to flash or not

[Stefan-A]

I never use flash, I don't like the way it looks. Unless there is something very specific I want to have a look at and I have to take a picture to see it up close.

[Cazador]

I don't mind admitting that I'm a flasher! I could make a lot of excuses for this, but by golly I just like the way it looks.

Seriously, I like to have good lighting that shows off their colors better. My new enclosure (the white malmite one of which I posted pictures) has good lighting, so a flash isn't necessary. As far as the flash harming their vision, reptiles evolved in hot, dry (presumably sunny) environments. I don't know for a fact, but I presume they would have eyelids if they were vulnerable to bright lighting (unless their spectacle resolves the problem in another way, like filtering the light). If, for example, exposure to bright lighting harmed their vision, then they would likely become more vulnerable to predation, or perhaps not be able to find prey as well. Then blinded (or vision impaired) snakes would die out or not gain enough food to allow reproduction. Those susceptable to intense, or prolonged light exposure wouldn't pass their genes for light vulnerability on to the next generation. I think the lack of eyelids is a major clue, but I'm just speculating.

Rick

P.S. We've all seen how bad Stefan's photography skills are, so I wouldn't take any of his advise . I bet he has really good lighting and/or an intimate knowledge of how to manipulate his aperature settings, though.

[GarterGuy]

Yeh, I use a flash for all my indoor pics. Sometimes outdoors I'll use a fill flash, when it's bright enough, but the subject matter is in shade. It can really make a HUGE difference in how your pics come out. As far as it being harmful....I don't think it really bothers diurnal critters like garters. I don't like to use it on nocturnal animals, like geckos or such.....think it might be a bit for them to take, don't think it really does any permenant damage to them though.....just like if we get hit with a flash.
Roy

[Stefan-A]

P.S. We've all seen how bad Stefan's photography skills are, so I wouldn't take any of his advise . I bet he has really good lighting and/or an intimate knowledge of how to manipulate his aperature settings, though.

No, sorry, I don't know more than the absolute basics of how to manipulate aperture settings. The camera does all the work, aperture and shutter settings are automatic when you're using the macro function. And the lighting comes from the two 18W lamps that provide lighting for the terrarium.

[Cazador]

That's just amazing, Stefan. Can you imagine somebody 15 years ago trying to take the kind of photos that you're (we're) posting without even giving aperature and shutter settings a second thought.

I haven't done it yet, but a simple experiment to determine if snakes get flash blindness like we do could be performed. Simply take a flash picture and then quickly jerk your hand in front of the snake's face. If it reacts, it's not flash blind. If it doesn't react, it is. Just don't hit anything to cause sudden vibrations. Post results.

[Stefan-A]

I can't imagine anybody doing it 5 years ago. But I do know the basics and I frequently use manual settings to get some certain effect, usually in low-light conditions, but the problem still is that the camera's capabilities are still the limiting factor. After I bought this camera, it didn't take more than a couple of days to find its limitations, so I've just concentrated on getting the best results with the capabilities it does provide. But it is good at guessing the right setting on automatic.

[drache]

Now that I've tried the flash, I don't think it bothers them. They don't have any reaction to it, such as startling, or pulling away.
However, of the pics i've taken so far, I like the ones without flash better. I posted three photos in my my album yesterday that all have depth of field and focus problems. As an image I like the one without flash better than the other two.
So far I haven't taken any with flash I'm truly happy with, but I'm sure I will once I figure things out. I used to do a lot of flash photography in clubs in the old days (B&W) and became rather good at it. Weegee was my idol.
Rhea

[abcat1993]

It does have an effect on my dog, I don't know about snakes though. Whenever I use the flash right next to her eye, she blinks really hard and squints. It's pretty funny actually, makes her look even more like a mouse.

[Gyre]

I was just reading some flashig tips from a 4-H photography booklet. I tried them out, and so far, everything works great. I didn't use a flash on this:


It said that if you tape a tissue over your flash, (or my reading light apparently) you don't get that nasty, blinding light all on one side of the object..

I just thought it was a neat idea... and shamelessly showing off the shot.

[Thamnophis]

I have done this for years.... a piece of paper over the flash. Works okay.
For my new flash on my Canon EOS 400 D I ordered an omnibounce. It is not meant for the flash that is built in the camera, but for a bigger flash that is used seperated from the camera, connected with a cable.