The Nikon Remote Wireless Flash System Is Easy To Use

Nikon's automatic wireless remote speedlight system makes it phenomenally easy and convenient to use a couple of remote flashes (like Main light and Fill light). It allows easy off-camera remote flash, and it provides an automatic point&shoot wireless remote TTL multiple flash system. Automatic setup is surely the largest factor for many people. Just set a flash or two out there and they can work. Immediate automatic TTL multiple flash setup, vs. tedious manual setup. However manual flash does offer absolute and full control, and the system can also be used as a wireless triggering system for manual flash power levels (which is NOT to be confused with Manual flash mode - it is still very much Commander/Remote operation, and incompatible with much manual flash gear, such as optical slaves).

Here is Nikon's Quick Guide for AWL setup instructions, with the menus of the various compatible gear.

It works well with one remote flash, but the system is at its best with two remote flashes. Using the Nikon Commander/Remote system, set the camera internal flash menu to Commander, and set each remote flash to Remote mode. You set one remote flash to be in group A, and one flash to be in group B (so the commander can individually control them). You throw the two lights out there somewhere (more care and planing is certainly a good thing pictorially, but the system doesn't care what you do). Be sure to rotate the remote flash bodies so that the side sensor is aimed at the commander on camera.

Then the commander will individually preflash and meter each remote flash group, and will set the individual group power levels so that they each meter the same intensity at the subject, regardless of their distances, or bounce, or modifiers. If using the internal flash or speedlight commander, this can include its flash too, if it is set to contribute in TTL mode (or it can be disabled with mode "- -"). You can also set your lighting ratio in the commander menu, and the system will do that for you too - to make one flash be intentionally stronger than the other, for main light and fill light concept. The preflashes take a split second, activated by the shutter button, just before the shutter opens. This is immediate automatic wireless remote point&shoot TTL multiple flash setup, and it is an Awesome capability. But like all automation, not always extremely versatile. Certainly very convenient, but automation is never complete control - sometimes TTL can be a surprise - simply not always accurate (which mostly depends on the brightness of the colors of the subject and background), but we always have Flash Compensation to fix it. The main skill to be developed for TTL flash is always the Flash Compensation button - don't hesitate to use it, always consider using it.

FWIW, CLS is the name of the current overall Nikon flash system, which includes features of iTTL, AWL, FV Lock, Flash Color Information Communication, Auto FP High Speed Sync, and AF Assist illuminator (see page 5 of SB-600 or SB-800 manual, or page B3 of SB-900 manual, for this description). This page is to show the Advanced Wireless Lighting option (AWL), which is the remote wireless feature with Commander, including TTL. I prefer to call it the Commander/Remote system, the term AWL seems less well known.

Below are quickly done samples, showing automatic point&shoot TTL operation. No deep point here, just showing what the system does if we just throw a couple of lights out there (one in Group A and one in Group B, so the Commander can control them individually). The TTL system takes care of it. All results below use Commander TTL (except the setup pictures). The point I make is that the system does a lot of automation. These lights were intentionally sloppily thrown out there, intentionally at different distances here, just to show it works. Better planning is surely always a good thing, there is more to lighting, but the TTL system can in fact tend to many details. TTL exposure correction might sometimes be necessary, so simply just watch, and use whatever Flash Compensation that seems necessary to make it perfect (none used here this time, which was a little surprise).

This exercise uses the D300 internal flash as Commander, and two remote SB-800 flashes in two 45 inch Smith Victor umbrellas. The horse is metal, and this background is a gold paper. One point of the horse is to cast a background shadow, to judge flash intensity and softness.

Your picture need not be a tabletop scene like this... it might be a portrait, or a group, or a macro, or any picture where you would use flash.

The point shown here is that the Commander system TTL automatically sets the two groups of flashes to be equal at the subject, for effortless automatic point&shoot wireless remote multiple TTL flash. The umbrellas are not required, but this tries to also show how easily the umbrellas convert the harsh dark shadows to be very soft light, with only vague hints of shadows. All you have to do to achieve this is to open the umbrella and set them close. Everyone can do this, and it really matters.

Other things you should notice: (we do have to look at this stuff... it is what is happening):

First row - left picture, shadows, far legs, rear of neck, front of neck, and of course the background shadow - as compared to the umbrella next to it. Mild foreground reflection in each direct picture. See how the large umbrella wraps soft light around the subject? This is magic (but it is trivially easy).

Second row - greater distance from light is a darker sharper shadow. Up close is important for umbrellas.

