B&W Project 52 - Week 4

I did a photo shoot for my friend last evening, and it was one of the worst disasters I've had thus far.  She got late arriving, so we were working in fast-fading light.  But I had already prepared myself for it, and had my flash at hand.

However, on reaching the park where we were supposed to have the session, my flash refused to fire!  I had no idea what had gone wrong with it or the triggers, and then it  starting firing very unpredictably once I started using my pop-up flash to trigger it.  I ran a number of tests this morning, but it's still not doing it's job as it should.  Maybe it's the sync chord that needs replacement?   Anyway, the entire session was a nightmare, and I didn't end up getting many nice images.

I added a selenium filter to this one in post.

The following image is technically very wrong as there's too much shadow in the face, especially around the eyes,  but there's something about it, that I really like, and therefore decided to post.  Please let me know if you think I'm crazy for posting this. :-S

Day 173 - Another shot at flash photography

The more I play with the flash, the more it scares me!  I keep telling myself that I need to just play and make friends with it, but I seem to be developing an intense fear/mental block for it - just like I did for math in school.  What's going to become of me! :(  What's winter without a few flashes of light?

I have adopted a new mantra - I can only keep practising and wrap my head around it.  Maybe someday, some day, I will get it, after all.

I had this image in my mind this evening when I stumbled upon my son's sudoku board and counters.  I had planned to use the overhead light and then use fill-flash.  But I did learn something though - my YN460 for some weird reason, flashes optimally when it's powered down to about 1/8.  When I need full power, it somehow drops off at the back!  That's kinda strange, or I am missing something, somewhere.

Anyhoo, I tried different power levels, with the overhead light and without it.   I honestly think that I prefer the images with the tungsten glow in it, rather than with the flash.  In fact, the one with the fill-flash is possibly one of the better shots.  Out of the 60 odd shots I had, I came down to keeping about 15 just so I could study the settings later.  But the ones I handpicked for this post were 4 - just for records.

 This first one is taken only with the overhead light.  I couldn't get rid of the beige colour cast and it's really irking me.   55mm, f/36.0, 10.0s,  ISO 100, Aperture Priority, no flash.

This one is SOOC - no overhead light 

55 mm, 1/200s, f/16.0, Manual exposure, pop-up flash at +2/3 stops, ISO 100,  external flash at 1/8 power, above camera to right of frame

SOOC - overhead light with fill-in flash

1.0s, f/29.0, EV -1, pop-up flash +2/3 stop, ISO 200, Aperture Priority, external flash at 1/8 power held just above camera about 2 ft. above the subject

Selenium Filter applied in LR3 - lit with overhead light only

55 mm, 1.6s, f/13.0, ISO100, Aperture Priority

I'm glad I could get rid of the colour cast in this last one!  Phew!