learning curve

so since i'm up here at this conference, one thing i've been doing all day (while everyone else is at practice or sound checking) is finally taking the time to learn more about my new flash. How to use it has been a big one, but also cool technique and stripped down techniques for when you don't have much gear (like this weekend for instance). So i've been reading a ton from my favorite lighting blog (http://www.strobist.com)

so today's experiment was with balancing flash with ambient light (lamps, windows, etc.)

first subject is our hotel room chair
pic #1 only lit by ambient light from the stand up lamp. If someone were sitting in this chair and leaning toward me, their face would be mostly shadowed.

pic#2 then adds a flash balanced with the ambient light so it looks as if it is just ambient light lighting your subject. The flash is at 1/4 power bouncing off the white bed sheet hanging over the bed camera left (see the shadow now strikes on the right side of the chair)

this next shot i scooted back on the floor and bounced the flash off the ceiling so you get an even light as if there was a big ceiling fixture (notice no shadow on the right of the chair, and now you can see a bit of the bed sheet i bounced the first flash off of)
next set is my coffee cup placed on this laptop (lets hope casey doesn't see these!)
pic #1 the cup and computer are lit only by the desk lamp to the right of and slightly behind them. You can see where the shadow of the cup falls and that most of the cup itself is in shadow.

Pic #2 then i add a flash balanced with the light from the lamp (even though in this shot you can't see the lamp). This flash is bouncing off the ceiling this time and at 1/16 power. Most of the light is coming from the flash bounce from the ceiling as you can see the shadow cast from the rim of the cup. But you can see it is still picking up a little lamp light at the right side of the cup is less shadowed then the left.
i also used quite a few custom white balance tricks to match the colors of the white flash and the yellowish lamps, my dad will be proud

anyway i hope you all liked the learning lesson today, i know i learned a lot :)
and now you can see what i like to do when i am away from work and home and all responsibility!