Flash photography can dramatically transform your images, but beginners often trip over common mistakes. Knowing how to sidestep these pitfalls can make your photos stand out from the start.
Coming to you from Ed Verosky, this practical video targets several typical flash photography errors, beginning with your choice of equipment. Verosky highlights that compatibility matters significantly—your flash needs to work seamlessly with your camera's system, not just fit your budget. He also emphasizes power considerations, noting that many inexpensive flashes are underpowered, limiting your photography options. Features like adjustable flash heads, which tilt and rotate, are essential for capturing natural-looking photos by bouncing light off surfaces rather than pointing it directly at your subjects. Verosky suggests third-party brands like Godox for affordable yet reliable alternatives.
Another crucial mistake addressed is the habit of always pointing the flash directly at the subject, causing harsh shadows and unnatural lighting. The video recommends bouncing your flash using adjustable angles or modifiers, a technique that significantly enhances your photo's aesthetics. Verosky also cautions against overly depending on TTL (through-the-lens) flash mode. While convenient for quick or dynamic shooting situations, such as weddings, TTL isn't consistently accurate, occasionally leading to incorrect exposures. Understanding how and when to switch to manual flash mode will give you finer control and better results, especially in static or controlled setups.
The video further clarifies a frequently misunderstood concept: high-speed sync. Without this setting enabled, using a shutter speed faster than your camera’s sync speed will partially obscure your image with a dark band. High-speed sync solves this by extending the duration of the flash pulse, enabling shutter speeds much faster than typical sync limits, such as 1/8,000 of a second. This is particularly beneficial when shooting outdoors in bright conditions with wide apertures. Verosky explains this feature clearly, emphasizing its benefits and practical use cases.
Verosky’s guide provides actionable tips that can immediately improve your flash photography. Beyond these foundational points, he touches briefly on advanced techniques and encourages exploring off-camera flash systems. Learning the intricacies of flash photography can seem daunting at first, but mastering these basics opens the door to more creative possibilities, ensuring that your photographs reliably match your vision. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Verosky.
If you would like to continue learning about how to light a portrait, be sure to check out "Illuminating The Face: Lighting for Headshots and Portraits With Peter Hurley!"
Watt seconds?
BCPS?
"Guide number"?
These are thing that professional studio photographers master.
If this stuff is unfamiliar to you.......?
The TCM function is one area where flash makers like Godox have really done a good job in improving UX. Someone can do a shot with TTL, then apply those settings as a manual flash setting, thus allowing for a consistent lighting, and providing a good starting point for where the user can make additional adjustments from.