10 Easy Step To Beginner Strobist

[jayhan]

I just wanna share the following with fellow strobist enthusiast. Many have been asking me how do I shoot and I believe the following 10 steps are very crucial for starters.

I use matrix metering now since D300 metering more accurate on what i wanna achieve. here's a step by step guide and bear in mind this is FOC information *so smile*.

1. set ISO200 (if you have ISO100 - use it)
2. set shutter priority - 1/200sec (1/250 sec is not so realiable cuz sometimes may result in oversync)
3. set your exposure compensation to either -1 or -2 or -3 (this is up to you and your style)
4. point frame to make sure skies are about 3/4 or 2/3 of the frame - take aperture reading (assume its fXX where XX is the value)
5. switch to manual mode.
6. dial in 1/200sec and aperture of fXX, at ISO200
7. stand the bloke or blond into the frame. take a shot.
8. notice where the sunlight falls on her. u need to counter light the areas which are not lit up.
9. set flash to manual mode. power and diffusion/reflection option to your taste.
10. shoot and chimp. adjust power of flash until u get the power you want (or more like suits your chimping eyes)

hope these 10 steps helps.

[renzo]

warh u make it sound so easy... thanks...
I'll give it a shot one day... need to plan...
and also not so used to using manual mode for flash though...

[kclau]

thanks :)
gonna try it someday after i get a few more flash :P

[andythology]

just thought, EOS can't do EC on Manual Mode right? As I remember.

[raclette]

neither do nikon d-system i think (at least the lower enders). please correct me.:?

[jayhan]

even my 350D (or shall i say former) also can do EC la

[ShaolinTiger]

Andy is correct but missing the point, technically even PnS have EC.

But EC will do nothing on Manual mode, the point is you are using Shutter Priority and EC to find the correct aperture to underexpose the background.

Then you are dialing that setting directly into Manual mode.

[kiankheong]

One question.

Since you are using Manual Mode eventually, why not meter using the in-camera meter, instead of switching back and forth from Shutter priority to Manual priority.

Exposure compensation can still be done in Manual Mode by changing Shutter, Aperture, ISO values.

[jayhan]

kiankheong - when one is pro liao of course you can do that in manual mode without even lifting your eyes off the viewfinder eye piece la. It does say here "BEGINNER" mah... so use step by step a bit lo... and yeah ST just nailed it spot on.

and on top of that I dun like peeking into the details of the viewfinder to be honest hahaha

[andythology]

I ter-miss the 'shutter priority' in point 2. ok.

[blur]

errrmmm ... what's EC? :?

[andythology]

Exposure Compensation.

I was using D70, back then. I remember I can do EC in M, or I was wrong. So when I switched to Canon, I can't accept the fact that I can't do the same.
then I went on finding. There's only three aspect to adjust light, that's the trio shutter/aperture/ISO. hm... Then I confused, how can D70 do that. I can't check because the camera isn't on my reach now. hm... just curious.

[ShaolinTiger]

Like I said most camera can do EC in Manual but it's pointless because it doesn't do anything.

Just read Jay's post carefully, it's all there..

And this is the way most pro strobist do it :D Or they use incident light meter, either way it's the same method...just us new school guys don't own light meter so why not use the evaluative/matrix meter in the camera.

[jayhan]

we are chimpers hahah - ok or at least i am self confessing :P
results count. chimping helps. anything that helps to produce results is good. :)

[kiankheong]

Exposure Compensation.

I was using D70, back then. I remember I can do EC in M, or I was wrong. So when I switched to Canon, I can't accept the fact that I can't do the same.
then I went on finding. There's only three aspect to adjust light, that's the trio shutter/aperture/ISO. hm... Then I confused, how can D70 do that. I can't check because the camera isn't on my reach now. hm... just curious.

EC works in P, S, A modes but not in M mode.

In M mode, we have to do compensation manually by changing the values of either the shutter speed, aperture, or ISO.

When I initially had my camera (D40), I was confused too. That's because the EC value (set in other modes) is still being displayed even when I have switched to Manual Mode.

[supes]

oh wow...how can I miss all this...must try & possible learn from Master Jay....

[jayhan]

im not worthy..... bow bow

[supes]

im not worthy..... bow bow

so humble....when can come out for TT...must learn more from you.;)