My First DSLR - Canon 600D

[khurram_aziz]

• eBay Link: Flash Modifiers Kit Canon 580EX II 550EX 580EXII CA7 | eBay; eBay only allows auctions; if link is not working; search "killercamera" member there and his listings...he enlists his products again when auction time is exhausted
• I contacted him through eBay asking can I use Western Union instead of PayPal; the vendor's preferred payment method; he agreed and gave me required info. For Western Union you need country name and the name of the receiver as on some ID
• I transfered the money on Sep 16th (self birthday gift :-#) (Friday I think) and on Monday he informed that order is dispatched via post...the item reached on Sep 27th
• The shipment charges were included in 89.99US$.
• The listing was for 550EX/580EX/580EX-II models..these flashguns have larger head; I contacted him through eBay inquiring if I can get it for 430EX-II; this was accomodated
• Instead of "just" 430EX-II; I asked that I would like "both" 550EX/580EX/580EX-II and 430EX-II adapters; he told that there will be 9.99US$ additional charges
• Total charges were 99.98US$; Western Union agent charged 1000+Rs (not remembering exactly; it was something between 1000 and 1500)
• The item was marked as "gift" and "low value"; I paid nothing as tax. Everything came in 100US$ plus the Western Union charges
• Not all vendors mark the items "gift" with "low value". I once ordered a CD and had to pay about 1500Rs as tax The tax was collected at doorstep at the time of delivery.
• Not every Western Union outlet (banks etc) provide service for sending money; the famous money transfer outlets provide these services. When you send the money they give you computer slip with code. You need to send this code to the receiver

[khurram_aziz]

Flashgun was placed on a nearby table about 5 feet from our subject!

Flashgun 1/16 | Flashgun 1/8

Now for Modifiers Kit; flashgun was used @ 1/8th power

Mini Reflector | Globe Diffuser

Honey Comb | Softbox

Conical Snoot | Orange Color Mask

[aesiege]

Try changing power with globe diffuser and i guess u should get the perfect exposure.

Its only a guess after looking at above images hehe

[khurram_aziz]

I am also liking Globe and Reflector for general use; these two and Softbox need more power than others.

Softbox | Mini Reflector

[RedBull_ar]

some of the pics are too hot on the left side
also, try a reflector on the right side

[khurram_aziz]

All the above samples were first try and were purely for experiment; therefore kept the flashgun power constant and are as-is and shared thinking might be useful atleast for reference. The pictures with more light is of Snoot; whose main purpose is to concentrate the light and test fires to determine the power. Snoot has two Honey Comb Grids that I didnt tried; they must soften the light...The two pictures in second post were bit planned after initial evaluation of the expirement. The color mask one was also messed up; the built-in flashgun was disabled; it should had enabled.

[khurram_aziz]

Reflector is definitely a next thing to acquire; its must have for Outdoor Portraits as well...What you guys think of using Standee as Reflector? These things are easily available with printing folk (marketing firms etc) and come with white plasticy sheet, and if required we can use the Silver/Golden Gift Wrapping Foils? It will not be portable; but then thats not a major concern...

Will also check out whats available at Chamberlain Road Lahore market on next visit (Saturday hopefully) @RedBull, if you need what you are looking for from there; feel free to let me know.

[medaincredible]

beautiful shots sir jee as usual

[RedBull_ar]

thank you so much for the offer sir, but i think i need to do more research (check pindi)

as you have already mentioned, standee would not be as flexible or portable as a reflector. 32inch or 43inch 5 in 1 foldable reflectors (3000rs for phottix reflector) might be more practical.

[khurram_aziz]

Used Color Masks from Flash Modifiers Kit to color the background...

Green Color Mask | Orange Color Mask

[khurram_aziz]

beautiful shots sir jee as usual

Thank you!

Anyone doing Portraits should check Platon's work at platon; copycatting one of his portrait...This could be better with some backdrop; but I guess I will be expelled from bedroom if I try setting things on such a scale :-#

Platon by khurramaziz, on Flickr

Exposure: 1/100sec
Aperture: f/3.5
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO: 100

[aesiege]

Used Color Masks from Flash Modifiers Kit to color the background...

Green Color Mask | Orange Color Mask

Super results !!!

Way to go bro just a bit more light

[khurram_aziz]

Super results !!!

Way to go bro just a bit more light

Thank you

The main flashgun was placed behind the subject for coloring wall. The subject was lit with crappy built-in flash

[Samialvi]

MashAllah... your Photography's Awesome, loving the flash experiments your doing

I needed to ask you a question,

Have you tried taking Still images in the 16:9 aspect ratio mode? Do the still images actually come out to be in 16:9 aspect ratio?

I'm asking this because I read a few forums over the internet about that it only displays 16:9 cropping lines in the "live view" and actually produces still images only in 3:2 aspect ratio!

Btw if possible do post up a 16:9 still image that came directly out of the camera(non-modified/edited)!

[khurram_aziz]

Thank you Sami...

I dont think there is any DSLR that does 16:9 "natively" as they have to come up with the new sensor and accordingly designed lenses. It captures in 2:3 @ 3456x5184 pixels in RAW.

[khurram_aziz]

Many think that flash is only for low light situation...flash is just a light source that you can use anywhere; even in outdoors...

//youtu.be/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd7WqJWPcIU

[khurram_aziz]

The first obvious use in outdoors is using it as a Fill Light...If "Key Light" (we discussed it earlier; in case of outdoor the Sunlight) is casting unwanted shadows; say Eye Sockets (when sun is high overhead) we can use flash as "Fill Light". We may use Grid or Snoot to limit the spread of flashgun

//youtu.be/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzMcGCCEhiA

Fill Flash is must when you want to have sun in the back

//youtu.be/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaBExauPQTo

Fill Flash is not just for portraits!

//youtu.be/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKSGak4UGCE

[khurram_aziz]

One can use flashgun to simulate the evening! Using snoot concentrate the light to lit the subject and get the control over the sunlight acting as back light. Lower the back light by using smaller aperture (larger f-Number); you will get an evening without waiting for it...

//youtu.be/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpOLXlGjw34

[aesiege]

Since u r doing lots of research on flash photography so i have a question.

What settings or technique should be used if u want the background to be adequately exposed alongwith subject with pop-up flash only??

Right now i am using ISO1600 with F3-5.6 and 1/30-1/60sec. But still the background is not exposed enough which is usual for a flash shot.

[khurram_aziz]

Since u r doing lots of research on flash photography so i have a question.

What settings or technique should be used if u want the background to be adequately exposed alongwith subject with pop-up flash only??

Right now i am using ISO1600 with F3-5.6 and 1/30-1/60sec. But still the background is not exposed enough which is usual for a flash shot.

You might have tried these...

• use bit longer exposure asking your subject to "hold" and use the second / rear curtan flash synch...
• bounce the flash with paper or something

once I covered the birthday of my child without flash (film camera) I simply brought two high power cheap lights and hanged them higher in windows; it was winter and no body minded them and results were awesome!

Honestly...invest into proper flashgun...it solves many indoor/low light issues...I had to live without flash with my film camera for many years and this might be the reason why I was eager to jump into flash photography bandwagon as soon as I get the DSLR. 430EX-II is perfect companion of our cameras...Nissin 866 or even 622 are fine too...they do ETTL