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Absolute beginners guide to off camera flash
This is a VERY simple guide in order to allow someone who has never tried to take a picture using off camera flash to get a simple image. There may be alternative ways and I certainly have not explained everything. I simply wanted to explain how to take a simple picture using an off camera flash in a studio situation. The example ignores ISO and backgrounds completely and is only using a single light. If this tutorial/explanation goes down well I will move on to the next level but after that I will leave it for others as I am still a beginner myself. This explanation has mainly been written for Button Moon’s benefit after she bought my original lights.
Types of off camera flash
There are two main types of off camera flash which are strobist (camera flashes used off the camera) and studio flash (usually mains powered larger lights). Both types of light have their advantages and disadvantages but for now most of the information is the same.
Triggering the lights
You can trigger the lights in a number of ways using flash light, sync cable or radio transmitter/receiver. Usually most people now use radio triggers but there is nothing wrong with using PC sync cables. Most studio lights trigger in SLAVE mode so when one goes off they all go off. With this in mind you only actually have to connect your radio receivers/sync cable to one light.
My personal favourite radio triggers are the ones FITP sells which have a 3 pin port on them and can be connected to cameras, flashes or studio lights! OR the Lencarta ones but not the standard ones, the mains ones (they are the same price just ask for mains ones) SEE BELOW
Settings and setting up
In aperture mode, which is the mode used most often by enthusiasts, you select the aperture and the camera works out the correct shutter speed. This is based on the camera measuring the amount of light reaching the camera.
In shutter priority mode you select the shutter speed and the camera works out the correct aperture again based on the amount of light that the camera detects.
With off camera flash the camera does not actually know about the light coming from the flash system and so neither of the above modes will work.
If you try and shoot using off camera flash in aperture mode then your camera will try and expose your images based on the light it can see but will not know about the flash so it will be FAR too bright when the flash does goes off. For this reason we must shoot in MANUAL mode.
Switch your camera to MANUAL MODE or "M" but don't worry it is not as daunting as it sounds!!! HONESTLY !!
Right you probably now think that this is getting far too complicated and that you will give it a miss but it is actually quite simple. We all know that the two main settings are aperture and shutter speed. The camera still needs the right amount of light to hit the sensor and using aperture or shutter priority mode it gets the right amount of light by varying the OTHER setting. With studio flash the actual flash only lasts for a specific amount of time and so we have a FIXED shutter speed. This only then leaves us with ONE variable and this is the aperture (or we have to change the location by increasing or decreasing the light hitting our model).
So for THIS example we will use ONE light. Place your model in front of you (select a large teddy bear or similar as this could take some time
). Now place the studio light just to your left pointing at the model and stand to the right of the studio light.
Select the shutter speed as 1/160 second
Select the exposure as f11 and take a picture.....
How is it?
If it is too bright close the aperture more ie increase the f number.... If it is too dim open the aperture more ie decrease the f number..... Do this a few times and you will find a setting that works for that light in that situation.
You could also have tried turning the lights up or down (or moving them nearer or further away) until the amount of light gets to the aperture that you set.
That is the absolute basics of studio photography!
You can get a light meter that tells you a good starting point but the reality is that you will get an idea of the settings to use VERY quickly and you can also use the camera’s histogram in order to find the right amount of light.
You can also try setting the shutter speed at 1/250th second to see if that still works. You may find that it does and can use that speed instead or you may find that part of the image is dark to one edge. If so drop back to 1/160th.
WHAT NEXT?
Setting up your camera - This was supposed to be the contents of my next tutorial but Garry Edwards (who is a member on here and who does Lencarta's training) has already written an article that covers it and has kindly allowed us to link to it. If anyone has any questions just stick them on here and they will get answered
I am going to write the next stage tomorrow, I was going to do it today but had to go back to the doctors with my back (its that camera bag!)....
GOING FURTHER STILL
Well this is where I am
Where to go next:
The TP lighting section.
Useful you tube videos : Posing
Garry Edwards does a whole host of training DVDs and PDFs (I'm buying them all!)
Lencarta's training days.
OTHER LINKS
FITP (Flash in the pan) - strobist kit, off camera flashes, flash cables, flash soft boxes, stands, radio transmitter/receivers etc
Lencarta - Studio lighting for in and out of the studio (this is the stuff I use in my studio). Worth PMing Garry Edwards re any questions on the Lencarta stuff as although he doesn't work for them he does their technical support and training days.
