Clip on flash question

[SZLiao214]

I have been wanting to combine my love of cooking with my love of photography and have decided to create a food blog. I have a rebel xt with a f1.8 50mm.

A lot of the food photographers seem to use natural light + bouncing light off the ceiling. I was wondering what would be a cheap clip on or detachable flash to use in this situation.

The only experience i have had with detachable flashes has been with the Canon Speedlite 430ex that my school had. What would be the difference between a 300 flash compared to a 50 dollar flash?

 

[ElFenix]

you'd probably have to set up the $50 flash manually

 

[996GT2]

The more expensive flash would have faster recycle times, tilt and swiveling head, E-TTL flash metering, manual power settings, AF assist light, wireless commander operation, etc.

For simple food photography where you have a lot of time to mess with the settings, a lot of those features you don't really need. However, a swivel AND tilt head is an important feature on any flash IMO.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

In addition you'll really want to invest in or think about things that will

a. soften the light
b. direct the light

Softening the light will make the entire image look smoother - no harsh shadow edges and stuff. The main idea behind this is finding a way to convert the light coming from your flash (a small point source of light) to light coming from a large area (diffusion). Bouncing light off a wall works. Using a softbox or umbrella also works.

Next is directing the light, because diffused light is no good if your object isn't being lit from the right directions. Bouncing light from the ceiling may create diffused light, but only having downwards shining light can cast shadows on the object depending on how it's shaped. This is where you get into the territory of having multiple lights pointing in multiple directions or reflectors like white boards or mirrors. So if you've got light bouncing down from the ceiling, you might want to put a white board a bit under but angled at your food to further reflect that bounced light upwards to get rid of the shadows.

 

[SZLiao214]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
In addition you'll really want to invest in or think about things that will

a. soften the light
b. direct the light

Softening the light will make the entire image look smoother - no harsh shadow edges and stuff. The main idea behind this is finding a way to convert the light coming from your flash (a small point source of light) to light coming from a large area (diffusion). Bouncing light off a wall works. Using a softbox or umbrella also works.

Next is directing the light, because diffused light is no good if your object isn't being lit from the right directions. Bouncing light from the ceiling may create diffused light, but only having downwards shining light can cast shadows on the object depending on how it's shaped. This is where you get into the territory of having multiple lights pointing in multiple directions or reflectors like white boards or mirrors. So if you've got light bouncing down from the ceiling, you might want to put a white board a bit under but angled at your food to further reflect that bounced light upwards to get rid of the shadows.

Would something like this work with what you were talking about? I have never shot anything with a backdrop.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: SZLiao214

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
In addition you'll really want to invest in or think about things that will

a. soften the light
b. direct the light

Softening the light will make the entire image look smoother - no harsh shadow edges and stuff. The main idea behind this is finding a way to convert the light coming from your flash (a small point source of light) to light coming from a large area (diffusion). Bouncing light off a wall works. Using a softbox or umbrella also works.

Next is directing the light, because diffused light is no good if your object isn't being lit from the right directions. Bouncing light from the ceiling may create diffused light, but only having downwards shining light can cast shadows on the object depending on how it's shaped. This is where you get into the territory of having multiple lights pointing in multiple directions or reflectors like white boards or mirrors. So if you've got light bouncing down from the ceiling, you might want to put a white board a bit under but angled at your food to further reflect that bounced light upwards to get rid of the shadows.

Would something like this work with what you were talking about? I have never shot anything with a backdrop.

Yes and no. Yes it will work if you're shooting food on a plate and ONLY food on a plate, but most food photography also includes the surroundings and the surface the plate is on - the wood of a dining table, the metal of an outdoor patio table with a candle in the background, a side plate of salad and a glass of iced tea further in the background, etc. Basically additional elements that help create the overall atmosphere of the shoot.

But if you're only doing the food + plate + solid colored background, a simple enclosed lightbox would work.

 

[SZLiao214]

Thanks FBB, for now i will start off with the light box. My plates are all blank white and the surfaces in my apartment are ugly heh.