The most important thing for good photographer– be able to use light correctly to create a beautiful image. It’s good when shooting conditions allow you to limit yourself to natural lighting. But there are times when a better effect can be achieved using your own lighting equipment. Let's see how to assemble your own set of equipment for "on-site studios".
Don’t think that I’m now going to recommend that you buy studio monoblocks, softboxes, an electricity generator and a spacious car to boot. Of course, you can work at this level, but it’s unlikely that most of you will want to spend a lot of money on something that can be done much easier and cheaper, without losing as a result.
So, the optimal set of equipment for creating an on-site “studio”:
* One of the umbrellas for transmission can be replaced with an umbrella for reflection (usually serves as a drawing, main light)
3. Two flashes, one umbrella for light. A flash with an umbrella in the light plays the role of a soft light (its power is higher). A flash without an attachment (“naked”) performs the function of a hard flash.
Option 1. The flash with an umbrella is positioned at an angle in front of 45 degrees, the “naked” flash is opposite it, i.e. rear at an angle of 45 degrees
The position of the flashes (angle relative to the model) can be varied.
Option 2. A flash with an umbrella for illumination is installed in front or slightly above the model. The backlight is installed strictly behind the model.
* In this lighting scheme, when shooting at sunset (sunrise), sunset sunlight can act as a backlight source.
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Video on the topic
Studio photography with external flashes
Flash for indoor portraits
Let's consider a scheme for shooting a contrast portrait in the studio, on a black background, using two light sources. The flashes are Bowens monolights. To create a hard pattern of light and shadow, we take special nozzles with honeycombs. A Beauty Dish with a honeycomb attachment will serve as a source of highlighting light. And the tube will serve as a source of accent (sometimes called sculptural) or modeling light.
Modeling light - located along the axis of the modeling light, and is located on the opposite side of the model. Shines on the model. “Tears off” the unlit half of the model from the background. It does not have a clear pattern and does not compete with the coloring light. If installed incorrectly (for example, excessive brightness) can disrupt the entire light palette. If the photographer "does not see" or does not understand the modeling light, then it is better to refuse it. Due to the fact that the light of the modeling light source can fall on the front lens of the objective and reduce contrast or cause unwanted reflections, it is installed in a tube, or the light source is equipped with protective shutters.
Light accent in portrait photography is often used to highlight a part of the face or body. In some foreign sources, there is the term slash light, which means a small illuminated "slice" of the face. Hard lighting accents are mainly used for male portraits. This light gives shape and is ideal for muscular figures and creating sculptural volume.
And in a female portrait it is better to use soft lighting. However, the diagram clearly shows how to get a contrast pattern with two hard light sources. Very often such lighting is used in collages. advertising posters or movie posters. Accent light can be obtained using a spotlight nozzle or a tube, and the power of the source should be half a step higher than the power of the drawing one.
Light scheme: Two sources of pulsed light - beauty dish with honeycomb and tube with honeycomb.
The Beauty Dish is a special attachment for portrait photography. The specific nature of lighting that a portrait reflector creates is different from softboxes or umbrellas, since the flow of light is distributed evenly on the reflective surface. To obtain softer light, a diffuser is used, and to obtain directional light, honeycombs to the size of the plate are used.
A honeycomb tube is an attachment used in portrait photography to create a highlight or highlight hair. Lighting with a point light source, such as a tube, requires more careful and careful placement of the flash.
Image 2: The photograph shows how a poorly placed modeling light source affected the character of the drawing.
Place the key light source at 45 degrees in front of the model and slightly above, and the modeling light source, on the contrary, at an angle of 45 degrees and above behind the subject. The result is a contrasting portrait that stands out well against a black background.
This article, or how-to, or guide, whatever you want, will talk about taking portraits using just one flash or strobe. Maybe your budget doesn't allow you to purchase multiple light sources. You may have to travel light and don't have room for two flashes. Or you might just want to experiment with light.
In any case, with the proper use of various lighting schemes and scenarios, it is quite possible to obtain high-quality professional-level photographs with only one single flash. In this guide, I have included 10 examples with detailed and accessible explanations that can be applied to your specific situation.
To put my tips into practice, you will need the following equipment:
- Camera and lens. All portraits shown here as examples were taken with a Nikon D700 using a 24mm, 50mm or 85mm lens.
- Autonomous flash with manual adjustment (built-in pop-up flashes are not suitable).
- A special cable, or any wireless system that allows you to turn on the flash from a distance. I use the Cactus wireless flash trigger, a wireless radio trigger that works with almost any flash that has a hot shoe mount.
