Hey Tony,

While I hear what you are saying (about your last photo), I think you are a bit too critical. My first feeling is that the shot is quite interesting. Yes, there are differences in light, but 99% of people who look at the image would not notice it. Not even slightly.

I also think that what you said about letting the light tell you where to put people is very important. It is the key element. Work with the light you have. Follow it. However, in outdoor situations, I find that I always come back to the flash (at least for portrait work..I generally do not flash wildlife).

James

This is all great help, your fix looks really good James, thanks for taking the time to do that. Was this done using your method in the tutorial? I really studied my flash manual to fully understand all you are talking about, and I understand it a lot better but not sure what will happen when I put it to use in real life. I don't think I'm at all ready to do portraits with flash for a "real job" but I will practice on everyone who will hold still for me. I need to learn how to FEL!

Thanks for your input too Jim, I should have thought to center weighted metering rather than evaluative. You know, I was thinking at the time, I really should take a few in the full sun just to see. In my head I was thinking that would blow out the highlights in the mostly white dog, but after the shoot I took some of this same dog and my dog (black and tan) playing in the sun and looking at those now, there is really good hair definition, etc in full sun. Only problem we have in full sun is squinty eyed dogs and panting...but that is what squeekies are for right!

Holy cow Tony, those shots are GREAT. Especially love the cowboy on the paint. I wish I could have gotten together with her today, it's beautifully overcast and not supposed to do that again for a while. Maybe tomorrow evening she will be free again. That bottom shot is excellent, even with it looking like the mountains are a backdrop! Shows what the flash can really do though. Great.

Thanks Julie, I am thinking of getting a diffuser. I will learn the flash a lot better first and do a lot of practicing!

Saving everyones info here for my "flash learning" file...thanks for all the help!

I forgot to attach the image I worked with, first the original then the fixed up one. I printed it out as 8 x 10 and it is acceptable but not nearly as good as if I had just shot it with good lighting. Lost a lot of sharp hair detail, etc. (I photoshopped the bucket holding up the ribbon out of it too )

Dee Dee,
a couple of suggestions:
1. meter up close off of the face and then set your camera for manual exposure planning for the DOF you want. You may blow out the background highlights but the subjects will always be right on.

2. there's a new PS plug-in that I'm testing that seems to give more control of shadow/highlight adjustments. Check out http://www.thepluginsite.com/products/photowiz/lightmachine/index.htm

I'm not sure it'll give you what you want but it can help with tough lighting situations.

Of course the best advice is to avoid tough lighting situations (duh)! Flat lighting on a cloudy day; shadows with no big highlights in the background; learn to use the flash which, BTW, does a great job of filling in the lighting you need if you don't do anything but get the exposure right.

You are much too creative and talented to get handcuffed by a lighting problem (although we all do -- alas). So learn to use that 580 and stop thinking and get back to being incredibly creative!!!

That's an order.

Jim

LOL Jim, that is a good order to take! Too much thinking does squelch the impulsive from the gut shots.

Great advice, thanks. I am going back on Monday to retake these (for the third time). Great people, don't mind at all letting me practice on them. I am going to take all the advice here and practice on my own and other friends dogs in the meantime.

I failed to mention that the shot of the boy and the mountain was taken with a 70-200 2.8 zoomed to 200 on a digital body, and lit with two sb 800s, one on the camera as the trigger, and one on a light stand - that's where the shadow came from. This is antoher option for you, to trigger a flash remotly where you dont have the right conditions for a reflector, or someone to hold it, or the wind is blowing or whatever. . .

here's another example of off camera, remote flash . . . It's a bit different again because of the color of the light, but the client liked it, so I guess it worked. . . Oh, this was shot with a 300 2.8 at f 5.6.

One more shot, here's an example of evening, soft, low angle light with ttl fill flash. . .

Shot with a 70-200 2.8 and 2 sb800's, one off camera, one on bracket, dialed way down, and used for a trigger . . .

Those are VERY cool. The top one, with the lighting on his face, makes me think he is standing near a campfire, it has great atmosphere. The red grassy stuff on the ground is the same color of the horse and the patterns it makes with the lighter stuff echo the patterns on horse as well. Almost like a Bev Doolittle painting.

The bottom one is beautiful, you definitely know what you are doing!!! Thanks for these Tony, I realize I have a ways to go but the learning is fun.

I am going to retake the shots of the girl and her Papillon tomorrow. Which of these lenses would be the best choice to use for a portrait like this?

Tamron 28-75 2.8
Canon 70-200 2.8
Canon 200 1.8
Canon 300 2.8

The 200 and 300 are the sharpest but the other 2 aren't bad and I can get in a lot closer??

Tamron 28-75 2.8