Balancing Flash and Ambient Light - Did I do ok?

[Ginger Pixie]

I know this is not the most exciting of portraits, but that wasn't the point of the exercise!

I was experimenting with my flashgun, trying to balance its power with the daylight coming through the window to her right - I bounced it off the ceiling/wall to her left.

Does this look like a good balance? What could I have done to have improved the shot?

Thanks

Camera: Canon EOS 450D
Exposure: 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 32 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: On, Fired

[WooD]

I think you did most well. Just enought light to make it right, without making it flat.

Love the contrast, and razor sharp eyes.

Only improvment I'd have done, which has nothing to do with what you asked, would have been to remove what looks like a hair from her mouth.

I really like the image.

[saraseigfried]

I think that you have done very well. I like it.

[Trader]

To me I think it would improve the shot if you had more ambient light in it. The way to do that would be to slow down the shutter speed and you are already shooting at 1/40 and ISO 400. Pushing the ISO higher will no doubt add noise and slowing down the shutter speed from there may add camera shake. Increasing the ambient light may be your best bet. Just my opinion.

[kencaleno]

I just added contrast to bring out details-Ken

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by kencaleno

I just added contrast to bring out details-Ken

...a little Shadow / Highlight Ken?

[kencaleno]

Originally Posted by auto-focus

...a little Shadow / Highlight Ken?

No-It's a bit more complicated:

DRE (Dynamic Range Extender) a)to f) recorded as an action-one click to activate.

a).Image>Adjustments>shadows/highlights

Shadows :amount 50%
Tonal width 45%
Radius 44px

Highlights :amount 67%
Tonal width 65%
Radius 46px

b) Ctrl+J; blending mode: color dodge

c)Duplicate background layer again
This time set blending mode to: Linear burn
Click “D” to get foreground color to black
Select ”Color range”-fuzziness 100
Click on “add layer mask” button in layers palette
Click on mask of layer and Set Gaussian blur at 5 px

d) Duplicate Linear burn layer, set blending mode to Overlay
Click on layer mask and press ctrl+I
Set overlay to 40-45%; set linear burn to 55-60%
Change foreground color to white
Select Color range-fuzziness 100

e) Duplicate base layer again, take it to the top
Click on add layer mask, add Gaussian blur at 5 px

f) Flatten and save

3.[Ctrl+j

blend mode - screen

Flatten and save.

Regards, Ken

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by kencaleno

No-It's a bit more complicated:

DRE (Dynamic Range Extender) a)to f) recorded as an action-one click to activate.

a).Image>Adjustments>shadows/highlights

Shadows :amount 50%
Tonal width 45%
Radius 44px

Highlights :amount 67%
Tonal width 65%
Radius 46px

b) Ctrl+J; blending mode: color dodge

c)Duplicate background layer again
This time set blending mode to: Linear burn
Click “D” to get foreground color to black
Select ”Color range”-fuzziness 100
Click on “add layer mask” button in layers palette
Click on mask of layer and Set Gaussian blur at 5 px

d) Duplicate Linear burn layer, set blending mode to Overlay
Click on layer mask and press ctrl+I
Set overlay to 40-45%; set linear burn to 55-60%
Change foreground color to white
Select Color range-fuzziness 100

e) Duplicate base layer again, take it to the top
Click on add layer mask, add Gaussian blur at 5 px

f) Flatten and save

3.[Ctrl+j

blend mode - screen

Flatten and save.

Regards, Ken

Wow, that's quite a procedure

[oldwolf]

I think you did really well with this Ginger

[WooD]

I also think Ginger did most well with the shot.

I did a very simple subtle edit.