Project 52 First quarter week 4: Ring flash experiment

[billtils]

Following some of the "Flash" discussion, here are the preliminary results from an early experiment. There are three images. The first is with ring flash, A:B tube ratio of 1:4, Manual setting, ISO 400, 1/100s, f/13; the second is the same but with A=B; the third is available light, no flash, Aperture priority, ISO 1000, 1/80s, f/13.

The subject is a pansy that somehow or another survived the worst the winter weather could throw at it so far, which is more than can be said for spiders or any other possible insect subjects.

The EXIF data for the third image shows the difficulty in the experiment - how to obtain equivalence between the flash and non-flash conditions, since a half decent capture at the flash exposure and aperture settings was not possible (the flower was not in a place where I could use a tripod.

The images were shot hand held from the same (kneeling) position and cropped to approximately the same size

Anyway, for what it's worth, here are the results. Come to your own conclusion ... (apart from do it again).

Image 1:




Image 2:




Image 3:

[DanK]

Very interesting. thanks for posting.

Am I right in assuming that the flash heads weren't diffused?

My first impression is that the three aren't all that different. The lighting is fairly harsh in all three, but it seems both flatter and harsher in the two flash photos. The leaves to the bottom left and the stem to the right are both highlighted more in the flash photos. Predictably, the illumination of these two areas is more similar when you set A=B.

Re the harsh lighting: when I take flower shots in bright direct sunlight--which I don't do often because I usually don't get a good result--I often use a small Westcott Illuminator diffuser to soften the light. I get better results when the sun is low in the sky or the flower is in shade.

I don't own a ring flash, so I can't do any of these myself. I would love to see a comparison of the ring flash with a regular flash equipped with a snoot and diffuser.

[billtils]

Thanks Dan


The flash was on half power, but not diffused. I normally have it at 1/16 to 1/32 but increased it here because although partly shady (I placed myself between the flower and sun) it was quite bright overall, although I had to increase the ISO to obtain exposure and aperture values near those of the manual flash settings).

The only editing was to crop to approximately the same final size and content.

[Shadowman]

Nice experiment, no real preference between the three although 1st and 2nd have a more dynamic blue near center and third has a bit more detail/color in top petal. Which one moves you?

[billtils]

... Which one moves you?

Thanks John. I don't really like any of them, but if pushed I'd say the non-flash one has the edge. That is my overall impression too, but I do have some shots in the catalog that were taken using the SB-700 with the wide panel in place, and that I'm quite happy with.

There are too many variables to allow a "this is how to do it" type answer, but will do some experimentation with the ring flash and different A:B ratios in the spring when there are more realistic shooting opportunities ... I may even take a look at the TTL version of the ring flash.