Night in the woods

[David Paterson]

A little experiment - late at night, pitch-dark, in the wood, using on-camera flash. Only two out of about 20 different shots are worth bothering you with, but I think this method has possibilities.

[Andrea B.]

I think it works well in the first one because of the nice tilted array of flower stalks. (Do you happen to know what that flower is?) But don't forget to remove your lens hood to avoid the bottom dark semicircle?? As always, composition is a major factor. (Me saying that to you!! Such cheekiness on my part!! But you know what I mean, I hope.)

Have you tried shooting up into some trees to see if any interesting lacy leaf pattern might work out with the flash and with the darkness? And how would one of the henges look with flash in the dark?? (The one in the sheep pasture for example??)

I miss Killin and Scotland. That was so nice and so much fun.

[Akira]

Agree with Andrea.  I like the first image for the same reason she mentioned.  I believe that Dave removed the hood, but the vignetting would be inevitable when 18-35 zoom is used at such a wide AOV...

[Andrea B.]

Yes, you are more observant than me! Some of the wide zooms can certainly do that.

[David Paterson]

Andrea and Akira, thanks for your posts. I agree with both of you that the first shot is more successful (I think it is a species of flowering nettle) and I knew I would inevitably get the shadow of the lens in shot (Akira was right) but decided to live with it (mostly cropped out in the iris shot).

Andrea - your idea of looking up into the trees is a good one - I'll try it but not tonight (10.30pm here); it's pouring with rain.

[Bill Mellen]

A little experiment - late at night, pitch-dark, in the wood, using on-camera flash. Only two out of about 20 different shots are worth bothering you with, but I think this method has possibilities.

I like these images and the concept.

The effect of the nighttime flash with no reflected fill from surrounding walls is nice; it makes the greenery pop and cleanly isolates the subject.

Maybe an SB-400, SB-300, SB-500 or other small hot-shoe mounted flash would eliminate the shadow from the lens.

[David Paterson]

I like these images and the concept.
The effect of the nighttime flash with no reflected fill from surrounding walls is nice; it makes the greenery pop and cleanly isolates the subject.
Maybe an SB-400, SB-300, SB-500 or other small hot-shoe mounted flash would eliminate the shadow from the lens.

Thanks, Bill. I have an ancient SB-10 somewhere - practically a museum-piece - and will have a try with that.

[David H. Hartman]

I'm not bothered by the shadow. However I would burn in the shadow a touch of the left to balance the photo a bit better. I'm not sure why I like it but I do.

Dave

[ArthurDent]

I like the first shot, but I'd crop it to eliminate the shadow at the bottom and then eliminate the stalk at lower right. Your image  certainly conveys a sense of a night in the swamp. The only thing missing is an all enveloping cloud of biting snd stinging insects!