# UGH! How do I get rid of that SHADOW!!!!



## LittleItaly (Oct 6, 2010)

My living room was dark....so I used the flash...and the shadow is driving me insane! How do I get around that if I am in a dim lit room??


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## sobolik (Oct 6, 2010)

You need the clone tool and then the band aid tool. (PS Elements 5.0 terms)  When using the clone tool you may have to use less than 100% and gently apply the color instead. It is a lot of work but worth it. I just did a number of these removals for  church directory photos. The result is obviously like night and day. For example it can subconsciously make a dark haired person appear to have a big lopsided head in some smaller sized photos.


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## Aayria (Oct 6, 2010)

Did you mean in-camera, or in editing?  In camera, your best solution is to get more ambient light in the room so that you don't need to use your camera's on board flash.


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## Derrel (Oct 6, 2010)

Turn the camera the other way, so the shadow will go more behind the subject....shooting with the shutter button down toward the floor, instead of the shutter button on top. Otherwise, learn to love the anchor shadow.


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## supraman215 (Oct 6, 2010)

to prevent it from happening again reduce the flash power and increase the exposure. To increase the exposure slow the shutter way down and open up the aperture. Also a diffuser of some kind will help like a bounce card or a flash modifier to help soften the light. 

If this doesn't make sense then there are some good sticky links at the top of this forum that will explain what I'm saying further. Look into the exposure triangle.


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## LittleItaly (Oct 6, 2010)

I'm learning SO much! Thanks you guys!!!


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## KmH (Oct 6, 2010)

Use an _apparently_ bigger light source, like bouncing the light off the ceiling, though you must be careful not to get 'racoon eyes'. www.planetneil.com

You can also use a 'bounce card' to throw part of the upwards bounce light forward to light the eye sockets. Peter Greggs ABBC ABetterBounceCard for Canon Flash Nikon Flash and Digital Cameras | abbc is abetterbouncecard for canon flash nikon flash and better flash photography

An apparently large light source makes the shadows much softer, less noticable, and lets the light wrap around the subject more.

Better yet is to get the light off the camera on a light stand and modify the light (make it apparently bigger) with a photographic umbrella or a softbox.

Impact Digital Flash Umbrella Mount Kit DFUMK - B&H Photo Video

Westcott Apollo Speedlight Set 2202 - B&H Photo Video

Photek Umbrella - Softlighter II - 60" SL-6000 - B&H Photo

Photek Umbrella - Softlighter II - 46" SL-5000 - B&H Photo


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## supraman215 (Oct 6, 2010)

I like the looks of that softlighter 60", not to jack the thread but could I light that with a regular speedlight? Guide # 140@50mm?


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## Captn (Oct 7, 2010)

The easiest way is to bounce the flash off the (white) ceiling or a flash card. By simply moving the subject farther from the background will give improved results.


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## prodigy2k7 (Oct 7, 2010)

Bounce it, or do what Derrel said, take the picture with the flash on top (so the shadow is behind the subject, not to the side)


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## misstwinklytoes (Oct 7, 2010)

I've wrapped toilet paper over the flash to help it not leave such sharp shadows.


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## Negative ISO (Oct 7, 2010)

misstwinklytoes said:


> I've wrapped toilet paper over the flash to help it not leave such sharp shadows.



 Awesome, I have done the same thing with a paper towel!


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## Jeatley (Oct 7, 2010)

I have some really thin hats I use during the summer to play golf in and they are white.  So I have been know to use them!


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## JasonLambert (Oct 7, 2010)

Just go drop $150 on the Canon Speedlite 270EX. It doesn't rotate left and right but will point up and down. You can bounce of of the ceiling and fill nicely. I use mine for a light alternative to my 430 and it does a fine job. 

SOOC Taken with my 270 bounced off the ceiling...


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## JasonLambert (Oct 7, 2010)

The cheaper alternative is to turn on some lights in the house... But I like toys!


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## Jeatley (Oct 7, 2010)

I say more toys!!! Off Camera Flash!!!    When God said "let there be light"  He was talking about off camera flash!


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## JasonLambert (Oct 7, 2010)

Jeatley said:


> I say more toys!!! Off Camera Flash!!!    When God said "let there be light"  He was talking about off camera flash!



Amen brother... Amen. But not the best thing for chasing around a little one.


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## LCARSx32 (Oct 7, 2010)

Faster glass can help, too.  I went from using my kit lens with a maximum aperture of f/3.5 to a 50mm f/2 and it made a big difference.  You can also bump your ISO up instead of using the flash, but your image will be grainier.  I'd experiment and see what works for you.

I've been known to bend a piece of printer paper in half for use as an quick-n-dirty flash diffuser.  It works surprisingly well.


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## camera obscura (Oct 7, 2010)

You could always create a clipping path (using the pen tool in Photoshop) and place the subject on any background you want...


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## MohaimenK (Oct 7, 2010)

Take picture from different angle and tilt your camera vertically and stay far from anything that's going to become a backdrop. Walls, toys, furnitures, etc that way the shadow will wash away on the floor


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## Taylor510ce (Oct 7, 2010)

Just bounce the flash off of the ceiling. There are tons of DIY flash modifiers you could use on your built in flash, but ideally, buy a normal ttl flash with bounce capability.


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## LittleItaly (Oct 7, 2010)

Using an Off Camera Flash is hard when Im chasing my crazy 1 year old around trying to take a picture! I haven't purchased a photo editing software yet! I guess I need to do that! I have only had the camera a week!


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## MohaimenK (Oct 7, 2010)

LittleItaly said:


> Using an Off Camera Flash is hard when Im chasing my crazy 1 year old around trying to take a picture! I haven't purchased a photo editing software yet! I guess I need to do that! I have only had the camera a week!


 
Ohh I know what you can use, the shoe cord! Forgot all about that. That way you can have it off camera and hold it on your hand in a different direction. Get a cheapo one off Amazon/Ebay for now. That's what I have but I hardly use it


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## Boomn4x4 (Oct 7, 2010)

You can strategically bend white business card to a 45° angle and tape it to your flash so that the light from the flash bouces off it onto the cieling then back onto your subject.


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## MohaimenK (Oct 7, 2010)

Boomn4x4 said:


> You can strategically bend white business card to a 45° angle and tape it to your flash so that the light from the flash bouces off it onto the cieling then back onto your subject.


 
Ehh crap, I forgot she's not using external flash. How stupid of me :thumbdown:

You can also get the gary fong puffer. I heard it works very well from reviews. Check it out


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## supraman215 (Oct 7, 2010)

On the Gary Fong. I like it. It works pretty well.


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## Jeatley (Oct 8, 2010)

setup a full studio with a Hugh soft box and have great light any where in the room.    just joking.   but I love this thread cause Im learning a ton from all the suggestions!   thanks all


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## white (Oct 8, 2010)

Better posing, better camera angle, and a simple reflector will help fill in the shadows. Reflectors can be white boards, white t-shirts, aluminum foil, etc.


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