flash question - combining light

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

TheDave© - 31 Oct 2006 20:12 GMT

This is probably an overly-simplistic question.

If shooting indoors, under flourescent light, and you use a flash...
would the flash overpower the flourescent light, or would there be some
sort of weird combo?

Reply to this Message

Nicholas O. Lindan - 31 Oct 2006 20:35 GMT

> If shooting indoors, under flourescent light, and you use a flash...
> would the flash overpower the flourescent light, or would there be some
> sort of weird combo?

From experience the result is likely to be whatever will make
the photo look the worst.

There are filters to make daylight into fluorescent light that
might work over the flash head. Then one would have a filter at
the camera to turn fluorescent light to daylight: everything will
have slightly weird colors but they would all be the same
weird colors.

--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation: F-Stop Timers, Enlarging Meters
http://www.nolindan.com/da/index.htm
n o lindan at ix dot netcom dot com

Reply to this Message

Bob Hickey - 31 Oct 2006 20:59 GMT

> This is probably an overly-simplistic question.
> If shooting indoors, under flourescent light, and you use a flash...
> would the flash overpower the flourescent light, or would there be some
> sort of weird combo?

Depends. If the flash says for instance : f8, and you set the camera at your
sync speed, say f8@ 1/125, then look at the ambiant meter; if it's much
slower, say, f8 @ 1/15 or less, then the flourescent won't show up. If the
two shutter speeds are close, then it prolly will. Bob Hickey

Reply to this Message

JimKramer - 01 Nov 2006 00:40 GMT

> > This is probably an overly-simplistic question.
> > If shooting indoors, under flourescent light, and you use a flash...
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> slower, say, f8 @ 1/15 or less, then the flourescent won't show up. If the
> two shutter speeds are close, then it prolly will. Bob Hickey

Bob,
I can't belive that you didn't just give him the very best possible
answer. Shoot with Black & white, then the color cast won't matter.

:-)

Jim

Reply to this Message

Simon Stanmore - 31 Oct 2006 22:50 GMT

It depends on the situation. If you can light the whole of the area in the
frame with flash (black frame with no flash), then the flash is overpowering
and you just balance for standard flash output. If not then use Rosco gels
over the flash to balance with the flourescent
--
Simon
http://www.simonstanmore.com

> This is probably an overly-simplistic question.
>
> If shooting indoors, under flourescent light, and you use a flash...
> would the flash overpower the flourescent light, or would there be some
> sort of weird combo?

Reply to this Message

Alan Browne - 01 Nov 2006 01:18 GMT

It depends on flash power, aperture and shutter speed. The shutter
speed is used the regulate the ambient light with (of course) 1 aperture
setting for both ambient and flash.

Typically on a tripod for the camera, meter the ambient w/o flash. That
aperture / speed is a reference. Add flash and increase shutter speed
to balance (reduce) the ambient contribution.

As to light coloration: subjects/objects closer to the flash will have
"daylight" coloration; objects/subjects closer to the fuourescent will
take on a green cast.

One trick is: using color film, put a pale green gel over the flash(es)
and a magenta filter over the lens. This brings the flash (sort of)
into the fluorescent color and then it's all corrected back with the
magenta filter. (This is all a big PITA).

Cheers,
Alan.

Signature

-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.

Reply to this Message