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This is my first portrait with the SB-800. I know the composition is terrible - standard holiday snap - but I was thinking more about getting the lighting sorted out. Kit lens used, bounce flash with diffuser. Appreciate your comments.

Simon, I am no expert on lighting but you would have to be happy with that

Simon, I'm more happy to see your photo with your skill of using the SB800, and hope this photo will help you to convince her to let you get further with lust

Would you have even been able to take that photo without fill flash? Nup!
Worth the money to have this capability, Simon.

Simon - you seem to have mastered the little ’ol SB800 with this very nice portrait. The catchlights are there, the background is blown just enough IMO, the shadows are soft but necessary - very nice

Thanks all for the very positive comments. Now I'm even more keen to learn more about the flash. It just gives a whole new dimension to phots, particularly portraits.

The missus loved the photo - especially the photoshop work on removing some of the "maturity lines"!

Wow, that's excellent Simon, great example of what's possible! Now, do I buy one now, or wait till I win Challenge 4?

Manta

I think you've really captured the moment with this shot, subtle lighting no harsh shadows.

I've only recently purchased an SB800 and hope I can do as well with my portraits.

Manta, you have nailed the exposure, well done.

And I don't think the composition is terrible at all. It is a good shot, well realised. Very nice.

Why do you think that the composition is terrible? It's great, you've caught just enough of the body to not be overwhelmed by the face, yet you left most of it unseen which is good IMO. You framed tightly around their faces so there isn't a lot of other nonsense to distract. I'm sort of afraid of my sb 800. It's so dang complicated.

MCWB wrote:Wow, that's excellent Simon, great example of what's possible! Now, do I buy one now, or wait till I win Challenge 4?

Either way MC - just get one by whatever means is at your disposal!

Geoff Marland wrote:I've only recently purchased an SB800 and hope I can do as well with my portraits.

Enjoy your new toy Geoff and thanks for your comments.

Greg B wrote:Manta, you have nailed the exposure, well done.

Thanks Greg - I opened the aperture a couple of stops to allow for the lower light due to the bounce. It was a bit of guess work but it seemed to have worked out okay.

Dooda wrote:Why do you think that the composition is terrible? It's great, you've caught just enough of the body to not be overwhelmed by the face, yet you left most of it unseen which is good IMO. You framed tightly around their faces so there isn't a lot of other nonsense to distract. I'm sort of afraid of my sb 800. It's so dang complicated.

Thanks for that Dooda. I just thought the compostion was a little too basic - sort of "Photography 101" stuff. I'm going to try harder in the future to think outside the square a little more when it comes to composing this sort of shot but, as I said at the top of this thread, I was more interested in getting the lighting right. The kind reviews I've had here, though, would suggest the composure wasn't quite as drab as I thought it was. Thanks everyone!

Thanks for that Dooda. I just thought the compostion was a little too basic - sort of "Photography 101" stuff. I'm going to try harder in the future to think outside the square a little more when it comes to composing this sort of shot but, as I said at the top of this thread, I was more interested in getting the lighting right. The kind reviews I've had here, though, would suggest the composure wasn't quite as drab as I thought it was. Thanks everyone!

Nothing wrong with that. I think that the most important thing is to get the basic photo 101 thing down before going too far into the art world. Sometimes I get home from shooting and toss everything because I was being too artsy and not relying on the basic principles that are the foundation of photography. The main thing for portraits is the subject and that nothing distracts from them and you've done that here successfully IMO. Crazy composition is often a distraction from what the photo is about. There is nothing mindblowing about this composition, I don't even notice it, which is a good thing. Your girls have wonderful smiles BTW.

Dooda wrote:Sometimes I get home from shooting and toss everything because I was being too artsy and not relying on the basic principles that are the foundation of photography. The main thing for portraits is the subject and that nothing distracts from them and you've done that here successfully IMO

You make a lot of sense with those comments Dave. Thanks.

The trick to shooting with flash is to try and make it look like you didn't use a flash. The SB800 is brilliant at doing this and your shot shows that exceptionally.

It's a great portrait photo and you should be proud of it.

I like the composition and I don't think you can even tell you used a flash. Excellent shot. I've ordered the SB-800 too now (thanks Birddog!). I'm a convert!

Thanks for the kind words Steve and Nicole. I think you've both nailed it - the SB-800 does a great job of 'not being there'.
I'm looking forward to seeing some of your shots when you get yours Nicole.

Cheers,