Handheld Macro BG control basics

This series will illustrate what a balanced macro flash output looks like and how it will effect the background. The goal is how to make your image look as pleasing and as natural as possible without looking obviously flashed.

This first image is one made in bright overcast conditions, handheld, with only natural light and no flash. This image will serve as the standard for the flash images since it is all natural.

The histogram shows a lot of contrast with the whites and the shadow areas are at the extreme ends. The large peak in the center is the green background.

NIKON D300 and APO MACRO 150mm F2.8 EX
1/125 @ F8 Manual Mode Flash off
All of the images in the series were made at ISO: 800

Notes: I use manual flash for this series but you can get similar results with flash exposure compensation or any number of ways. There is no single correct way to make a good image.

Although this image looks acceptably sharp this would not really be usable for handholding with any type of moving subject such as an insect since the shutter speed is just too low to prevent any small movement from bluring the image.

This image was taken with the flash in auto TTL mode. In TTL the flash is supplying enough light to expose the subject properly at F18. The problem here is that the flash output is so strong and the background is so distant that the background is 2 or more stops underexposed. The result looks very unatural and is obviously flashed, compared to the first image there is nothing natural looking about it. This image really looks like it could have been made in the middle of the night or in someone's basement studio.

Looking at the histogram you can see that the whites are exposed okay but the background tones are all clipped at left edge. This serious underexposure will introduce a lot of noise.

NIKON D300 and APO MACRO 150mm F2.8 EX and Nikon SB-R200 Flash
1/250 sec @ F18 Manual Mode, TTL flash

This image was made by setting the aperture the same as the first image and placing the SB-R200 flash in manual mode on a 1/8th power setting. The flash will fill in any shadows and since the aperture is the same, the background will look virtually identical to the natural light image. At 1/8 power the flash output is about 1/1000th freezing any movement and making handholding possible.

This histogram shows that all the tones in this image are well controlled and none are clipping.

NIKON D300 and APO MACRO 150mm F2.8 EX and Nikon SB-R200 Flash
1/320 sec @ F8 Manual Mode, Manual Flash @ 1/8 power

Hopefully these examples will make more people aware of background control and motivate some to go out in the field to try it.

Please post any questions or comments.

Please dont waste bandwidth with "hey I like black backgrounds, I think they look great". This thread doesnt really have anything to do with BG preferences so start a new thread about black backgrounds if you really want to talk about that topic

Hey Robert,
Very nice examples! I hope others come to check this out. This clearly demonstrates the trade -offs we make when we go to the high f-stops.........and clearly represents that there are alternatives to the black BG's............with a little work!
Hope others chime in!

Thanks Roman!

I hope others chime in also....no questions or comments anyone?

Robert

Good examples Robert - something I picked up on shortly after getting serious about photography some 20 years ago. I detested that obvious flash look and dark to black BG's - so much so that I employed natural light for over 95% of images. On the over hand, however, flash can be very useful if not essential on occacions and it was John Shaw's very popular book on Close-ups that I first learned to balance flash with natural light.

This demonstration should be very helpful for the novice photographer.

Thanks John
I agree, flash can really be essential sometimes, and I agree about J Shaw of course. It was a real pleasure to meet John a couple of years ago and even better it was a dream to be able to shoot with him a couple of times in CA and FL. Not only is he a great photographer but he is a really generous, kind and has a good sense of humor also.

Robert

Really nice work, Robert. Thanks for taking the time to give a great demo! No questions, just reading and thinking!

Great tutorial, Robert, excellent idea to post and share. I'm sure the members appreciate as well as we did

Thanks Robert !!!! Excellent tutorial and very well presented !!!!!

Robert.....a couple of questions.

1. Is this example predicated on the fact that there should be enough light available to "light" the background ? I ask because many of my photos are taken in places with heavy shadows where the shutter speed would usually be too low (less than 1/100 sec) for a moving insect if taken in manual mode and anything less than f/11 is usually too limiting in DOF unless the insect is parallel to the camera, which in my experience is not too often in the field.

2. Is the problem mainly caused by using TTL instead of manual mode in the flash ? I always use TTL, and get black backgrounds, unless the sun is shinning and I use a high ISO and low shutter speed. And, if I am in shadows, it is always a black background unless, if possible without disturbing the insect, which will cause it to dissapear, I place a big leaf very close to the subject sort of as a backgroud dropcloth.

adcolon said:

1. Is this example predicated on the fact that there should be enough light available to "light" the background ?
I ask because many of my photos are taken in places with heavy shadows where the shutter speed would usually be too low (less than 1/100 sec) for a moving insect if taken in manual mode

Click to expand...