- Convertible photo umbrella. This is a two-in-one umbrella, it is white on the inside and has a black coating on the outside, which can be removed if desired.
- A pair of tripods or stands for mounting a flash, umbrella or reflector.
- You may need various reflectors and dimmers, although these are not used in this tutorial.
Outside or inside
This guide will cover two basic shooting techniques. We'll work indoors using only flash, and we'll also work outdoors, compensating for natural sunlight with artificial light from the flash.
In principle, when shooting inside, you can use light from windows as additional lighting sources, but in this lesson we will not consider this option. So, let's start shooting outside, where the sun will replace our second flash.
Example 1: Simple Fill Light
In the first example, consider the following conditions. The shooting takes place in the evening, and the sun illuminates the model from the left side. As you can see in the photo below, half of her face is in shadow and the light is too flat. overloaded and distracts attention from the model. A wide viewing angle captures not only the model in natural light, but also the stand with flash. The flash has no modifiers and is aimed directly at the subject.
Finished portrait
To use the flash correctly, you should select the exposure for natural light. Then, lower it one notch and adjust the flash accordingly. This will help separate the model from the background by darkening it slightly, while keeping the fence illuminated. Due to the fact that the flash is located relatively far from the subject, its light covers a fairly wide area.
Since the sun still illuminates the model from one side, we direct the flash more towards the shadow side of her face, and thus ensure that the model’s face is illuminated evenly from all sides. This shooting technique is good for getting a clear, easily identifiable image. In such a photograph, even the smallest size, you can easily recognize the person depicted.
Example 2: Simple Edge Lighting
In the photo below you can see that the flash is now mounted behind the model. With this arrangement, the sun will act as the main source of illumination, and the flash will highlight the edges of the frame. Typically, the flash light is brighter than the main light (in this case, the sun), so this lighting scheme emphasizes the edges of the subject. Unlike the previous portrait, I do not lower the exposure for natural light. But in order to create overexposure, I slightly increase the exposure settings for the flash .
Finished portrait
Particular attention should be paid to the model's hair and T-shirt. Their far right edge (from the viewer's side) is almost white. Due to the fact that the flash behind the model is not located strictly behind, but slightly to the side, the light seems to flow over the edges. You can also see this effect on the fence post in the foreground, and just a little on the model's face.
Example 3: Rembrandt's Diffused Lighting
When creating his picturesque portraits, Rembrandt used precisely this lighting scheme. Its essence lies in the fact that light sources are located above and to the side of the subject at angles of 45 degrees. For such an image, you can add an umbrella.
The flash should be aimed at the very center of the umbrella, and as a result, the light will be softer and will cover a larger area, but for the same reason, it will not be powerful and bright enough, so the flash should be placed much closer to the model than in previous photographs. As you can see, the ambient light only hits the model's face slightly.
Finished portrait
As you can see, the model's face and body are still illuminated by the sun from the right side, but now the sun is not the main source of light. The flash fills all the shadows with light and also evens out the exposure on the wood around the model. The sun shines beautifully on the model's hair and adds warm tones to her legs, but does little to highlight her face.
For this shot, I first expose her to the lightest areas on the model so that her right arm and leg are brightly illuminated by the sun and the rest is in shadow. Then I turn the flash until I reach the desired exposure.
Example 4: Hair Highlighting
When we choose the sun as the main light source when taking photographs, then, as we said earlier, the flash is used as a source of fill light or illumination around the edges. It can also be used to highlight hair. As we can see in the photo below, the model is positioned opposite the sun and it is shining directly into her face. Its light is so bright that she involuntarily squints. Since her hair color is darker than her complexion, to even out the exposure on her face and hair, you need to point the flash directly at her hair.
Finished portrait
To get the lighting I wanted, I removed the black coating from the outside of my convertible umbrella. Thus, the light directed into the umbrella is not reflected from its walls, hitting the model, but passes through the light coating and is scattered differently. As you can see in the finished portrait below, the light from the flash creates a very beautiful shine when hitting the model's hair:
Example 5: Sunglasses Indoors
In the following examples we will look at several scenarios for installing a single light source indoors. Here all the light will come only from the flash. And although I sometimes use light from windows, I have noticed more than once that it does not really affect the final result. The flash in the room is much brighter than the light coming from the window and completely interrupts it. In the photo below we see a model who, at my request, is wearing sunglasses and is looking directly at the same lighting setup that I used earlier to highlight her hair.
