Good pictures taken with flash?

Flash and continious light are actually no different from each other.

You can take the same picture with both. The reason your flash pics look like they do is because the flash you're using is small and right next to your lens pointing straight at your model.

If you had a continious light that was the same size and in the same position, you'd get a very similar horrendus image.

If you want to use flash for best effect it should be the same effective size and position as your other lighting. That means getting it off the camera and making it bigger by a reflector of diffuser.

Flash pictures will typically never look like naturally lit pictures because it's a bit weird to mount flashes in the same position as typical lighting. However, they don't have to have the on-camera tiny flash burnt out look.

The best thing about flash is you can easilly work with a very bright source of light. If the light is too dark pictures are very noisy and can be blurry. You need really bright light bulbs to match the power of a small flash.

www.strobist.com

NK.

 

Just out of curiousity, is flash generally BAD for dolls?

I'm sure this was asked before but I couldn't find anything. *blind*

 

I think he meant more along the lines of, "is it bad for the resin", i.e. will it affect the colour of the resin?

I don't personally know if the flash will affect the resin. I'm guessing you would have to use it a LOT to have any noticeable adverse effects. Otherwise, the flash just generally doesn't look great in photos unless you're careful with how you use it.

 

I posted this in the thread Ookami linked but what the hell, since it answers the question:

Short answer: No flash wont damage your doll.

 

Ah, sorry. Since the thread seemed to be about whether or not users like to have the flash on or not in photos, I just assumed that Ookami misunderstood the question.

 

No Problem. The question was quite vague, so you could understand it ether way ^^, but I knew both subjects ("is it bad for your photo of your doll" and "is it bad for your dolls resin") had been answered in this thread, so I just hinted at it ... could have quoted, I guess -.-

 

I try to use as little flash a possible. I hate flash XD

 

I don't believe modern electronic flash will harm your doll.... however I am looking into it and will get back to this forum as soon as I can get a definitive answer... I believe you would need to do a LOT of flash before you would do any damage to your doll...... :-)
in a typical museum....
In order to actually increase damage by 10% on a ten hour day, one would need to experience 3600 flashes per day. Two large professional flashes would raise the ante a little, they would need 225 flashes a day to add 10%. For museums at 150 lux (15 footcandles) these numbers become 10,000 amateurs, or 700 pros, every day. To actually double fading would need 100,000 amateurs a day. Most museums would kill for those attendance figures! As for the UV wrinkle, xenon is used because it has a spectrum very close to daylight (6,000K). Given typical glass tubes and plastic diffusers, the UV ratio will be a little higher than properly filtered light, but UV type damage is far from the Achilles heel of artifacts at controlled light levels, it is color fading, and UV is not the issue here.

for the full text go here ...
http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/cdl/1996/0724.html
Flash photography--Conservation DistList

 

well, it's also been discussed that what causes yellowing isn't nescesarily light, but heat (of course they are strongly connected, but not so much in the case of a flash). I'm assuming that's sort of what you were refering to by "bad" so I don't think a flash would cause any bad yellowing to happen.

 

do you have links to such discussions or sources or anything? That'd make for pretty interesting reading, although to be honest I'm still more inclined to go for the UV theory since it's pretty well established that is causes damage to just about everything (skin, paintings/art work and more importantly, plastics):

From wikipedia (emphasis is mine):

 

I've seen around a few times that it's been said that the flash on cameras is horrible and should seldom be used.

But I use the flash a lot, and can produce pretty good pictures, I think so.
Example:


One of my more recent pictures. This picture was taken at night with the flash on.

More often than no, the flash has saved my life when it comes to pictures, because it takes clear pictures when I can't. I do know that the flash does wash out important pieces of dolls, like faces and muscle details as well as some faceup and blushing details.

But when I use my camera with certian camera settings turned on and adjusted, pictures usually come out very well.

Also! The flash can make the background very dark sometimes, which elliminates unwanted backround items, such as my bright blue pants on the floor in the picture above. ^__^;

So I ask, is the flash all that bad?

 

I'd say Yes and No. Flash is bad if you can't control the output. Some cameras allow you to control the output of the flash in settings of low and high (aside from the regular setting). This is helpful because taking pictures of certain bjds with flash can result in the dolls totally being washed out. You totally lose details when you get a washed out image.

For example, Volks pure skin dolls will glow ridiculously if you use a flash when taking pics of them. It looks rather unnatural.

If you're able to set your flash to a lower setting AND you're not too close to the doll, you can get some interesting results as you've mentioned! It's always a good thing to play with your camera and see what combo of settings will work to achieve something when using your camera flash.

