Tried some backlighting with an off camera SB900

Messing with the off camera flash (strobe) to try and create sunlit backlighting. Shot using my D300s, 70-200 F2.8, SB900 speedlight and SB-R200 macro flash. The flash was controlled using CLS. The exif data is available on the Flickr site.

I think it looks like the sun is providing the light rather than a strobe. This was shot indoors although the background was through a window. No direct sunlight was involved. I was also pleased with the sharpness of the 70-200 2.8, as I would normally use a 90mm macro for this sort of thing.

Backlit flower - a set on Flickr

Regards

Geoff

Interesting, though the light from the strobe isn't quite as warm as the sunlight coming through the window. Did you gel your flash at all?

Thanks for the feedback as I've only just started using off camera strobes. In fact I've only just started to try learning how to use flash in general, beyond popping up the on camera unit and firing.

No gel used. I never thought I needed to balance a strobe with daylight as they're supposed to be the same colour. What colour gel would you suggest?

Like you I am also kind of new to off-camera strobing. Maybe you should start a Gelling discussion thread to see if anyone else around here could help a bit. I know my strobe is a lot bluer than ambient sunlight but I have yet to mess with gels. I ordered some and they still haven't shown up.

The white balance looks perfectly fine. Gels are not nesercary with daylight balanced pics using flash.
Its a realy nice pic.... you should post it in the post your flower thread !

westmill said:

Gels are not nesercary with daylight balanced pics using flash.

Click to expand...

Wait... what? That's what CTO gels are FOR! Flash Daylight Balancing - Canon Digital Photography Forums

Thanks westmill, I must admit I couldn't quite see the issue myself. In fact everybody I showed it to thought it was nice and natural. That said I must dabble with gels for other requirements.

Will V|Photography said:

Wait... what? That's what CTO gels are FOR! Flash Daylight Balancing - Canon Digital Photography Forums

Click to expand...

You can use gels for correcting colour temprature if your shooting in mixed lighting or when the sun goes down
etc. you can correct in PS though as well. Gels are not needed for normal daylight use !!!!!
I could have used a gel on my flash the other wk when I took a shot in a church which had very warm lighting.
The SB900 actualy comes with a couple of filters supplied for this kind of thing.
You can also use gels for warming the pic up, but again, I find it better done in PS.

Agree to disagree. I'd rather get it right in camera and do as little PP work as possible.