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<blockquote data-quote="WayneF" data-source="post: 174862" data-attributes="member: 12496">I don't know any magic answer about how to get soft light out of a tiny flash.&nbsp; Soft comes from large close lights.&nbsp; It might be a reflector, but it is still large and close.&nbsp;&nbsp; Large makes light from many angles, which fills the shadows by light from the other angles.&nbsp; Close makes large bigger.Your picture is excellent.&nbsp;&nbsp; IMO, it has that special look of getting both exposure and white balance just right.&nbsp; Magic often happens then.My assumption is this picture is backlighted by fairly bright sun, with direct fill, but not too little, and not quite too much, just about right.&nbsp; Was it TTL BL, or TTL with maybe about -1.3EV compensation?&nbsp; &nbsp; I don't know what the forum rules are about blocking image access, hiding Exif, if even Exif exists?&nbsp; Some are blocked, some are not.&nbsp; I may be wrong, but seems only external source images might still have Exif?&nbsp; Pity, Exif sometimes provides answers.But your picture properly backed off on fill to leave slight traces of the sun, shadows on forehead and nose (on camera left), under chin, etc.&nbsp; That gradient shading is lots better, lots more interesting, than fully flat, or fully dark.Frontal direct fill from camera position is flat, to a fault if by itself.&nbsp;&nbsp; The nearly-on-lens-axis flash illuminates exactly the same angle the lens sees, so any shadows the lens sees is filled, and the inline flash does not make additional shadows.&nbsp; That is the definition of flat.&nbsp; But no shadows actually is as &quot;soft&quot; as filled shadows (no sharp edges of harsh shadows).&nbsp; &nbsp; Flat is soft (often to a fault).&nbsp; I don't think a four foot umbrella AT THE CAMERA would have changed much (except four feet is getting pretty far from the lens axis, and would have had a little effect).But the basic concept of fill is to be flat frontal fill, near lens axis.&nbsp; To fill the shadows the lens sees, without making more shadows itself.&nbsp;&nbsp; That fits right in with using bare camera flash for fill in bright sun. It is the off-camera main light we want to be soft.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="WayneF, post: 174862, member: 12496"] I don't know any magic answer about how to get soft light out of a tiny flash. Soft comes from large close lights. It might be a reflector, but it is still large and close. Large makes light from many angles, which fills the shadows by light from the other angles. Close makes large bigger. Your picture is excellent. IMO, it has that special look of getting both exposure and white balance just right. Magic often happens then. My assumption is this picture is backlighted by fairly bright sun, with direct fill, but not too little, and not quite too much, just about right. Was it TTL BL, or TTL with maybe about -1.3EV compensation? I don't know what the forum rules are about blocking image access, hiding Exif, if even Exif exists? Some are blocked, some are not. I may be wrong, but seems only external source images might still have Exif? Pity, Exif sometimes provides answers. But your picture properly backed off on fill to leave slight traces of the sun, shadows on forehead and nose (on camera left), under chin, etc. That gradient shading is lots better, lots more interesting, than fully flat, or fully dark. Frontal direct fill from camera position is flat, to a fault if by itself. The nearly-on-lens-axis flash illuminates exactly the same angle the lens sees, so any shadows the lens sees is filled, and the inline flash does not make additional shadows. That is the definition of flat. But no shadows actually is as "soft" as filled shadows (no sharp edges of harsh shadows). Flat is soft (often to a fault). I don't think a four foot umbrella AT THE CAMERA would have changed much (except four feet is getting pretty far from the lens axis, and would have had a little effect). But the basic concept of fill is to be flat frontal fill, near lens axis. To fill the shadows the lens sees, without making more shadows itself. That fits right in with using bare camera flash for fill in bright sun. It is the off-camera main light we want to be soft. [/QUOTE]

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