Whether it's adding light to shadows to create a good balance of tones,
or brightening color on overcast days, fill flash provides an extra burst of
light that can do the job. Close-up fill can be done with the built-in flash
that comes with many cameras, or auxiliary flash that mounts on the camera's
hot shoe. In either case, fill can be modified using the power output ratios
that can be dialed in on the flash itself or via the flash exposure compensation
dial on the built-ins. Readers responded to our call for fill flash with a range
of images, from portrait to nature to wildlife photography.
Sunbird |
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Jim Mitchell used fill to photograph this bird on what he described
as an "extremely overcast day." He worked with a Nikon
D2X and Nikkor 80-400mm VR lens. His flash was a Nikon SB-800
with a Better Beamer Flash Extender set at -0.7 EV compensation.
© 2006, Jim Mitchell, All Rights Reserved
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Stingray |
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Photographer King Dalton made this dynamic image of a stingray
in the Grand Cayman waters with a Canon EOS 5D in an Ikelite housing
with two Ikelite SubStrobe 125s. His lens was a Tamron 17-35mm
zoom set at 17mm; exposure was f/16 at 1/200 sec.
© 2006, King Dalton, All Rights Reserved
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Chrome Dressed |
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To add detail and luster to the engine and pipes of this motorcycle
in the shade, Frank Goroszko used a Nikon SB-600 flash on his
Nikon D70 with a Tamron 18-200mm XR lens. Exposure was f/11 at
1/160 sec, with a -1 EV exposure compensation on the flash.
© 2006, Frank Goroszko, All Rights Reserved
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Portrait Fill |
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Christopher Petruzzi made this outdoor portrait of Ashley Long
with close-up fill using his Nikon D2X and Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8
lens. His exposure was f/4.5 at 1/60 sec.
© 2006, Christopher Petruzzi, All Rights Reserved
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Floral Fire |
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To add color and light to this close-up of a tulip, Dr. Jerome
Siegel worked with a Nikon F6 on Velvia 100 film; flash was set
at -1.7 EV. He worked with a 200mm macro lens with an 81B filter.
© 2006, Dr. Jerome Siegel, All Rights Reserved
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Senior Portrait |
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Gordon Rock made a series of images of his niece, Mara Crouch,
for her senior portraits using a Nikon D2X, a 80-200mm f/2.8 zoom
lens, and a Nikon SB-800 flash. Photographer Rock wrote, "The
SB-800 was set to -1EV...The long focal length helped blur
the background and the flash separated her from the dark bushes
behind her."
© 2006, Gordon Rock, All Rights Reserved
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Second Curtain Sync |
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Mark Maxon was on assignment to illustrate speeding on a stretch
of road in southeast South Dakota. He caught this semi using a
Nikon D1X set at f/5.3 at 1/4 sec, and used his flash on second
curtain sync to show the truck's speed, which is amply shown
as being over the limit.
© 2006, Mark Maxon, All Rights Reserved
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