I had to update my exposure timeline graphic in my Exposure timeline post based upon the article Flash Photography with Canon EOS Cameras.  The pre-flash metering burst is fired before the shutter opens, thereby permitting the main flash to fire in conjunction with the start of the ambient exposure.

It’s only two months into my photography hobby, and already I’m becoming a flash snob.  So much so, that it’s ruining my chances at getting otherwise candid family photographs.  I’m enjoying – and often failing – the task of taking pictures given the ambient light in a room and not introducing the harsh light introduced by the camera’s built-in flash.

I’ve got enough of a grasp on exposure that I understand and appreciate that pictures may be taken in low ambient light situations – it just means that I need to use a much slower shutter speed (or an incredibly high ISO, which I’m prone not to do.)  The problem that I’ve created for myself is I also like the zoomed out view offered by my various telephoto lenses.  Unfortunately, the telephoto end of a lens and a slow shutter speed do not make for good friends.

In all the reading I’ve been doing, it seems that all of the great shots are taken with a tripod.  Bryan Peterson, author of Understanding Exposure and Learning to See Creatively, has example photos on every page of his books, along with captions about the photo itself.  Almost without fail, he mentions “… so I grabbed my tripod …”  My wife already gives me a goofy look when I break out the tripod, and I’m not going to go grab it and set it up for those candid family photos.

So, until my course with Bryan starts later this week and I can gain some additional perspective on using flash when striving for a correct exposure using ambient light, I’m going to hide my problem by admitting that I don’t have one and not taking the pictures that I could otherwise take with a flash.

After watching the Nikon School’s breakfast series and having my own woes to speak of during low-light photography, I purchased a mini tripod.  It was expensive – about 3x the price of my full sized tripod – at $65.  But after hearing the professionals talk about the need to carry a mini one with ‘em, I’m sold.

I’m using an ExpoDisc with my Digital Rebel to set the correct custom white balance.

Dan also pointed out to me the other day that you can use the ExpoDisc to calibrate your camera’s meter, too.  By leveraging the “Sunny f/16 rule,” you can just place the ExpoDisc on the lens, select an ISO of 100, place the camera in aperture (Tv) mode to select an aperture of f/16 and then aim at the sun.  If your exposure meter is calibrated properly, you should get a shutter speed of 1/125s.  If you don’t, then you know how much over or under you need to expose for a proper exposure.

I’m happy to report that after suspicions that my meter may not be calibrated properly, it is indeed calibrated properly.

You may be asking, “What is the sunny f/16 rule?”  It’s pretty simple, actually.  On a bright sunny day, shooting at ISO 100 with an aperture of f/16 and a shutter speed of 1/125, you will achieve a correct exposure.  I’ll expound on this in a future blog entry.

Building management where I work is doing major updating to the bathrooms and hallways.  When I asked the “painters” what color they were going to paint the walls, I was told they were going to use “wall covering” instead.  Wall covering?  What happened to wall paper?  Is wall covering some how more chic than wall paper?  Couldn’t you consider paint as a form of wall covering also?

 I’m currently reading Understand Exposure by Bryan Peterson.  It came to me highly recommended and, from what I can tell so far, is an excellent book on the subject.  As a result, I’ve signed up for Bryan’s Internet-led class on the same subject.  Should be interesting.

Note there’s an updated version of this book coming out in August that also deals with digital photography.

 The more I try to learn about becoming proficient with my Canon EOS Digital Rebel, the more complicated things become.  Here’s just one example of the complexities of understanding the flash metering system in Canon’s EOS cameras.