Finished portrait
As a result, the photo turned out very similar to the famous portrait of a rock star, although this was not my goal. In any case, the reflection of the umbrella created an interesting picture on the lenses of the glasses, and in this light all the colors in the photo look incredibly vibrant.
Example 6: Flash Rear, Reflector Front
I would like to clarify right away that the umbrella in this image is empty and is used here as a reflector. In fact, any simple reflector or even a large sheet of white cardboard would do the job much better. The light from the flash mounted behind the model passes over her head, reflects off the umbrella and falls on the model's face. The idea of such a lighting arrangement is that reflected light is used as the main source of illumination, and illumination is also created along the edges of the background.
Finished portrait
In the final shot below, we can see that the model's face is softly illuminated by the reflected light, and her hair is brightly highlighted by the light from the flash behind the model. It seems to me that the hair here turned out too bright. If I had the opportunity to reshoot this shot, I would change the angle slightly or ask the subject to tilt or turn her head slightly to reduce or remove that overexposure on the top of her head.
There is another option - lower the flash a little lower so that not so much light falls on the model from above. Draw conclusions based on my mistakes and devote Special attention the illumination power produced by your flash.
Example 7: Dramatic Lighting from Above
This is a fairly specialized technique, and I would not recommend using it too often, as the images often turn out boring and banal. Such dramatic lighting from above gives the photographs a certain religious overtone and a feeling of complete loneliness.
In the example below you can see that the flash is slightly to the side of the model and almost hangs over her face. To prevent the model’s eyes from being in shadow and an unpleasant shadow to appear under her nose, her gaze should be directed only upward.
Finished portrait
The background in the photo below is very dark, and due to the fact that the model's neck is in complete shadow, it creates a "flying head" effect. I decided to leave part of the neck in the frame and thus focus attention on the model’s necklace. But when using this technique, it is not at all difficult to compose the frame so that only the face is visible, and everything else is invisible.
Example 8. In the style of “American Apparel”
In the photo below you see that the model is standing near the wall, the flash is located in the umbrella, but I am directly under the umbrella. For this shot I used a wide angle lens and since the flash is very close to the subject I chose a low flash power level.
Finished portrait
What happened in the finale is a little difficult to describe. As you can see, the frame turned out to be practically without shadows, and this is mainly due to the fact that the light source, in our case it is a large umbrella, is larger in size than the subject itself, and is installed very close. It is also worth paying attention to the vignetting along the edge of the image. The overall impression that one gets when looking at this frame is something between a semi-professional shot on a point-and-shoot camera and a photo for a police archive.
Example 9. Everything is Close
This technique is similar to the “reflector in front, flash in back” scheme, but in this case the flash is located directly behind the model’s back, the umbrella is empty and can easily be replaced with any reflector. The umbrella or reflector is not installed on the side, but directly in front of the subject and slightly above. As in the previous example, the technique of close proximity of the umbrella and the flash is used here. I shot very close and used a 50mm lens.
Finished portrait
The light in this photo was very soft. Thanks to the high angle and close position of the umbrella, not only the face, but also the model’s hair is perfectly illuminated. Due to the fact that the flash is located directly behind the model's head, a beautiful glow is formed along the very edge of the hair.
If the model is placed directly and next to the wall, then such a scheme can create the opposite effect of “dramatic lighting from above”, since the background in this case is completely white.
In the final shot, you can see that the light on the model's arm is too bright. This problem can be fixed in two ways. The first is to change the position of the hand by turning it slightly. The second way is to move your hand away from the light source.
Example 10. Against a Wall Background
Let's say you don't have an umbrella or a reflector. In such a situation, a completely white or pastel-colored wall can be used as a light reflector. We move the flash a little further from the model. Using only a white wall and one light source, it is not difficult to achieve nice shot excellent quality. Due to its simplicity and versatility, this technique is incredibly popular and appreciated by many photographers.
Finished portrait
In the final image we have a very dark background and a face that is well and pleasantly lit. Since you can take this type of portrait almost anywhere, I want to offer you a few variations of this technique. To make the background visible again, increase the shutter speed to 1-2 seconds and you will get a portrait surrounded by it. If you want to get even White background, move your subject to a corner of the room.
Conclusion
Modern studio strobes with softboxes and photo umbrellas, as well as seamless backgrounds - all this, of course, is great. But if you don't have the money or the resources to lug around all that equipment, remember that you can always create stunning portraits with just one light source and a few clever tricks.