When photography under a forest canopy (real rain forest) light levels can be very low and this can make things difficult.
You can use 1/15th to 1/60th no problem. Subject movement should not be a problem since the flash will stop the action as the flash output is less than 1/1000th of a second. So the slow shutter speed is actually less of a problem with low light. Under conditions of moderate light a slow shutter speed, 1/15-1/60th will give you ghosting from the ambient exposure so high shutter speeds, 1/200-1/500 are required. But under the low light of the forest, ghosting problem is almost never a problem.

adcolon said:

anything less than f/11 is usually too limiting in DOF unless the insect is parallel to the camera, which in my experience is not too often in the field.

Click to expand...

If I am trying for closeups under low light I usually try to frame subjects at a downwards angle of a 45 deg angle so that the flash will fall on something right behind the subject. In these cases I use F16 and around 1/30th or so and try for tight closeups like head shots or similar. Something like a profile image, unless there is something directly behind the subject, will be very difficult without a second flash to light the forest BG.

The aperture really is what balances the BG tones. I really like to use medium apertures to get a good balance of smooth BGs and DOF. It makes the job much easier. You can use more moderate apertures and get balanced BGs but it is a lot more tricky.

adcolon said:

2. Is the problem mainly caused by using TTL instead of manual mode in the flash ? I always use TTL, and get black backgrounds, unless the sun is shinning and I use a high ISO and low shutter speed.

Click to expand...

Yes TTL can be problematic because the camera will usually use the flash as the main light with the slow shutter speeds. This will cause the flash output to be too strong. If you set the exposure up in manual mode for the ambient then use TTL, the flash the output should be much more balanced and natural looking. I try to avoid TTL and use manual settings for more consistency. You can set it and almost forget it.

adcolon said:

And, if I am in shadows, it is always a black background unless, if possible without disturbing the insect, which will cause it to dissapear, I place a big leaf very close to the subject sort of as a backgroud dropcloth.

Click to expand...

The best solution to this would be to use a tripod and set up a slow shutter speed but if this was not possible, you would need to use handholding. With handholding you would have to work at the angles to get some type of BG for the flash to light or to use a second flash for the background.

Hope this imformation is helpful.

Robert

hey, robert!!! awesome info and thanks for taking the time to share this. my question is, when doing the macro work do you constantly have the flash set at 1/8th power or does it vary to certain degrees depending on how close or far you are from the subject?

thanks again

harold davis said:

hey, robert!!! awesome info and thanks for taking the time to share this. my question is, when doing the macro work do you constantly have the flash set at 1/8th power or does it vary to certain degrees depending on how close or far you are from the subject?

thanks again

Click to expand...

Good question Harold!

If I add a tube or an teleconvertor I up the power from 1/8 - 1/4 or so in 3rd steps. I rarely if ever need to go to full power.

The little Nikon SB-R200s are amazing. They guide number is only 33 but I never have to use full power and I use a diffuser! To think I used to use a 580EX with a diffuser for macro, what a nightmare. The little SB-R200s are only 4 oz and is wireless!

Robert

I missed the second half of the question, sorry.

Once the flash power SS and F-stop are all set up, you can shoot for hours since the flash output is stronger than soft sunlight ( I dont shoot in full sun) so the sun is really only fill and to light the BG. The aperture might need to be stopped down if the subject is very light, reflective or white.

As you focus closer or farther the ratio stays the same ( I think due to extension and focal length) to a certain point (you cant expect the little close up flash to light a subject 10 feet away). So from 1:1 to 1:2 or 1:3 and exposure stays constant.

Robert

Thanks for your answers Robert. I started trying out the manual and after using TTL it takes getting used to in order to get the right amount of light. I find I have to check the histogram or the photo after each shot to make sure the light does not overpower the subject. But I am getting more background and even better colors. TTL gives the photos a yellowish tint, which is not there using manual flash mode. Thanks again.

Robert thanks a lot for posting this excelent tutorial! I hate flashes but after reading this tread I am beginnig to love
Threads like this one make this site really great!

Hello Robert,

I know you know this...

And, Super tutorial.

Each image has varying f/stops and shutter-speeds. I think it would be even better for comparative illustration purposes to maintain the same f/stop for both the ambient only and flash illustrations...thereafter, demonstrating how you can independently lighten or darken the background by varying the shutter-speed.

Respectfully,

Chas

Hey Chas,

Thanks for the idea! Now where were you when I made the example images!

I didnt event think about your idea since I usually vary the aperture instead of shutter speed since I have so many problems with ghosting (not as a creative element!) I keep the SS on the high side, 1/250-1/320.

Maybe I will add a SS series later, it is a good idea.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts Chas!!

Robert

Hey Robert,

Flash and f/stop are linked together...change one of these variables and you have to change the other ie; cut down the flash pwr in manual mode and you will have to open the f/stop or bring the flash closer to the subject. Shutter-speed is independent. Think of flash and ambient as two separate entities. Ghosting occurs when the flash and ambient exposures are close. Moreover, high-speed syn ( above 1/250) reduces the flash pwr, making it necessary to increase the flash output or move the unit closer to the subject to maintain the same f/stop.

Best Amigo,

Chas