Electronic Flash Information

Electronic flash is also referred to as "strobe" lighting. A portable, on-camera flash can be used the same way as a studio strobe kit. The light both set-ups deliver is of a high intensity and a very short duration. The color balance of the light is daylight (though color temperature may vary slightly between units and tends to often be cool). The main difference between the two types of strobe lighting is their size, power, and portability. Studio strobes are often used in conjunction with a large power pack and can deliver an impressive blast of light. When using studio strobes, one will often use more than one at a time. Usually, in the studio, strobes are used with umbrellas or reflectors.

Both studio and on-camera strobes can be used effectively both in and out of the studio, and students are encouraged to integrate the use of electronic flash into their working methods.
On-camera strobe often gets a bad rap. When used by an inexperienced photographer, the results can be harsh and unflattering. When in capable hands, the electronic flash is a wonderful tool, which can be manipulated to produce an array of effects.

You will have 4 assignments using an electronic flash. You may choose to complete some of the assignments in the studio, but others must be done on location. There are a limited number of electronic flash units available on campus, so the class will have to plan wisely and share the resources. In addition, if students wish to purchase a flash unit, there are many options, ranging from inexpensive to unaffordable. A good "workhorse" unit is the Vivitar 283, which runs around $70. The 285, which is a slightly souped-up version which has a built in adapter for wide, telephoto, and normal settings, costs about twenty dollars more.
The 4 assignments using electronic flash are as follows and will be discussed in greater detail below. Each assignment must be printed 8"x10" and mounted on an 11"x14" board.

Daylight Flash Sync/ Fill-in Flash- 2 prints due April 25, 2003
Flash with Long Exposure- 1 print due May 2
Diffused Flash- 1 print due May 2
Environmental Portrait- 1 print due May 16

General things to know about flash photography:

Color Temperature
The color balance of the light is approximately the same as daylight, but often strobe light tends to be slightly cool. The variation of color temperature between flash units is small. If you are shooting black and white film, this information is of no concern to you. If you are shooting color, you may want to do tests to determine if filters are necessary. If you are printing color, you can often correct in the darkroom.
When shooting color film, you will be using daylight-balanced film. Do not use tungsten film when you are shooting flash, unless you are interested in the effect.

Sync speed
When using a camera with a focal plane shutter, the recommended sync time is noted in the literature which accompanied the new camera or is highlighted on the camera itself. If you shoot at a speed higher than this shutter speed, you will not get a proper exposure. This is because the flash will fire at an inopportune time during the movement of the shutter across the plane of the film. It is a very common error and you will know if you have had this problem because a third or a quarter of your negative will be unexposed. I shoot with a camera which syncs at 1/60th of a second. On my camera, the number 60 is a different color than the other colors, so if I forget my flash sync speed, this is how I remind myself.
Cameras with a leaf shutter (a Hasselblad is one, a 4x5 is another) have no sync speed. This means that you can shoot with a strobe at any shutter speed without suffering the horrors described above.

On any camera, if you shoot with a shutter speed BELOW the required speed, you will not have the above problem. Shooting with slower shutter speeds allows for a world of experimentation, which you will begin to explore in our assignments.

Sync cord
In order for the flash to respond when you are pressing the shutter button, the camera and flash unit must be in communication. An on-camera flash may have a "hot shoe" which will mount directly onto your camera. Though this is the easiest way to use a flash, you might find more delightful results if you move the flash slightly away from the camera using a bracket or hand holding it to the side. In order for the strobe to fire, you will need to use a sync cord. A standard cord plugs into a small round plug on your camera. Fancier strobes with TTL capabilities may require different cords or adapters.
Studio strobes use the small round plug on your camera.

Flash Modes/ Metering
Studio Strobes
Studio strobe set ups require the use of a flash meter to determine the amount of light hitting the subject. Use a flash meter the way you would meter the ambient light hitting the subject. Some flash meters allow you to plug the sync cord directly into them in order to obtain a reading. Others require you to "pop" the strobes while you are holding down the button. Using a flash meter is the only way to figure out your exposure when using strobes in the studio.

On Camera Flash/ Portable
The majority of on-camera flash units have an assortment of automatic modes as well as a manual mode. The "Manual" setting will deliver the most powerful flash of light. In order to use this setting, you must measure the distance from the subject to the camera and consult the chart on your flash or you can use a flash meter. Automatic modes allow you to choose an aperture and a general range of distances from the subject to camera. The flash will automatically determine the amount of light to throw on the subject. This works pretty well most of the time. Some cameras and flash units will work together in a mode called TTL, which stands for "through the lens" metering. With TTL metering, you can bounce your flash or throw a diffuser on it and not worry about your exposure.