Flash when photographing people outdoors

[kencaleno]

Originally Posted by sftl99

I've got a question along these lines. If I were to start using fill flash outdoors, would you recommend a diffuser? What power would you typically use? 1/16 - 1/8 maybe?

Oh, and when I say "diffuser" I just mean one of those cheap plastic caps that sits on the top of the flash.

No-you can use fill-in flash as a last resort if reflectors, scrims or blacks aren’t immediately available. Set flash to ¼ power for head shots at 4 feet, (1200mm) or ½ power for head and shoulder shots at 6 feet (1800mm)
If you are using an automatic flashgun, that does not give you fill-in values, just double the iso you are using. Meter the scene, select an f-stop for the DOF you want,set auto flashgun aperture to same f-stop, and take your shot,this will give a 2:1 ration-your fill will be 1 stop darker that the main subject.

Regards, Ken