Rascasse

Mediterrean Rascasse. I like the eye! 1/60, f5.6, iso200, SB800 iTTL, 18-55 at 55mm, cropped, levels, sharpen]

My camera seams always to use 1/60 f5.6 in automatic P mode.

Now, when I want a darker background do I need to use faster shutter speeds and bigger aparture ? But than I will have a smaller DOF and it is already close as you can see on the image.

Nice picture Sven. I definitely want to try my SB800 with my D200 now that I have a houding for it. I would think you want to avoid P mode altogether as it essentially gives you no control. For close-up I would choose Aperture priority if you want to use TTL.

Mediterrean Rascasse. I like the eye! 1/60, f5.6, iso200, SB800 iTTL, 18-55 at 55mm, cropped, levels, sharpen]

 

My camera seams always to use 1/60 f5.6 in automatic P mode.

Now, when I want a darker background do I need to use faster shutter speeds and bigger aparture ? But than I will have a smaller DOF and it is already close as you can see on the image.

The fact that the settings are always the same is related to using a flash in P mode. The shutter speed will default to 1.60s, and the aperture will be adjusted to match the background. Presumably your shots would all have been in similar lighting conditions (e.g. macro or portrait shots).

To achieve a darker background, the first is for the background to be water, or simply anything far behind your subject. By then increasing the shutter speed, you'll obtain that dark background you're after.

Closing down the aperture also works, but would result in more strobe power being used, as the strobe is the primarily light source for your foreground, and is only affected by the aperture.

Now, when I want a darker background do I need to use faster shutter speeds and bigger aparture ? But than I will have a smaller DOF and it is already close as you can see on the image.

Your strobe is lighting everything on the picture : using an other speed will not change anything on it ! Closing your aperture will give you a better DOF... and a sharper picture !

I think it's very important to avoid P Mode... and learn to use M Mode !

Below a picture using a low speed (1/15) to obtain a blue background... to obtain a black background, just change speed to 1/250 !

Claude B)

Thank you for your advice Matthieu and Claude. I'm going to try the "faster shutter speed / lower aperture" trick soon!