Another popular flash-fill system is on-camera TTL
flash. Many on-camera TTL flash systems offer a mode
that will balance the flash output to the ambient-light ex-
posure. These systems are variable, allowing you to dial in
full- or fractional-stop output adjustments for the desired
ratio of ambient-to-fill illumination. They are marvelous
systems and, more importantly, they are reliable and pre-
dictable. Some of these systems also allow you to use the
flash off the camera with a TTL remote cord.
To determine your exposure with non-TTL flash fill,
begin by metering the scene. It is best to use a handheld
incident flashmeter in ambient mode, then point the
hemisphere at the camera from the subject position. Let’s
say the metered exposure for the daylight is^1 / 15 second at
f/8. Now, with the meter in flash-only mode, meter just
the flash. Your goal is for the output to be one stop less
than the ambient exposure. Adjust flash output or flash
distance until your flash reading is f/5.6. Then, set the
camera and lens to^1 / 15 second at f/8.
When using fill flash, remember that you are balancing
two light sources in one scene. The ambient light expo-
sure will dictate the exposure on the background and the
subject. The flash exposure only affects the subject.Twilight.
The best time of day for making great portraits is just
after the sun has set. The sky becomes a huge softbox and
the effect of the lighting on your subjects is soft and even,
with no harsh shadows. Because the setting sun illumi-
nates the sky at a low angle, you have none of the prob-
lems of overhead light.
There are two problems, however, with working at
twilight. One is that it’s dim, so you will need to use
medium to fast ISO speeds combined with slow shutter
speeds. This can be problematic with children. Working
in subdued light also forces you to use wide lens aper-
tures, restricting the depth of field.
Another problem in working with twilight is that it
does not produce catchlights in the eyes of the subjects.
For this reason, most photographers augment the twi-
light with some type of flash, either barebulb flash or soft-
box-mounted flash, which provides a twinkle in the eye
and freezes subject movement.
If the sky is brilliant in the scene and you want to
shoot for optimal color saturation, you can use the flash
to overpower the daylight exposure by up to one stop.
This makes the flash the main light and the lets the soft
twilight function as the fill light. The only problem with
this is that you will get a separate set of shadows from the
flash. This can be fine, however, since there aren’t really
any shadows from the twilight—but it is one of the side
effects.Window Light.
One of the most beautiful types of lighting for children’s
portraits is window lighting. It is a soft, wraparound light
that minimizes facial imperfections. Yet, it is also a highly
directional light, yielding excellent modeling with low to
moderate contrast. Window light is usually fairly bright
and it is infinitely variable. It changes almost by the
minute, allowing you to depict a great variety of moods,44 CHILDREN’S PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY HANDBOOK
Soft, directional window light is ideal for kids’ portraits. Here,
Janet Baker Richardson had her subject lean into the light and look
back to the camera, allowing the soft light to wrap around the sub-
ject’s face. Janet made sure to employ a secondary light source in
the background (a room light) to open up dark areas and provide
good tonal separation.