When and How to use Flash Photography?

This is definitely a question that crosses our minds, but many never ask.  Using Flash can be a scary thing, especially when your not sure how it works. When should you use flash photography?

What if I use too much light and it looks awful?

Will my picture still come out dark.

Will my subject look like a racoon caught in the headlights of an on coming car down the Airport road?

How do I avoid that red eye thing?

When to Use Flash Photography

Flash photography is a powerful tool that can enhance your images in various lighting conditions. While many photographers shy away from using flash, understanding when to utilize it can significantly improve your photography skills.

1. Low-Light Situations

Flash is invaluable in low-light environments, such as indoor events, concerts, or nighttime settings. It helps illuminate your subject, ensuring clarity and detail that might otherwise be lost in darkness.

2. Fill Light

In bright outdoor settings, harsh shadows can detract from your subject. Using flash as fill light softens these shadows, providing even illumination, especially in portraits where you want the face to be well-lit without losing the background context.

3. Freeze Motion

Flash can effectively freeze motion, making it ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects like athletes or animals. The brief burst of light can freeze action in a way that slower shutter speeds cannot.

4. Creative Effects

Flash can be used creatively to achieve unique effects, such as light painting or dramatic lighting in studio settings. Experimenting with flash can add depth and interest to your images.

Incorporating flash into your photography toolkit opens up new possibilities, ensuring you capture stunning images regardless of the lighting conditions.

Why does this thing keep “POPPING UP?”

I remember when I first started experimenting with flash photography. Oh man those images were horrible. I mean straight out of a Stephen King photography horror movie horrible.

It wasn’t an easy thing to learn, shoots the camera alone had a ton of buttons I didn’t know and now I have to use the little pop up flash that didn’t seem to help much and to make it worse I tried using an external flash. Geesh even more buttons on this thing.

“Geesh even more buttons on this thing.”

Flash photography does not have to be so scary once you learn the basics. Our problem is we try to run a 100meter race before we can even crawl properly. Like everything else in life it takes time to learn and grow.

I know this is hard to swallow living in a computer generated matrix aware world. Everything is instant. So why cant I learn instantly? Sadly we cant jack in to the matrix and learn all we need to know in 5 seconds. Learning is the one thing we have take our time with.

Flash photography does not have to be scary, It’s just a matter of knowing your tools and how to effectively use them.  Built in camera flash vs pop up flash. Pop up flash vs attachable flash… In this Photography (Lighting) Workshop that is being held in conjunction with QC CFE is an extension of the Basics of Photography workshop.

You see…in order to understand how to light properly you really should learn the basics of shooting in manual mode and adjusting your exposure triangle to get your desired look. Without this knowledge you will struggle and take longer to understand how to use your flash

In this workshop we will teach you about using your pop up flash, its limitations and how to be creative with it. We will discuss off camera flashes and explain their functions and buttons.

Once we understand the tools we can get into learning how to use them. Adjusting power output, directional flash,  bounce flash, diffusers, light angles, how to avoid the dreaded red eye and super shadow. There is so many ways to use the flash to enhance your photography skills and we will discuss and practice them all.

How to Use Flash Photography with a Speedlight

A speedlight is a versatile and portable flash unit that can elevate your photography, whether you’re shooting indoors or outdoors. Here’s a quick guide on how to effectively use a speedlight to enhance your images.

1. Understand Your Speedlight

Familiarize yourself with your speedlight’s features, including power settings, zoom, and different modes (manual, TTL, etc.). This knowledge will help you adjust the flash output according to your needs.

2. Positioning the Flash

Instead of pointing the speedlight directly at your subject, consider bouncing the light off walls or ceilings. This creates softer, more flattering illumination and reduces harsh shadows. Use a diffuser to further soften the light.

3. Adjust Power Settings

Set the flash power depending on the lighting conditions and your subject’s distance. Start with a lower power setting and gradually increase it if your images appear too dark.

4. Experiment with Modes

Use TTL (Through The Lens) mode for automatic exposure calculations, or switch to manual mode for more control. Experiment with both to see which works best for your shooting style.

5. Practice

Finally, practice makes perfect! Experiment with different angles, distances, and settings to discover how speedlight can creatively enhance your photography. With time, you’ll master the art of flash photography!