This is a VERY simple guide in order to allow someone who has never tried to take a picture using off camera flash to get a simple image. There may be alternative ways and I certainly have not explained everything. I simply wanted to explain how to take a simple picture using an off camera flash in a studio situation. The example ignores ISO and backgrounds completely and is only using a single light. If this tutorial/explanation goes down well I will move on to the next level but after that I will leave it for others as I am still a beginner myself. This explanation has mainly been written for Button Moon’s benefit after she bought my original lights.
Types of off camera flash
There are two main types of off camera flash which are strobist (camera flashes used off the camera) and studio flash (usually mains powered larger lights). Both types of light have their advantages and disadvantages but for now most of the information is the same.
Triggering the lights
You can trigger the lights in a number of ways using flash light, sync cable or radio transmitter/receiver. Usually most people now use radio triggers but there is nothing wrong with using PC sync cables. Most studio lights trigger in SLAVE mode so when one goes off they all go off. With this in mind you only actually have to connect your radio receivers/sync cable to one light.
My personal favourite radio triggers are the ones FITP sells which have a 3 pin port on them and can be connected to cameras, flashes or studio lights! OR the Lencarta ones but not the standard ones, the mains ones (they are the same price just ask for mains ones) SEE BELOW
Settings and setting up
In aperture mode, which is the mode used most often by enthusiasts, you select the aperture and the camera works out the correct shutter speed. This is based on the camera measuring the amount of light reaching the camera.
In shutter priority mode you select the shutter speed and the camera works out the correct aperture again based on the amount of light that the camera detects.
With off camera flash the camera does not actually know about the light coming from the flash system and so neither of the above modes will work.
If you try and shoot using off camera flash in aperture mode then your camera will try and expose your images based on the light it can see but will not know about the flash so it will be FAR too bright when the flash does goes off. For this reason we must shoot in MANUAL mode.
Switch your camera to MANUAL MODE or "M" but don't worry it is not as daunting as it sounds!!! HONESTLY !!
Right you probably now think that this is getting far too complicated and that you will give it a miss but it is actually quite simple. We all know that the two main settings are aperture and shutter speed. The camera still needs the right amount of light to hit the sensor and using aperture or shutter priority mode it gets the right amount of light by varying the OTHER setting. With studio flash the actual flash only lasts for a specific amount of time and so we have a FIXED shutter speed. This only then leaves us with ONE variable and this is the aperture (or we have to change the location by increasing or decreasing the light hitting our model).
So for THIS example we will use ONE light. Place your model in front of you (select a large teddy bear or similar as this could take some time
). Now place the studio light just to your left pointing at the model and stand to the right of the studio light.Select the shutter speed as 1/160 second
Select the exposure as f11 and take a picture.....
How is it?
If it is too bright close the aperture more ie increase the f number.... If it is too dim open the aperture more ie decrease the f number..... Do this a few times and you will find a setting that works for that light in that situation.
You could also have tried turning the lights up or down (or moving them nearer or further away) until the amount of light gets to the aperture that you set.
That is the absolute basics of studio photography!
You can get a light meter that tells you a good starting point but the reality is that you will get an idea of the settings to use VERY quickly and you can also use the camera’s histogram in order to find the right amount of light.
You can also try setting the shutter speed at 1/250th second to see if that still works. You may find that it does and can use that speed instead or you may find that part of the image is dark to one edge. If so drop back to 1/160th.
WHAT NEXT?
Setting up your camera - This was supposed to be the contents of my next tutorial but Garry Edwards (who is a member on here and who does Lencarta's training) has already written an article that covers it and has kindly allowed us to link to it. If anyone has any questions just stick them on here and they will get answered
I am going to write the next stage tomorrow, I was going to do it today but had to go back to the doctors with my back (its that camera bag!)....
GOING FURTHER STILL
Well this is where I am
Where to go next:
The TP lighting section.
Useful you tube videos : Posing
Garry Edwards does a whole host of training DVDs and PDFs (I'm buying them all!)
Lencarta's training days.
OTHER LINKS
FITP (Flash in the pan) - strobist kit, off camera flashes, flash cables, flash soft boxes, stands, radio transmitter/receivers etc
Lencarta - Studio lighting for in and out of the studio (this is the stuff I use in my studio). Worth PMing Garry Edwards re any questions on the Lencarta stuff as although he doesn't work for them he does their technical support and training days.
Last edited:
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? I use a large sized Whinny Pooh, works wonders 
Thanks for your comments.
How about "an absolute beginners guide to using a flash on a camera but not the actual on-board/built in flash but using something like a SB600/SB800/SB900" :shrug: 