 

The flash can be your friend if used properly ^^ (especially for people, like me, who have shaky hands and is lazy to pull out the tripod).

Like what was already mentioned, use something to diffuse or bounce the flash. There is a thread that discusses several options to make the most of your pics :

http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256120

Enjoy~~

 

I don't like flash because it make the photos look too sharp and you can't control the shadow behind the subject. I prefer natural light such as sun light. If you have shaky hand, you should put down the camera and take pictures with automatic mode (time mode)

 

Exactly like Shany says.
With flash you don't have control on imperfections.

My grandpa, who is professional photographer used to say "a flash is the light of barbarians".

 

Even an indirect flash can be more trouble than it's worth, if you are klutzy and prone to frustration like I am.

I use a Nikon D100 (one of the very first DSLRs) with the enormous resolution of 5 megapixels, and usually leave it on a tripod. Tripods range from super cheap to not-that-expensive (forget expensive graphite fiber tripods) and ranging from big and clunky (which I use around the house) to table top. The table top tripods are worth a look at, because you can take them anywhere, they are pretty cheap, and come in wide varieties.

I have had good look shooting indoors on an overcast day, and also using room lights. The lighting affects the color, but you can correct it later using any standard photo tool. Both Adobe and Microsoft have good easy-to-use applications with list prices of arould $100.

A common technique that professional photographers use is to use a white card to reflect light onto the object.

One of the obnoxious traits of in-camera flashes is that it illuminates the subject face on, which is rarely flattering. Try illuminating the subject with the light coming from a 45 degree angle for a change -- you may be surprised!

If you have a non-DSR you may have problems, because generally the imaging elements are so tiny that they have little light-gathering power, so shoot outdoors.

That's about all I know!

-- Ranma

 

Even though I have a fixed flash from a point and shoot camera (Canon Powershot A95), I also agree about experimenting with make-shift diffusers to achieve the desired effect. I'm mostly a fan of macro shots but tend to use just the natural light and disable the flash to reduce the *really* harsh glare >.<''''''.

Thanks to a piece of square cotton taped over the flash though, I was able to take this macro shot with the flash enabled (and without any post-Photoshop editing....well, except for adding the border and sig )



For a point and shoot, I must say I'm impressed with the results!

 

If you are using an SLR and are considering using flash do yourself a favor and look into getting that light OFF CAMERA (check out STROBIST). All photography is, literally, is captured light. When you take the control of light out of nature's hands and into your own there are limitless possibilities (though your budget plays a big part.) One flash triggered off camera is all you need to do some interesting stuff.

All of these photos were taken with diffused off camera flash:










This entire photo set linked below was taken at a doll meet where I lugged around my flash on a light stand with a bounce umbrella and shot indoors at a cafe:
Baltimore Area BJD Meetup - March 15

Flash is your best friend ever when you spend the time getting to know how to use it. The above photos are my own basic shots using a single diffused (or bounced) flash unit. I just had a friend give me another flash and as soon as I get another cheap radio trigger I'll upgrade to a two-light setup. I can't wait.

Flash is not evil. It's just misunderstood. Really.

 

I've used flash in many of my photos but I try to avoid it as much as possible. If I ever do use flash I put a flashcard or a piece of paper over it to allow some light but not a whole lot of it.
Example:
The eyes are a little fuzzy like but thats only because i re-sized the picture. c:

 

I cannot agree more!!! A flash is merely a tool to help one light up their subject for phototaking. The angle of the light falling on your subject, the shadows it casts, the strength of the light, etc all play a very important part in creating the mood of the photo. Even the expression of the doll changes with the angle of the light...

Example of off camera flash fitted with a snood, fired directly...


Example of off camera flash fitted with a snood, fired directly from the top right...


Example of on camera flash, bounced 45deg from top left corner...


Example of on camera flash bounced 90deg from the left, slightly behind the subject...

 

Like said before, if you're a DSLR user, you have more of a range of acceptable photos than if you're just manning a plain old point and shoot. A hot shoe flash gun works WONDERS, let me tell you...

For these photos I used my flash gun pointed the flash towards my face (away from the doll) for a very vibrant lighting set up. I also have a plastic diffuser cap on my flash.



On the other hand, both DSLR and point and shoot users can use homemade diffusers on their pop-up and built-in flashes. I've used white coffee filters, tissues and other assorted things to make successful diffusers. Its not as efficient as bouncing the light in some cases, but it makes for some good shots.