But the main point here is that the commander system automatically meters and sets the left and right lights (in different groups) to be equal at the subject, even though the light's distance ratio was about one f-stop difference.

Direct Bare Flash - TTL Direct - Only Right light turned on - at 43 inches	Flash in Umbrellas - TTL Umbrella at 36 inches - Only Right light turned on
Direct - Only Left light turned on - at 64 inches	Umbrella at 60 inches - Only Left light turned on
Direct - Both lights above.	Umbrellas - Both lights above.
Lights are intentionally at different distances, to show that the Commander TTL system sets each group to be equal at the subject (lights are made equal, assuming the lights are in different groups to allow individual control). One umbrella's sheer size tends to fill its own shadows and make the light soft (in large degree, if umbrella is close). And two lights let one fill the other's shadows, to degree possible (to be half as dark). Both ways, direct or umbrellas, this is automatic point&shoot wireless remote multiple TTL flash. If the lights are in different groups, then the Commander TTL system attempts to make both lights equal at the subject, regardless of distance or modifiers. So this is an even lighting, and a bit flat. But there is some control possible, see at right.	Umbrellas - Both lights - Right fill light compensated -1EV in Commander menu, to be slightly less flat
D300 Commander menu: Note that you can set the mode for the built-in flash group to be "- -", which disables the internal flash. It is still the commander, and it will still flash commands before the shutter opens, and its flashing won't look much different to you, but then it will stop when the shutter opens, and will not contribute lighting to the picture (if disabled with mode "- -") This is the -1EV compensation of the right fill light. You control the lights from this camera Commander menu. You can adjust your lighting ratio here (as shown), and the Commander will do that too. Group B of course refers to whichever light you placed in Group B.
Hot shoe flash. The previous off camera flash is a less flat, more interesting light, and just about as easy as hot shoe.	Umbrella setup - always located reasonably close. These are at intentionally different distances just to show it works. But close allows umbrellas to work better (more soft), and needs less flash power.

Here is something slightly more serious... just as easy, but at least I actually arranged the subject and the lights a little bit, took only a few seconds. The orchid is rotated for best view, and the umbrellas are pretty much in front and close. You can control the lighting ratio in the commander menu. Otherwise, it is point&shoot TTL. Really, this is incredibly easy. We must keep light off of black backgrounds, but velvet is different and magic. I had background separation here, and this is cheaper velveteen cloth, which is OK here. High quality black dress velvet is best (from fabric store), it is jet black even with zero separation from subject. If you will set the object on the velvet, then definitely get a yard of the good stuff (dress velvet). Use masking tape to pick up the dust specs which might show in the light. These are f/11 1/200 second, ISO 320, D300 and two SB-800 in two Smith Victor 45 inch umbrellas.
Left umbrella only	Right umbrella only
Both lights	Both lights, with right compensated -1 EV for ratio

Or this - Left only, back lighted with bare flash, flash head zoomed in tight, 0 EV	Right only, front lighted with umbrella, 24mm, 0 EV
Both	Setup, f/11 1/200 second, ISO 200, center metering, both groups TTL. Left flash comes through gap between stand and background cloth, hood on lens. The point is that the system does this too. These are pretty much snapshots. I did set the lights out there, in sort of an unusual way to place them, and then pushed the shutter button. Presto! Point and Shoot multiple flash.

This is easy, just playing around, try it. Basically we just set a couple of lights out there, and the system meters them and sets their power level. However, there is nothing to keep you from thinking about it a bit too, and tweaking your results. All Commander examples above used TTL metering of two flashes. Two of the three setup pictures used one light bounced on ceiling (bounce is only way to get any depth in the room).

Hints

As always, sometimes flash compensation is necessary (often is necessary - all above also used +1 EV Flash Compensation). Just simply do what you see needs to be done. This is the key, simple as that. The only difficult part is making novices realize this is necessary. If it needs a bit more light, simply just watch and fix it - add a bit of +EV Flash Compensation (or vice versa if too bright). Flash compensation is how we fix TTL.

Frankly, I am normally much more likely to be near +1 EV Flash Compensation with Remote TTL, than at no compensation. This is certainly not without exceptions, and it definitely varies with each situation. Compensation is definitely NOT a "set one time and forget it" value. This is not compensating the flash unit, it is compensating the scene in front of the camera, and the next scene is likely different. It entirely depends on what you aim the camera at (see What Light Meters Do), so pay attention to results, at the time, all the time. Simply just do what is necessary, as you see it is necessary. Learning to do what is necessary (flash compensation) is the main key to successful flash pictures. Seriously. This is the difference between Wow! and Ugh!, allowing you to be the hero instead of the goat. You are the photographer, this is your job, so simply just watch and fix it (this works much better than just complaining the camera does not always get it right).

