Fill Flash

[Peter]

I've got to pose some people on an outside group shot. Now because of sun
and other factors I will bring them in the shade out of the sun. I will
however use fill flash. I have a Nikon d70 with a sb600 flash. Now if I'm
set for 1/125@f11 for example what would be a pleasing setting for flash
output before loosing highlights. Should I power down the flash, by 1, 2 or
even 3 stops?

Or is there a better way?

[Stefan]

Since I'm not really familiar with the way the D70 and sb600 work together
in auto mode, I'll give you some general guidelines and techniques, and
you work it out from there.

First, NEVER let your camera's shutter speed go above the flash sync
speed. It can be less, but never more.

Second, since the flash is just "filling," I make the flash, by whatever
means possible, output at 1.5 to 2 stops LESS than what the natural light
exposure would be. So, for example, in the old days of film cameras and
auto-flash, if I were shooting 25 speed film, I would set the flash for
100 speed and it would automatically output 2 stops less light. With some
digital cameras, you can set via menu for the flash to output less. I use
this technique with a little Olympus C3030 I use for snapshots. Works
quite well.

Third, with backlit or subjects in open shade, I find that having the
flash supply 50% of the light for the exposure gives a nice look. That is,
you would underexpose the ambient/natural light by 1 stop, and set the
flash to supply the other 1 stop of light.

Fourth, ABSOLUTELY do tests before the actual shoot to work out the bugs.