Today we're going to talk about shooting high-quality, well-lit portraits using just one studio light or flash. Maybe your budget doesn't allow you to purchase multiple sources for portraits. Maybe you need to drive with lights and don't have room for two lamps. Maybe you're just interested in solving a difficult problem. However, you can implement many scenarios using a single source. I've included 10 examples in this lesson with clear descriptions so you can use them in your own work.
To complete this tutorial you will need to combine the following equipment:
- For starters, your camera and lens. All of these portraits were shot on a Nikon D700 using a 24mm, 50mm or 85mm lens.
- A standalone flash (meaning built-in flashes will not work) that can be adjusted manually.
- Something that will allow the flash to fire without attaching it to the camera. This could be a special cable or a wireless system. I use a Cactus radio flash trigger, which will work with almost any shoe-mount flash.
- Convertible photo umbrella for some images. "Convertible" means that the inside of the umbrella is shiny, but the black coating on the outside can be removed.
- The reflective disc, although not used in this tutorial, can be used as a substitute in many situations.
- A pair of light stands to properly mount your flash and umbrella or reflector.
Outside or inside
There are two main techniques that will be used in this tutorial. We will work outdoors, compensating for sunlight with light from the flash, and indoors, using only the flash.
While you can balance out the "general" light in a room with the light from the flash, this was not done in any of these portraits. So let's start outside, where the sun will replace our second flash.
Example 1: Simple Fill Light
In this first example we see the evening sun illuminating the model on the left. As you can see in the example below, half of her face is in shadow and the light is very flat. The background is overloaded and takes attention away from the model. This overview shot shows both the subject in natural light and the stand with the flash attached to it. The flash has no modifiers and is aimed directly at the model.
Finished portrait
To use the flash correctly, I adjusted the exposure to the ambient (natural) light. I then lowered it one stop and adjusted the flash accordingly. This separated the subject from the background, darkening it. The fence is also illuminated. Because the flash is relatively far from the subject, its light covers a wide area.
Because the light from the sun is still hitting the model and the flash is aimed more at the shadowed side of the face, the light appears very even. This technique is good for obtaining clear, easily identifiable images. Viewers will be able to recognize the object even on a photo card to carry in their wallet.
Example 2: Simple edge lighting
You'll notice in the photo below that I moved the flash so it was behind the model. The sun in this image will act as the main lighting, and the flash will act as the edge lighting. This type lighting highlights the edges of the subject, and this light is usually brighter than the main lighting (in this case, the sun). Unlike the last portrait, I didn't lower the exposure for the ambient light. In fact, I increased the exposure settings on the flash to create highlights.
Finished portrait
Pay special attention to the model's T-shirt and hair. The far right edge (from the viewer's point of view) of both is almost white. Because the flash is behind the model, but not exactly behind, the light "bleeds" over the edge. You can also see this effect on the fence in the foreground, and quite a bit on the model's face.
Example 3: Rembrandt's diffuse lighting
Rembrandt lighting is when the light is placed at an angle of 45 degrees to the side of the subject and 45 degrees above the subject. Many of Rembrandt's paintings use this type of lighting.
For this image I also added an umbrella. The flash is aimed at the center of the umbrella, which results in a softer light that covers a larger area, but also makes it less powerful, so the flash is placed much closer to the subject than in previous photographs. You can see that there is almost no ambient light hitting the model's face.
Finished portrait
As you can see, the right side of the model's face and body (from our point of view) is still illuminated by the sun, but it is no longer our only source of light. The flash filled in all the shadows and also evened out the exposure on the wood around her.
The sun does wonders for the model's hair and adds a warm glow to her legs, but doesn't do much for her face. Speaking of exposure for this shot, I set it to the highlights of the model so that the leg and arm were in the sun, and the rest was in shadow. I then rotated the flash until I reached the desired exposure.
Example 4. Hair highlighting
We've already discussed that when using the sun as the main light source, the flash can act as a fill light or edge light source. It can also be used to highlight hair. As you can see in the example below, the sun is shining directly into the model's face. It's so bright she squints. Her face color is lighter than her hair color, so to even out the difference in exposure between her hair and face, I pointed the flash at her hair.
Finished portrait
To get the coverage I was going for, I decided to remove the cover from my convertible umbrella. So instead of directing the light into the umbrella, which then bounces off and hits the model, I direct the light through the white coating and it diffuses differently.
You can see how the light from the flash hits her hair and creates a nice shine in the finished portrait below:
Example 5: Sunglasses indoors
Now let's move inside. In the remaining examples, all the light in the image will come from the flash. Although I use window lighting to take pictures that show off the equipment I'm using, windows do not affect the final image in any way.