Many lighting things are possible, but there are sort of two major lighting situations. 1: Equal lights on each side of camera, illuminating an area evenly, like a group portrait. Or 2: a portrait (one person) is a Main/Fill situation, with intentional shadow gradients which make the face greatly more interesting than flat featureless light. But subtle soft shadows, not harsh dark shadows. A large close Main light at an angle to make soft shadows, but with frontal Fill to reduce degree of them. The concept is the same as one Main light and a reflector for fill, but a second light is more versatile than a reflector. One idea is that the Main umbrella is large and close (to be soft), and perhaps as much as 45 degrees high and wide (to cause the shadows - maybe a bit less than 45 degrees), with the fill umbrella near the camera lens axis (frontally fills what the lens sees), which is necessarily back near the lens to be able to see around it. For a portrait of one person, we typically want the Fill light to be -1EV down from Main (a good general purpose value), which is a lighting ratio, not really compensation. For ratio, the fill light power level is simply set to meter one stop less than the main light. To create that ratio, just set that -1EV fill in the Commander menu (shown above on the horse, for the group which is the fill light). Or... if you need compensation too, this could instead be Main +1EV above Fill, which is both +1EV compensation and -1EV fill too. Or you can use the Flash Compensation button to add the +1EV flash compensation to all flashes (example, fill group -1EV, Flash Compensation +1 EV, both groups are still one stop stronger).

OK, perhaps excessive detail about compensation:

Automatic TTL exposure varies the power level used by the flash. Flash Compensation also varies the power level used by the TTL flash (up to the maximum power available). For a manual power level, the flash instead simply uses the power level you said for it to use, so then compensation and automation has no effect (we instead tweak that power level manually). Not to try to be confusing, but.. you can set these types of compensation:

Nikon Commander menu compensation for each individual TTL group +/- 3 EV.
(Or, on the flashes own menu for one TTL hot shoe flash).
Camera Flash Compensation button, which affects every TTL flash, including hot shoe iTTL. For example for fill flash in daylight, you adjust the fill flash level with this FC button, perhaps -1EV or -1.7EV (for less flash without effecting the sunlight exposure). Nikon: +1 EV / -3 EV. (TTL BL flash mode often uses some -EV compensation automatically).
Camera Exposure Compensation button. On Nikon cameras, +/- 5 EV, and this affects both continuous ambient light (exposure of the sunlight or room light) and also affects every TTL flash, so ambient and flash "track" each other. If you want both brighter, you add EC. If there is insignificant ambient illumination indoors, which can be ignored, then this can in effect be simply more flash compensation. On other camera brands, EC may only affect the ambient, not the flash.

Here is the thing. These methods all add collectively. No matter how you set which ones, they all add to a total compensation. So establish a standard way you always do this, so you wont forget about some change somewhere. The camera viewfinder and top LCD show symbols if Flash Compensation or Exposure Compensation are not zero, so pay attention, and know when they should show, and what they mean. Don't lose track of what you have done.

Another thing... again, flash compensation is a major key to great flash pictures. Just watch, and simply do what you see you need to do. If you don't like it, just fix it. No one else will do it for you.

As always, be mindful of the Ready light blinking, and make sure you are not asking for more flash power than the system can deliver. The remote flash can be set to beep this warning. The warning in the Remote flash LCD upper right corner can tell you how much more power was needed. Read and understand SB-600 page 29, SB-800 page 33, or SB-900 page D-4, about the insufficient power warning. Wider aperture, higher ISO, and closer distance reduces demand for power, to give you more effective flash power (from what you have).

Summary, Pros and Cons of the Commander system

There is much good in this Commander/Remote system, and very much convenience. This automatic system is extremely handy and extremely quick to throw a couple of speedlights out there, snap the picture, and be gone (it is automatic point&shoot remote wireless multiple TTL flash). This is not suggesting there is no advantage of learning some lighting and photography principles, but the system can give you automated good exposures. And certainly the work can be much more serious too (pay attention, and if necessary, correct what needs it, and do it again). But at some point, the Commander/Remote system is not without a few limitations too.

