Off camera flash advice

[jasnat]

I have just purchased a flash and after the first week I purchased a cactus wireless trigger, stand and umbrella. (Jumping in head first)

My question is how much flash do you need? Should I have lowered the flash and keep the natural light stronger or the other way. This is my first attempt to try and balance.
I have posted an example one with and one without.

Info Flash was 90 deg to the subject and the window was opposite about the same angle with a reflector out front
Nat.jpgNat-2.jpg

Thanks

[olefella]

Not an expert on this but the second shot certainly gives more detail

[etherial]

I'm ony new to flash work as well and have been experimenting a little. To try and help with your question... it really depends on what type of look you are going for. With these too shots I much prefer the second as the subject is properly exposed. The first has too many shadows as it is. It looks to me as if the flash was point down too much?

[MarkChap]

And although this does not sound all that helpful, the right amount of flash is that which is needed to achieve the desired result.

So if your intention was to match the ambient light with the flash, then you have done just about as good a job as any one could

For me however I would have had the flash power down a lot lower to add just a hint of fill to the shadow side of the face

Have a look at David Hobby's Strobist Site, a wealth of information about off camera flash

I have just purchased a flash and after the first week I purchased a cactus wireless trigger, stand and umbrella. (Jumping in head first)

My question is how much flash do you need? Should I have lowered the flash and keep the natural light stronger or the other way. This is my first attempt to try and balance.

[jasnat]

Cheers all

Mark thanks for the link. I was looking for a bit of balance. Do you think that I moved to far from the natural light? The top image

[MarkChap]

It's not about if you went too far, it is about what you wanted.

I actually like the first photograph, without any flash at all.

I would have had the flash more to the back, nearly behind her, in close and turned down just to highlight the edge of her head and wisp a little fill on that side, but each to their own

[jasnat]

Copy that and thanks again for the tips. I will play around with the position of the lights. Looking back now I can see that I did over power the sunlight a touch

[Blueywa]

Given your models colouring I prefer the 1st.
I like the light effect on her left side.
Did you use the umbrella as reflecter or translucent diffuser?
Do you mean flash as in 'flash head' or 'speedlight'?

[jasnat]

Given your models colouring I prefer the 1st.
I like the light effect on her left side.
Did you use the umbrella as reflecter or translucent diffuser?
Do you mean flash as in 'flash head' or 'speedlight'?

The first one was just the light coming from the window and I used it for balance. The Umbrella was a shoot through with a speedlight and a reflector was use under her face.
I'm still try to work thing out with the speed light but I'm getting there

[Blueywa]

Aah natural light, it takes some beating.
Un-natural light is one big learning curve, but well worth it.
At the moment I am experimenting with more than one speedlight, with and without attachments.
Best yet IMO is using at least two with one as a hair light high up on a stand behind the subject, and the other at around 45degrees to either side.