 

I never liked flash. They always tell you: flash for inside, no flash for outside. But I found - even when I was a kid with those Kodak cameras, flash is not a great idea. Everyone's so washed out, and you can kill the mood of your pics! A dim room is dim for a reason (most of the time), and you can always make it brighter in a program. But flash is way to severe for me. I see a lot of doll pics with the flash, and it really ruins the mood they tried to create.

I know of some scenarios where flash is needed, but I always try to do without.

Also, my dad's much more expensive, cooler camera has a pop-up flash, but he also has an attachable, larger one, with a diffuser thing that slides over it. Not crazy about it, plus it makes the camera super heavy, and after a while, my arms shake because it's too much weight - it's like 10-12lbs. His camera does have a strap, but I'm used to my little compact camera always being in my hand, so the weight of my dad's camera is too much. But he also has some sort of thing where he can mount it, and move it sideways, to the left or right. I'm not sure why you'd need that (and he can't remember).

 

It's just like photgraphing people, if you keep the flash toned down and angle it carefully, it can be non intrusive and really make a picture awesome.

 

I'll go out on a limb a bit here and say that for basically all types of photography except for pure landscape photography, you can always make the light better by adding flash. Off-camera flash is a photographer's best friend!


Yes, certainly, natural light goes a long way — but you can stretch it only so far. If we were to accept the adage that only natural light is acceptable light, we would limit the scope of our photography to a ridiculous extent.
To wit: it is not difficult to mimic natural light with a flash, to the extent of making it indistinguishable at first glance. But it is almost impossible to re-create most the types of lighting you can create by using off-camera flash, and multiples thereof, by using natural light only. And natural lighting can be improved by adding flashes to provide fill light, edge light ... to shape the light to your vision as photographer, not have to limit your vision to fit the light that is already there.
And even if we were to extend that to apply not only to "natural", but to "available" light, including man made light sources available on the location — essentially, any light that isn't synchronised to the camera's shutter — the same would still be true. You can always improve the light by adding off-camera flash, if you know how to use it.

As has been shown in many pictures on this page alone, far from being something that breaks the mood of a picture, flash — when properly used — is an indispensable tool for creating and amplifying mood in a picture.
And the first step on the path of using flash properly is to take it off the camera. (And this may conceivably include any technique to make the light source something else than what the basic on-camera set-up provides, from bouncing or diffusing an on-camera flash, to getting an actual remote, off-camera unit)
The other steps concern learning how to "paint" with the light by shaping, directing, and tinting it, and that ... is an art in itself!

It's a question of progressing from the point where you only use the flash because you have to, to a point where you use the flash because you want to, because you know what it can do for you that other light can't.

Limiting yourself to natural or available light as an exercise in technique and creativity, or as a deliberate artistic choice, is another thing. All informed artistic choices are equally valid.
But limiting yourself to natural or available light, and expecting everybody else to do likewise, because "flash is always bad", well ... to my mind, that's not terribly informed. I'll grant that bad flash is always bad, but the thing is: flash needn't be bad. Flash can be good!

 

sometimes flash can make dolls come to life. ^^;; i'm not fond of flash. however, when i least expected, it made my photos look good! here are some of the best :

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/047/6/f/Unforgettable_24_FLASH_by_fransyung.jpg

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/132/0/0/True_Blue_50_by_fransyung.jpg

sorry i post only links. they're huge. X3

 

It is the same for me >_<
Pictures taken with flash suck, I am not good in it .. but one friend told me to put parchment paper over the flash, never tried if it works ..

 

Ugh. Define good.

I'm becoming quite frustrated because (almost) alllll of the photos I take turn out incredibly blurry.

If I turn on the flash, magically, the blur goes away, but the flash eats King's face alive (But in a few photos I've got where her face is hidden, the flash makes her hair SO SHINY)

I don't know what to do :c

/reads through thread

 

I have my camera in 'portrait' mode, it uses flash, but it's a very even and soft flash.. if your camera has that option, use it..

 

Like many people have said, even mounted flash can be used for great results if diffused.

I have a point-and-shoot, and I usually use my flash on the lowest setting with either tissue or sheer fabric strips tied around it. I have found that using colored fabric can yield interesting light-filter type results, such as red fabric for warmer or more intimate photos, or blue for a cool, icy look.

 

If you have a dSLR, I highly recommend a hotshoe mount flash with a diffuser cap. I almost always use flash, especially for indoor setups, to bring out the doll's eyes.


Indoor. I tilted the head of the flash up, so it doesn't overexpose the (whiteskin) doll or the fabric around her.


Outdoor.

Photos taken using a Nikon D2H, 24-70mm f2.8 and SB800.