Some advantages of Commander/Remote system are:

Easy Wireless Remote triggering of multiple flash units - just set them out there somewhere (side sensor aimed back at commander).
TTL metering of individual multiple remote flash units - speaking of two lights - just set them out there, direct flash, or in umbrellas, or bounced, or whatever. Mix or match modifiers and lighting situations, doesn't matter, TTL will meter each as to what it contributes. Distance does not matter - distance does diminish the light greatly, but TTL will still meter it and set its power level (assuming within maximum range of the available flash power).
Manual power level control is also available, each manual group's level is set in the commander menu individually, without walking to the remote flash. Full to 1/128 power level. One group could be TTL, one group could be manual power level.
Compensation easily possible, individually for each group, including simply setting your lighting ratio in the commander menu (set fill light -1 EV, for ratio, WHEN used as a fill light).
You set commander and all lights to communicate using one of four channels. No other photographer's flash will trigger your lights.

Some downsides of Commander/Remote system are:

Optical line-of-sight commands have limitations: obstacles, sunlight, and extreme range are issues. This can be a biggie, but umbrellas in the living room should work very well. The sensor on side of remote flash should be aimed at the commander on the camera. In some cases of obstacles, there can be helpful reflections from near walls or ceilings indoors, so maybe in some difficult cases, aim the remote sensor at the appropriate helpful near wall. But that is not always a safe bet, as it is an optical line of sight system.
All that flashing before the shutter opens often causes pictures of the subject blinking - but which is solved with Nikon's FV Lock (see camera manual - those with a Commander. Also see below). People are different, some always blink, and some seem not to. A few people always blink at hot shoe iTTL preflash too. This is NOT their fault, this is the photographer's problem. Using an infrared commander helps (SU-800, or SG-3IR Panel on camera commander), but blinking can be caused by the Remote TTL preflashes too. FV Lock solves it in every case.
The camera internal flash commander sends one "Everybody Fire NOW!" Commander trigger signal after the shutter opens. Assuming you surely have already disabled the internal flash group (with mode "- -" in commander menu), there can still be some effect. At macro distances (inches), or at f/1.4, this might add a bit of illumination on the subject. At close range (a few feet), this can cause a reflection in shiny subjects (even catch lights in eyes). My D300 commands meter about f/4 ISO 200 at 2 feet, which is actually the command to set power level in the remote, earlier than the trigger signal. This can be prevented by using the SU-800 commander (uses infrared signals instead of visible commands), or by adding the Nikon SG-3IR infrared panel over the camera internal flash commander. This panel passes the infrared needed by the remotes, but it blocks visible light which can interfere or cause blinking. See photos at page bottom for the nature of this situation.
TTL automation remeters the scene again at every frame, sometimes introducing slight variables into a fixed situation (subject turns their head, etc). Again, FV Lock is the solution, can add consistency. Or manual flash power levels are very handy in a fixed studio situation.
There is an increased shutter lag waiting for the preflash and metering of the multiple groups. The commander signals to the groups occur before the shutter opens. We usually glimpse the TTL preflash in the viewfinder before the mirror goes up. Disable unused groups with "- -" (mode in Commander menu), but again, FV Lock is the solution.
Individual control means placing only one light into each group. Camera internal flash commanders can control two remote groups A and B. The SU-800 or SB-800 or SB-900 commanders on hot shoe can control three remote groups, ABC. Adding more lights can be a major issue, requiring they be combined into groups with other lights, all lights in one group receiving the same command signals, acting as one, no individual control.
Attempting to use manual flash gear with the Commander system is generally a big problem. The obvious easy way is to instead simply use either the Commander system as it was designed, or to use an all Manual system (meaning, Real manual). One or the other is pretty close to the only solution. Comments follow about incompatibilities with manual gear, and perhaps a couple of mild workarounds:

Commander with manual power levels is still Commander, and is NOT the same as (real) Manual flash mode. Manual flash mode (the mode called M in the flash manual) has no Commander signals, and those flashes are set to Manual mode instead of Remote mode. Manual gear does not expect Commander signaling or preflashes. The Commander may provide a way to set power level manually, but it is still Commander, and Commander is NOT to be confused with Manual flash mode.
Manual optical slave triggers routinely work great with regular Manual flash mode, however the SB-600 has a lower sync voltage than some, which can give a little trouble with addon optical slaves, which is discussed Here. But optical slaves attempted with the Commander will be triggered before the shutter opens, by all the commander signal flashing (infrared or visible), and also by remote TTL preflashing. Not only are these optical slave flashes expended before the shutter opens, these too-early flashes may interfere with the metered preflashes. FV Lock possibly may work around this for TTL Remote mode, letting the opticals trigger with FV Lock, but then recharge for the final flash. But FV Lock won't help visible light Commander Manual mode (for optical slave triggers).
Tedious to discuss, but "digital" optical slave triggers (designed to work with compact point&shoot cameras) can ignore one iTTL hot shoe flash preflash, but they still cannot work with the complex Commander multiple signals. Optical slaves will falsely trigger at the command signals too, before shutter is open. Regular optical slaves may (or may not) seem to work from an iTTL trigger, if flash and trigger are able to be triggered twice that quickly - not if they expended full power on first flash - but if set to lower power, so they can trigger at preflash, and again at final flash with some power left. But even those that do work with iTTL are NOT going to work from the Commander, too many flashes. There will be no visible contribution from the optical triggered flash with commander. This is not the way to plan your work.
PC sync cords generally will not work in Commander mode, no way to trigger them for remote manual lights or radio transmitters. The Nikon Commander is a wireless system. The D200/D300/D700 cameras disable their PC sync connector anytime the internal flash door is open (commander or not). There is no way to use an adapter in the hot shoe if the internal flash door is open for commander, or if the SU-800 commander is used. The Remote flashes disable their PC sync connector and their flash foot anytime in Remote mode. The SB-800/SB-900 as commander on hot shoe seems the only exception, their PC sync connector still works (since their flash foot still must work). This flash commander can be a couple of feet off camera in a SC-28/SC-17 hot shoe extension cord.
Hand held flash meters will simply meter the weak TTL preflashes early. FV Lock can work around this for TTL preflash, but of course, we cannot control TTL lights anyway. Also the visible commander signals will interfere with the meter, same way - TTL or manual level. However, an infrared commander may not interfere with the meter. Sekonic meters (not sensitive to infrared) can be used with Commander Manual power levels, in some cases -- IF using a SU-800 commander, or IF the Nikon SG-3IR infrared panel is used in front of the camera commander, AND ALSO IF meter is not too close to the commander. Meter should be at least 5 or 6 feet distant from shielded infrared commander to not see any effect (may see EU error if closer). And of course, you cannot meter the internal flash this way (in Commander mode), the red infrared panel interferes, and without it, the command flash interferes. Any TTL group preflash will still interfere of course, but FV Lock can shift that to be earlier. Switching all lights to real Manual mode is the easy solution, if you can trigger the SB-600 (SB-800/SB-900 have the SU-4 mode).

Opinions

Again, the correct plan really has to be (as if there were any alternative): Either choose to use the Nikon Commander system, as designed, or choose to use an all manual flash system, as designed, but forget about trying to mix two very radically different systems.

Just wishing... If only this fancy automated system were a radio system, integrated into camera and flashes, many of the drawbacks would be eliminated. Radio Poppers (now) and PocketWizard (soon) are to have radio systems to relay these optical commands by radio for greater range, but that doesn't solve any of the other issues. The other radio triggers are manual mode only.

Not at all unique to this system, but speedlight flash power and recycle time can be marginal in some cases. At ISO 200, one SB-800 at full power in 45 inch white reflective umbrella can do f/5.6 at ten feet to fabric for groups, or f/11 at four feet to fabric for portraits. The SB-600 should be very close to this too, but this is full power. This power is often adequate... the issue is more likely the longer recycle time.

Umbrellas are the only modifiers the speedlights fit easily, but umbrellas are simply fantastic (they are large! Nothing substitutes for large.)

FV Lock is a button on the camera (the models with a commander). It is the solution to several things. You frame and focus, and push the FV Lock button. Then the preflash and metering occurs, and the subject blinking also occurs too, to get it over with. The shutter does not activate with it. The camera remembers this metered Flash Value, and shows a small L symbol in bottom left of viewfinder to indicate it has it locked (see camera manual). Then the next several shutter buttons will use that same remembered Flash Value, without any more preflashes or blinking. You can press the FV Lock button again to turn it off, or it will time out when the display light times out (so read there about that L symbol in viewfinder, which keeps you informed). Shutter half press resets time out to keep the display on, and there is a menu to set a longer display time out. FV Lock is only needed for pictures of people, who move and blink. The tabletop above couldn't care less about blinking. However, FV Lock could also be used to reframe the camera view after the exposure was metered. FV Lock does all the TTL signaling and preflash and metering early (at the FV Lock button), but it is not done for the Commander manual power level signals, which remain at the beginning of the shutter button.