The flash is exponentially brighter than the light coming from the window and completely interrupts it. In the image below you can see that I asked the model to put on her sunglasses and look directly at the same light setup that I used to highlight the hair earlier.
Finished portrait
The result is very similar to famous portrait rock stars. I think it was Slash, but I can't verify it. If anyone knows what portrait this is about? we're talking about, please leave the link in the comments!
Regardless, the reflection of the umbrella creates an interesting picture in the glasses, and the colors look really vibrant in this lighting.
Example 6: Rear Flash, Front Reflector
Let me clarify, the umbrella in this image is empty. I'm just using it as a reflector. In fact, a reflective disc or even a large piece of white cardboard would work better in this situation.
The light from the flash passes over the model's head, reflects off the umbrella and illuminates the face. The idea of this mechanism is to create highlights at the edges of the background and use reflected light as the main source of illumination.
Finished portrait
As you can see in the final image below, her face is softly lit by the reflected light and her hair is backlit by the directional light from the flash behind her. The hair came out too bright for my taste. If I could shoot this shot again, I would ask the model to turn her head differently to reduce overexposure at the top of her head.
Another option is to move the flash lower behind her head so that not as much light comes from above. Learn from my mistakes and pay close attention to the light output of your flash.
Example 7: Dramatic lighting from above
This is a more specialized technique. I wouldn't recommend using it often because it can be a bit banal. It can help isolate the subject or give a religious edge to your shots. It can also be used to completely darken the background.
You can see in the example that the flash is located almost directly above the model's face, and slightly in front of it. In almost all cases, the model must look up, otherwise the eyes will be in shadow and an unpleasant shadow will appear under the nose.
Finished portrait
As you can see, the background in the portrait is very dark. And this creates a "flying head" effect because the neck is completely in shadow. I decided to leave the neck in the frame so that the model's necklace could be seen. But when using this technique, it is very easy to compose the frame in such a way that only the face is visible.
Example 8. In the American Apparel style
If you have seen an advertisement for a clothing store called "American Apparel" or noticed certain trends in other commercials from the fashion world, then you have seen footage using this technique. In the example below you will see that the model is standing very close to the wall. Flash in the umbrella and I used a wide angle lens. I was standing right under the umbrella. For this shot I set the flash power between low and medium since she was very close to the subject.
Finished portrait
The final effect in this image is a bit difficult to describe. Notice the vignetting around the edges of the frame. You can also see that the light source (the large umbrella) is larger than the subject and very close, resulting in a shot with virtually no shadows. The overall impression that the frame gives is something between police footage for the archive and photographs on a point-and-shoot camera.
Example 9. Everything is nearby
This technique is similar to the rear flash, front reflector setup, but in this case the flash is directly behind the subject. As in that technique, the umbrella is empty and can easily be replaced with a reflector.
The umbrella is installed directly in front of the model and on top, instead of being located on the side. And this technique uses the close proximity of the flash and the umbrella, just like the technique above. I was also close to the model with the 50mm lens.
Finished portrait
The light in this image is very soft. The high angle and proximity of the umbrella allows you to illuminate your face and at the same time your hair. A flash located behind the model's head creates a glow along the edges of the hair.
This setup produces the opposite effect of "dramatic overhead lighting" when placing the model directly next to a wall. The background in this case is completely white. You'll also notice in the final image that the light on her hand is too bright.
This problem can be solved in two ways. The first is to rotate her hand a little differently. The second is to move your hand further from the light source.
Example 10. At the wall
Let's assume you don't have a reflector or umbrella. A white or lightly painted wall can be used to create a dramatic portrait with just one source. You will notice that the flash is again uncoated and moved further away. The wall acts as a reflector; The versatility and simplicity of this technique is what makes it so valuable.
Finished portrait
Conclusion
Fantastic studio sources with softboxes and umbrellas and seamless backgrounds are great. But if you don't have the money, the space, or the strong back to lug around all the equipment, just remember that you can create impressive portraits using just one light source and some clever tricks.
Thank you for your attention. And search Google for what this portrait of a famous rock star is!
Ideally, every time we photograph someone, we have a full set of studio equipment or wonderful, well-diffused sunlight at our disposal. However, in reality everything is not so. Usually the sunlight is either too weak or too intense. We don't always have the opportunity to work in a studio, let alone a full set lighting fixtures which we can use.
