Best way to learn more about flash

V

Vertigo1

Suspended / Banned
Messages
2,065
Edit My Images
No
Ok, whilst I'm pretty au fait with exposure and so on and generally have no issues with natural light, flash is another matter.

Flash scares me. I hate using it and avoid doing so whenever I can. When I'm forced to I'm never totally sure what I'm doing. I've read loads of stuff about the basic principles involved and I understand it all but I think I just need practice.

This is where the problem lies. I do the occasional wedding and these are the only real situations in which I'm either forced to use flash or would potentially be better off doing so if I could be sure of getting it right. The thing is I don't really want to be experimenting and practicing during a wedding.

So I'm wondering what my best course of action would be to gain more experience with using flash, both on and off-camera. Ideally I'd love to second-shoot more weddings where I could experiement and try things out with a little more freedom but alas this isn't happening right now. Should I look at a course of some kind or are these a waste of time?
 
Vertigo1 said:
Ok, whilst I'm pretty au fait with exposure and so on and generally have no issues with natural light, flash is another matter.
Click to expand...

same here

Vertigo1 said:
Flash scares me. I hate using it and avoid doing so whenever I can. When I'm forced to I'm never totally sure what I'm doing. I've read loads of stuff about the basic principles involved and I understand it all but I think I just need practice.
Click to expand...

I can setup.. take atest shot.. all ok.. then take the real shot and its blown out to unusable :(



Vertigo1 said:
Should I look at a course of some kind or are these a waste of time?
Click to expand...

you already answered your own question..... "I understand it all but I think I just need practice"

P mode for me when the flash used.. still hit and miss :(
 
Set up a little shoot on a table to and play around with your settings. Make notes of you need to.

Shoot a load of shots with wildly different settings. Chimp everyone. When it start to looks right, narrow down adjustments.

Upload shots to pc and observe the differnces.

Learn from shots taken.

About what I did.
 
I watched this last night and found it quite informative.

 
Practice, but understand the limitations of a speedlight (they're small light sources which are massively powerful compared to indoor lighting, but weedy compared to the sun).

Buy the speedlighters handbook (I know you said you've read loads, but...)

If that doesn't help, go on a course.
 
Phil V said:
Practice, but understand the limitations of a speedlight (they're small light sources which are massively powerful compared to indoor lighting, but weedy compared to the sun).

Buy the speedlighters handbook (I know you said you've read loads, but...)

If that doesn't help, go on a course.
Click to expand...

^^^This.

Here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Speedliters...02496552&sr=1-1&keywords=speedliters+handbook

Excellent book, covers everything, easy to read. It's Canon-centric, but Nikon system works exactly the same.
 
Watch Zack Arias: One Light 2. Watch it again. And then watch it a few more times. Read, and read some more. Practise...bribe some friends to let you do some outdoor OCF work. Take it slow.
 
Phil V said:
Buy the speedlighters handbook (I know you said you've read loads, but...)
Click to expand...

+1

In fact, still buy the Speedliters handbook even if you have read everything else. It is one of the best books you'll ever read (even if you have a Nikon).
 
Hi @Vertigo1 practise makes perfect!

Set camera to manual
Dial in shutter speed for ambient light (up to camera sync speed e.g. 1/250 otherwise you'll be using your HSS on the 580EXII which drains batteries quicker)
Dial in aperture for dof
Ideally fire in a wall / ceiling to give a good flood of light (depending upon the look required) or through a rogue flash bender type diffuser
Chimp and see if it looks good, dial up or down the flash compensation to accommodate
Repeat and repeat...

All the above assumes using TTL which unless in a static controlled studio type shoot is the way to go 99% of the time :)

.edit. ISO 200 depending upon body and up the ISO if you want to work the flash less.
 
Last edited:
IMHO this is the best book available for on camera flash http://www.amazon.co.uk/On-Camera-T...id=1405514039&sr=8-1&keywords=On+camera+flash

You can also read his blog here: http://neilvn.com/tangents/ The same info is available as in the book, but you'll have to hunt for it

I have this one as well - 100% Reliable Flash Photography. It's very straight forward and to the point and covers off camera as well. He tells you exactly where to position your flash and what settings to use. No added fluff or technical jargon. I have The speed lighters handbook and it's very good, but if you need to get up to speed quickly and only have one or two flashes this ebook will do the trick.

http://www.edverosky.net/products/ebooks/flash-photography-book.html
 
Ta for the advice guys :)

I think practise is the thing really - I rarely find myself in a position to just mess around and experiment.
 
Vertigo1 said:
Ta for the advice guys :)

I think practise is the thing really - I rarely find myself in a position to just mess around and experiment.
Click to expand...
You really need to find time to play around, 2nd for some locals, get off on a training course or just arrange something to stretch yourself just for fun.
 
