouble adjusting to the bird being upside.... Gotta love how they'll hang any which way.

I think the more frustrating thing is that because the shutter speed was so low, being hand held introduced camara shake. Flashes are great for fill, but suck when they are over used. I've killed a few nice shots with them too.

ImKayd1 is right, if the camera supports it using flash exposure compensation (FEC) is the way to go. It lets you dial it back a bit so it isn't overpowering. I often do - 1/2 to -1 entire stop on the flash.

And those two that you like are really nice. But you know that by now!

Eric

[geoffs]

eric s wrote:

Oh, and I too had had trouble adjusting to the bird being upside.... Gotta love how they'll hang any which way.

Hehe - I had trouble with the upsidedownedness (made up word for sure) of that bird too. I kept wanting to turn my monitor into portrait mode! :-)

Very interesting shots of the honeyeater, Julie. I won't comment about the technical aspects of flash since I have no experience in that arena but what Eric said sounds good...