Sometimes there just isn't enough time to learn new techniques, rent equipment, or search for the perfect locations. And it happens that the subject of shooting is very limited in time or location. However, despite the limitations, we do our best to ensure professional images every time. The point of this lesson is to show the technical side of flash photography, we are not talking about “artistic” here.
Do you feel prepared to compensate for the different lighting conditions you may have to work in?
Natural light is great for all types of portraits, including photos of just the face. Bouncing this light with reflectors or simply finding a bright, shaded area always works well. Although, if you have a flash at your disposal, you can even create dramatic lighting to ensure a good portrait shot of the face.
The following three tips will help you shoot a face photograph using only one flash to compensate for less than ideal lighting conditions:
1. Scatter the light from the flash!!!
When using flash, the last thing you want is for it to be obvious in your photo. To avoid this, you need to find ways to make the light more diffuse, reducing the harsh effect that the flash produces anyway. There are several ways to solve this problem, and each of them works on its own. Although a combination of techniques will give the best results.
- Reflect Light – If there is a wall nearby, a ceiling a few feet away from you, or you have any kind of reflector, bounce it. Point the flash at the reflector so that it fills shadows and compensates for uneven lighting conditions.
- Point the flash behind you to diffuse the flash light - this may sound counterintuitive, pointing the light BEHIND you helps diffuse the light a bit. This provides frontal light that is aimed at your subject, but softer than if the flash were pointed directly at them.
- Use a diffuser on the flash - whether it's a plastic cap, a mini fabric softbox, a flexible included reflector, or any homemade alternative - a diffuser directly on the flash will instantly soften the light and give you more versatile illumination of your subject.
- Set the zoom on your flash to the highest possible setting - your flash can be adjusted to set the viewing angle accordingly focal length the lens being used. However, this can be done manually no matter what lens you are using. When the flash is set to 70mm, for example, the light will be narrower and more direct than when set to 24mm. Although this in itself does not create a significant difference, it can still be used additionally with other methods of dispersion.
Left – without flashes. On the right is a single flash mounted on the camera and pointed to the right of the subject for fill light.
In the before and after photos you see above, the shot on the left shows the result of using natural light from a window. It's a good light, but not always what you need.
The photo on the right shows the same location, same pose, but using a single flash to fill in the shadows. The flash is mounted on the camera and has a dome diffuser. It is directed to the left of the photographer (to the right of the subject) and reflected from the wall and ceiling, the power is manually set to 1/8.
2. Use a flash synchronizer to shoot with the camera's flash.
If you have the ability to take photos with on-camera flash (either a synchronizer or a wire), then play with the position of the flash (move it to the right or left) to add drama or emotion (more about shooting with off-camera flash at the end of the article). This technique will give you a studio look but can be used anywhere. Rest assured that this type of shot will satisfy your client's needs, especially since this technique produces such powerful results. For example, the owner flower shop might want a more natural shot outdoors or in her store, while a tech startup writer might like a more gritty style with dramatic lighting. Situations vary, so here are some options for flash placement:
- Directly behind the client
- At a 45 degree angle behind or in front of the client
- Directly to the side
Left – without flashes. On right – manual mode, natural light underexposed on some steps, one flash on right from object.
The before and after photos above show how to use a single flash to create a dramatic indoor portrait of a face. The photo on the left is correctly exposed for the given natural lighting conditions. The photo on the right was set to be significantly underexposed relative to natural light (to keep the background as dark as possible) and then a single flash was placed to the right of the subject to create a concentrated and dramatic light.
3. Use the flash in manual mode.
Using the flash in manual mode is in the best possible way control over light, but it is often overlooked. Manual mode flash will allow you to set the power in any situation. Shooting indoors and reflecting flash light? Start with 1/8 of full power. Are you shooting in bright sun? Start with 1/2 and reduce the power if necessary. Want to softly fill shadows indoors? Set your flash to 1/16 power. Keep in mind that you should know the starting points for different situations, but in each of them the settings will be individual.
On the left, no flash was used; the photo was taken outdoors. On the right is the same location and pose, using one flash on the camera with power1/4.
The before and after photos above show how a single flash can be used to compensate for shadows when shooting outdoors. The photo on the left uses natural direct light without flash. The photo on the right was taken at the same time, in the same place and in the same conditions, but using flash at ¼ power to fill in the shadows.
No matter what tools you have on every photo shoot, important part A photographer's job is the ability to set them up correctly for each specific situation. Owning a large arsenal of equipment is not always necessary. Often the supplies you hold in your hands can do the job you need done; all it takes is to allow your thinking to go beyond.
Learn how to take professional photos with camera flash.
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