Yeah I want to do more second shooting. I've offered up my services on here already and am contemplating emailing some locals but not sure whether that's the done thing or frowned upon.
 
Vertigo1 said:
Yeah I want to do more second shooting. I've offered up my services on here already and am contemplating emailing some locals but not sure whether that's the done thing or frowned upon.
Click to expand...
Of course you can, but your 'self promotion' has to improve.

I want to tag along, I'm quite experienced?

Or
I'm offering to help out for your usual 2nd shooter rates, I'm well versed in many styles, happy to help with lighting set ups, bag carrying etc.

You can discuss use of the images later, some will be happy, some won't, but remember that the primary shooter owns the gig, it's not about taking place to help build your portfolio. But back to the original point, shooting for experience and to build skills is worth as much as portfolio shots.
 
Oh yeah I understand what you're saying - maybe my "self promotion" could do with a bit of work and re-wording.

I always appreciate that the primary photographer is in charge and what they say goes. Whilst I'm always grateful for the opportunity and whatever experience I may get out of it, I understand that I'm there primarily to help out and anything I gain from it is a "byproduct" so to speak.

Now I think about it, perhaps I've come across badly in my post? I was merely trying to convey that I'm happy to defer to whatever the primary wants of a second, which obviously varies, as I realise it's their gig, but perhaps in doing so I've come across as too eager to please? I also wasn't trying to brag about my experience thus far in any way (in fact I'm usually fairly humble about my own abilities) but didn't want to come across as a totally "clueless noob" who had "all the gear but no idea" so to speak and just fancied giving wedding photography a go :)

I'll have a think about rewording it when I get a chance. Thanks for the input though, any and all advice is appreciated :)
 
Vertigo1 said:
Oh yeah I understand what you're saying - maybe my "self promotion" could do with a bit of work and re-wording.

I always appreciate that the primary photographer is in charge and what they say goes. Whilst I'm always grateful for the opportunity and whatever experience I may get out of it, I understand that I'm there primarily to help out and anything I gain from it is a "byproduct" so to speak.

Now I think about it, perhaps I've come across badly in my post? I was merely trying to convey that I'm happy to defer to whatever the primary wants of a second, which obviously varies, as I realise it's their gig, but perhaps in doing so I've come across as too eager to please? I also wasn't trying to brag about my experience thus far in any way (in fact I'm usually fairly humble about my own abilities) but didn't want to come across as a totally "clueless noob" who had "all the gear but no idea" so to speak and just fancied giving wedding photography a go :)

I'll have a think about rewording it when I get a chance. Thanks for the input though, any and all advice is appreciated :)
Click to expand...
There's loads of threads in the business section where pros discuss the standard of potential employees emails. Look em up for tips.
 
Good call, will do :)
 
Syl Arena that created the book 'The Speedliter's Handbook' also did a video on camera flash which was an hour and a half on the B&H video channel on youtube. This gives you a pretty good introduction to flash photography. It isn't a complete replacement for the book, but it is an interesting video that covers some of the basics;


There are a few Syl Arena videos on B&H.
 
antihero said:
Watch Zack Arias: One Light 2. Watch it again. And then watch it a few more times. Read, and read some more. Practise...bribe some friends to let you do some outdoor OCF work. Take it slow.
Click to expand...

This^

Zack is a great teacher and will teach you everything you need to know about lighting.I have the the first Onelight and keep going back to it for reminders.Zack has a very laid back way of teaching and has he says you got to start somewhere.
 
DEANSUPREME said:
This^

Zack is a great teacher and will teach you everything you need to know about lighting.I have the the first Onelight and keep going back to it for reminders.Zack has a very laid back way of teaching and has he says you got to start somewhere.
Click to expand...

He has a great approach, very down to earth. I've got both one light videos and as good as the first one is, the second is even better, especially for people new to flash as he goes into a lot more detail :)

As has been said, take it slow, learn the tried and tested lighting patterns, learn the exposure triangle... Most of all, have fun doing it!
 
Syl Arena anything, books, you tube lectures, picsylated website. The strobist website. Off camera flash book... Neil van nekerk? Buy a dummy, a wig and shoot the xxxx out of it hoping no malicious people see you doing it ;-)
 
There's nothing complicated about it, it's just a mixture of knowledge and skill.
To a limited extent, you can get some knowledge from books, videos, even Youtube:exit:
But skill comes only from practice.

And there's nothing special about wedding photography, it's just taking photos of people under pressure, anyone can do that, as I've proved:) So, you don't need weddings to hone your skills. Just fill your pockets with batteries and get out there and take shots. The subjects can be people, but they don't have to be. Take your time working out the direction and intensity of the light needed for every subject/situation, and you'll get there.

For the same reasons that this approach will work well for you (the amount of time it takes to do it well at first) trying to do it at weddings isn't ideal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top