Mixing flash with ambient light

[Shootar401]

Is there a trick to mixing ambient lighting either from a room our outdoors to flashbulbs? Or should I just set my shutter speed for my ambient reading and just fire the flash at the correct f-stop?

[markbarendt]

Depends on your flash unit.

What are you using?

Does it have an auto mode?

[BrianShaw]

Frashbulbs don't have an auto mode.

[BrianShaw]

Yes, Mr. 401... you can do that. If using fast shutter speed (> 1/60 or so) you should check to see if "flash efficiency" adjustments should be made.

[Matthew Wagg]

Yes and no. As Mark says above it depends on your speedlight. If you have a TTL speedlight then its pretty easy. If you go manual and have a flash that is capable of changing its power output then again yes but its a bit more work on your part.

In the latter what you want to do is meter for ambient then set your flash for a stop higher than ambient if you're doing portraits or between a 1/3rd to a 2/3rds lower if its still life. Its really a case of how much influence and what kind of look you're going for with the flash. If you have a Dslr you can use that to meter the flash output and then use it as a reference for the film, or use a flash meter (which are worth their weight in gold) or run a test roll through the camera with various settings of power for the flash at all the angles.

[Bob-D659]

OK, shutter speeds do make a huge difference with flash bulbs. So does film type if you are mixing light sources. Are you using blue or white bulbs and colour or b&w film.

[markbarendt]

Shutter speed, as long as it is within sync speed, only matters for the ambient exposure because the flash itself is really fast, typically shorter than 1/1000 at full power, much shorter at lower settings.

[BrianShaw]

Mark... amigo... the original post refers to flash BULBS.

[markbarendt]

Mark... amigo... the original post refers to flash BULBS.

So, no auto?

Doh.

[markbarendt]

Is there a trick to mixing ambient lighting either from a room our outdoors to flashbulbs? Or should I just set my shutter speed for my ambient reading and just fire the flash at the correct f-stop?

So after Brian straightened me out.

The trick is your second question. Aperture for flash control, time for ambient.