Getting a correct exposure doesn’t guarantee a good image. A good image has some drama going on in it. Photographer David Bergman from Adorama demonstrates how using negative fill can help you add drama to your images:
When starting out with flash photography, the first thing you learn is to place the flash at an angle to the subject. This makes sure that the subject is not lit with flat light; the angle produces some shadows on the side of the subject’s face that is opposite the flash.
But when shooting in a room with white walls, the shadows don’t come out as deep, since a lot of light gets bounced back. This softens the shadows and can reduce the depth in the image.
To get around this problem, Bergman places a black V-Flat on the opposite side of the flash. This acts as a negative fill and prevents the light from bouncing around. You can achieve the same effect with a black card or cloth. The shadows become more prominent and add more contrast. The image appears much punchier and more dramatic. You can control the darkness of the shadows by experimenting with the distance between the negative fill and the subject.
“The closer I put the black card to her, the darker the shadows are going to be.”
Next time you take portraits, be sure to pay attention to the shadows. Then take control over them with negative fills.
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Nice job David. I have been shooting professionally for about 28 years and I like your presentation . I have had a few clients tune in or sometimes I just forward to them so they will join. I think most of your videos are timely and I believe good info for most. I had a large studio and custom lab but now semi retired, at least from the wedding institute (for crazies, ha ha). I was very busy and we were shooting about 65 yearly. I had trained 2 others and usually kept all of us busy. I have a fairly large in my home now and mostly free-lance for magazines, do some head shots and mess with product shots. My website got hacked and really messed with it about three weeks ago so I have a friend working on a new one. Like what you are doing so keep on trucking.so I threw together a gap fill until I can get a new one finished.