To see this happen, you can differentiate between the command signals and the final flash by setting Rear Curtain Sync and a slow shutter speed of about one second. Then you can see the difference, before the shutter, and at the end of the shutter. FV Lock will do the TTL preflash and metering early (for each individual TTL group). Then BOTH modes, TTL and manual power levels, continue to send command flashes immediately at the start of every shutter button (which I believe to set power level, and ready the remote to trigger in the next few milliseconds). Then you see the one second shutter, then the Everybody Fire NOW! trigger, and then the remote flashes flash, and the shutter closes.

Here are some demonstration pictures of the Commander Trigger signal in the bulleted list above. The commander must flash a weak trigger signal to the remotes after the shutter is open. Then the camera internal flash commander can in some cases cause catchlight reflections in close or shiny subjects. The first picture below shows the Commander's trigger signal, even though the internal flash is disabled with the "- -" mode (camera commander menu, mode for the group for builtin flash). This trigger occurs when the shutter opens, and the trigger flash can reflect in close shiny things. This mirror is exceptionally reflective, but it could also be a catchlight in a glass vase or a human eyeball. This trigger signal is the same for either Commander TTL or manual power level modes. This room lighting is from the bounced remote SB-800 on the stand behind camera. Yes, this remote sensor ought to be aimed at the camera in the mirror, but it wasn't. This is a small room with lots of mirror reflection, it works easily. There is a white card taped to the mirror in lower right, just to have something close and bright at 3 feet.

Shooting into a mirror at 3 feet. ISO 200 f/8 1/200 second. The internal flash is disabled with mode "- -", so it does not contribute, but the Commander trigger signal is visible to the subject, which can sometimes affect close or shiny subjects. This trigger (for the remote flashes) occurs after shutter is open, so this reflection can sometimes appear in our pictures - not routinely, but in some situations.	Same as at left, except the Nikon SG-3IR infrared panel is flipped down to cover the internal flash. The panel blocks the visible light, but it still passes the infrared commands. The trigger reflects from the mirror, and still triggers the remote. It is IR now, and the subject no longer sees the visible light.
Same as above, just with the Remote SB-800 turned off so we see only the commander. Same f/8 exposure, and no IR panel was used. This is the magnitude of the Commander "Everybody fire NOW!" trigger. It is not very strong, not enough to contribute any light into the black picture, but it might cause a visible reflection in a close shiny thing (this picture shows a reflection in a very shiny object, the mirror). The subject (camera and me) is 6 feet from the flash. Even the white card on mirror at 3 feet is not visible, but there is a slight hint of the chrome tripod leg at bottom.	Same as above, with Infrared panel covering the internal flash, and Remote SB-800 is turned off. When I checked this, the IR panel reduced the D300 commander range to about 2/3 (from 120 feet to 77 feet). That may still be slightly more than range a SU-800 (which has a similar builtin IR shield).
Same as above, but f/2.8 (opened 3 stops). No IR panel, and the Remote SB-800 is turned off. More effect is visible at f/2.8, and close and shiny stuff can be a concern. If photographing this chrome tripod at 6 feet at f/2.8, surely the real flash then would largely hide most of this. The trigger can make a visible catch light in shiny close things though, including catch light in your subject's eyes, when close.	Same as above, but f/2.8. Infrared panel is covering the flash. The IR panel has these two slits in it, and there is a flash back there behind it, which we are taking a picture of. Probably the sideways spill behind the panel is what is illuminating the finger. There is that tiny bright spot on tripod, but otherwise, this picture looks black.
For reference, at f/8 again, the internal flash is enabled to TTL mode here (into a mirror is not always wise). No IR panel used of course. Magnitude is much different, significant fill light contribution on close things, mirror is making a visible shadow on other side of tripod and strap. There is even a shadow of the remote flash on the far wall. So the internal flash was definitely OFF in the previous frames, for no contribution. The Remote SB-800 is on here.	This is instead the pink orchid above, its same f/11 exposure at only two feet, with no IR panel used, with both flashes turned off. The orchid is not very shiny. So this commander trigger is NORMALLY no issue for us, but close shiny things can be issues, especially if using a wide aperture. SG-3IR panel is a solution then (intended for macro work), and it can also reduce subject blinking.

Menu of other pages here

The Nikon Remote Wireless Flash System Is Easy To Use

Direct Bare Flash - TTL

Flash in Umbrellas - TTL