shadows in portraits

I can't seem to get the shadow out of my pictures. I can at home when I can adjust the room, lighting, or can bounce the flash but not when I'm out somewhere. The image itself casts the shadow. I hate it. I have 2 nikons and an external flash. I've set it all different ways but lately, I've been taking pictures where there is too high a ceiling to bounce the light like a gym and one was at a wedding and I always make sure that no one else flashes their P&S when I'm taking a shot. I'm not always somewhere where I can just flip out a tripod. Please Help!

Shadows on the background? Move them away or more forward of the background. Also try a flash bracket to move the flash high above the camera. This will cause the shadows to drop behind the subject. A diffuser or dome on the flash will also help to some degree by softening and spreading out the light, causing the light to drop off faster behind your subject.

Thank You! However, it was in a gym. In the middle of the gym. I do use a strobaframe most of the time. I'm just so sick of this shadow stuff. I even had some at a wedding I recently did. Not much but there were still some. I'm going to try the diffuser. I haven't did that yet.

Did you try cutting back the power on the strobe? What f-stop? The smaller the f-stop the more power the strobe has to put out to cover the DOF of the f-stop.

You have 2 Nikons? Digital? Try increasing the ISO. How are you focusing? AF? If you select an auto focus point, you may be able to tie the flash exposure to the AF point.
Can you post a picture and give a little more info?

I have a D50 and a D5000. I like the D50 better but I haven't had the D5000 very long. I'm still learning. I have a SB600 external flash. I use auto flash and scene modes. I've shot manual and don't know enough yet to shoot that way all the time. I can change the iso higher in manual mode but does that same iso stay when I go to Auto. I love the scene modes on D5000. It takes a lot of guess work out like on high key and silhouette. Sometimes dusk does better. I have the option (while in auto) to turn the flash off or use external flash. I have put the flash on a stroboframe which causes it to be above the camera even when I change from horiz. to vertical shooting. I shoot with my 200 mm lens most of the time. However I switch between the 55 and 80 as well.

I'm very new here and I can't seem to get the picture attached. It shows up as a white square. What's going on.

I've never tried to post a picture here. Try P.M. the Admins.

It'd difficult giving advice if I can't see the problem, I'm just kind of guessing. Try to get one posted.

Did it come up?

here it is!

Nice shot.
Your problem is that the Bride is too close to the background for having the flash off to the side of the camera. Keep the subject 5-6 feet in front of the background. Also you said you had the flash on a bracket. You need a "flip" type bracket so when you turn the camera for a vertical shot the flash "flips" and is still on top.
Check out Stroboframe QF350 or Pro-T brackets to get an idea what I'm talking about.
That should solve your problem.
Also check out Planet Neil's website. He is a wedding photographer with plenty of tips and ideas.

I like you shot. Good job!

Edit: See how much a picture helps....

I see several problems that need to be corrected and it goes beyond the distance of your bride to the wall. It is kind of difficult to direct where they are putting things to facilitate your photography, so you are going to have to adjust instead.

First, get a bounce card, a softbox or an omnibounce for your flash. You will still get shadows, but they won't be as harsh.





There is a time to bounce and a time soften. If there is nothing you can bounce off of, then soften.
Second, get the flash off the camera. The redeye in the photo tells me the flash was mounted directly on the hot shoe and the red-eye mode wasn't used. By putting the flash on a good bracket you get the flash out of the face of your subject which prevents red-eye and keep it centered over the lens which reduces shadows.



There are several different types available, I personally use the Cameraflip, but those I work with use both the flash flip style and the same one I do. It can be had for as cheap as $65.



This photo was shot in a bar on the fly using that type of setup. Notice how close the deck behind her is yet there is no shadow and no red-eye. It was an open deck so bounce was impossible. Getting the right set up will go a long way towards making your life easier. You may not use these tools all the time, but as a friend of mine was always wont to say "better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them".

One thing that bothers me is the shadow at the bottom of the frame. I am not sure where that came from. It looks almost like a long focal length lens was used and it caused a shadow off the flash, but I can't say definitively. I would be interested in knowing what caused that. I know the SB 600 has a fairly short snout and that can cause that when used with a variable focal length lens mounted on the hot shoe in landscape. But I am guessing you used portrait orientation which caused the harsh shadow to the side and that would eliminate the possibility of lens shadow. Something blocked the flash.

Do keep in mind that you won't always be able to get rid of all the shadows. Your goal is to reduce them in a way the photo will work and the shadow is not as big a distraction.

I have a stroboframe but I do not have that soft box which I think would help. This was an extremely tiny room with very little space. The shadow at the bottom is probably the people in front of me sitting. It was that tight. I did everything I could to get their heads out of the picture. Their heads were almost in the way of the candle. I had to get between two ladies. Anyway, I will be going and getting that box for my flash. Thanks!

I like the photo of the bride. It's beautiful, and she looks gorgeous.