Well one thing I did some time ago that helped me understand what I liked and didn't was an exercise. Guide number do work, but it takes a bit of understanding. Ratios are the key, but some of the photo people make ratios seem like you are reading lost Mayan texts in a language no one understands. Fact of the matter is as long as you understand and can predict the results, that usually is all that matters. Try this with a digital camera and your flash. Put the camera on a tripod. Set up a tabletop scene of some sort that will not move. You won't something that would create some shadows as in a portrait if that's your goal. For this exercise use only one flash. You can either set the body for multiple exposures or use a totally dark room and the bulb. Any thing that will leave the shutter open will work. Decide where your main light is going to be and use the first exposure for that. Next move the same flash to where you think fill should be and make an estimate as to what you need and pop the flash again. That's your fill flash. IF you want to add background and hair light types of flash do that too. You can make adjustments for fill with either the distance, dialing down the flash or what ever. You are looking for a repeatable result YOU like. I have done this at night with one flash and a 30 second exposure. In the near total darkness ambient light isn't usually much of an issue. After about 2 or 3 flashes, the scene can look like it was done during the daylight. Once you find what works for you, then you can use the two flashes more effectively. With 2 mastered 3 and 4 get easier and usually by then you have something in mind and then just decide what you need to make it happen. All that being said I do find my flash meter well worth the money. Its a tool that makes things quicker and easier for me to visualize in my own way. Still I know some that do great work that have used nothing but a piece of string. --- On Thu, 1/15/09, Roger Eichhorn <eichhorn@xxxxxx> wrote: > From: Roger Eichhorn <eichhorn@xxxxxx> > Subject: Canon Flash Information > To: "List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students" <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Date: Thursday, January 15, 2009, 6:20 PM > Remembering the recent discussion on Flash Units -- this > just came in from Canon: > http://campman1.usa.canon.com/ema/www/r?1000002233.7572.26.FXMkkjAHZBng6U. > I haven't looked at it yet. > > I used to use Guide Numbers, but it seems to me that they > won't work if the issue is "fill flash". > Wrong? Or do I have to dial down the flash intensity to get > the result I want? > > Roger
