Fill Flash First

After 20 some years, I finally shot some in-field macros with a strobe. I've held out because I always felt like using flash would be equivalant to altering/distorting the natural scene (like using a spray water bottle which I still firmly believe is a no-no).

I also don't generally like that artificial look that strobes can give. So I thought I would give it a shot.

What are your thoughts on using artificial lights in documenting nature?

For comparison, here is another shot of the drama playing out withOUT fill flash.

I think the fill is very appropriate. And if the flash gives you a couple of extra stops whose going to complain. As long as you don't over power the scene with light and create awfull shadows I don't have a problem with it. Whats the differnce if you carry a reflector with you add a little highlight that way? I think the flash image compared to the available light shot is much superior in your example.

Dude, FLASH is like any spice in your kitchen( ginger and anise are my favorites ). If you put just enough in the recipe it's great, too much and you ruined it!

I don't have much to remark on as far as artificial light goes, but I HAVE to comment on the caterpillar shot...that's just awesome!

Emily

OT & Paul - thanks for the analogies. I think it's time for me to step down from my high horse. I'm always worried about too much manipulation creeping into photography. That why I held out a looong time before going digital (last October actually) until a friend asked me how much of my darkroom work didn't envolve dodging/burning and some color/contrast correction. But I'm still having difficulty straddling the line between representing something how I remember seeing it verses how I wish I had seen it.

But I still refuse to use any AF or AE. Gotta have my standards :p Now if a Canon SLR with a "Mark" on it falls out of the sky and into my hands, I might give the AF a go :D

Emily, thanks for your comment! I am pleased how that one turned out. It was very windy and these guys made the weeds bend and swing around a lot! I think I shot about 20 frames to get this.

i was strongly opposed to any post editing work on photos until just recently, when i looked at it as an actual dark room, but i still think to much is bad.

a flash to me is just a tool that helps even out the lighting so that a proper shot can be taken. because film ( or digital) sensor can not manipulate the light the way our brain does, it needs to be evened out in order to be seen the way our brain sees it.

Great caterpillar! Did you have to crawl for the shot?

Flash and artificial light has been around since almost the beginning of photography. And all photography is about light. So I do not see any issue with it, even in nature shots.

Remember, Audubon shot his birds before he drew and colored them. I would much rather see you or anyone use a little artificial light.

Bad flash, is bad flash. If it looks fake or staged, then I agree it doesn't work in a "nature" type shot. There are somethings that require it though. Try to shoot coral anemones at 100ft without a magnesium flare or a huge flouro tube bank. The color will never be even close to correct. One extreme example I'll admit.

We'll let you know if you go overboard, but I'm not really worried!