Download - Off Camera Flash Review
off camera flash workshop review
for mentoring sessions only
off camera flash workshop review
THE SETUP: 1. EXPOSED FOR THE ROOM
- Think of shutter speed as the main control for your ambient light! (Flash is NOT controlled by shutter speed). Don’t be scared to turn the shutter speed down low. The flash will freeze the motion, not your shutter.
- Note: Keep your shutter below 1/250. Your flash sync speed cannot go above this and you will see your shutter curtain darkening half of your image.
- The brighter you make your room, the more orange tint you will get from the tungsten lights. If you do not like too much orange, darken your room exposure to hide it. Or you can use an orange gel on your flash and set white balance to tungsten.
2. PLACING SUBJECTS - You can add a lot of depth to your image by placing your subjects in a
“light sandwich”. Having room lights behind them and in front of them. At very least, try to have lights behind them. See examples on next page.
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LEFT: Creating a light sandwich for your subjects adds depth to an image. BELOW: If you cannot create a “sandwhich” try to at least have lights in the background. See the difference it makes with a cake shot.
examples:
3. ADDING IN THE FLASH - Keep your flash as close to the subjects as your frame or wedding will
allow.
- Keep your flash power in manual, and adjust the power of the flash until your subject as appropriately lit.
- You can also have your light assistant step forward to “increase power” of
your flash, or step away to “decrease power”
- I most often have my light assistant stand about 45 degrees away from myself. The smaller you make that angle, the more “fill light” effect you will get. The larger the angle, the more dramatic the light will look.
(Note: As a general rule when shooting couples, I usually pick the side the flash goes on by height of the couple. The flash
stays on the side of the shorter individual. )
-‐ Fill light look for group shots. Flash is LESS than 45 degrees away.
-‐ Dramatic light for couples and composition. Flash is MORE than 45 degrees away. (In this case it is actually behind them a little. Maybe around 120 degrees)
examples:
4. TIPS FOR OCF SPECIFIC FOR WEDDINGS - DETAIL SHOTS: I use more dramatic lighting for “detail shots” to pick up
textures. Flash is almost always more than 90 DEGREES away.
- COUPLE DANCING: I keep my assistant in the same place, and I move
around depending on the look I want. The flash is also positioned a little higher than normal.
- LARGE GROUP DANCING: I extend the stand of the flash so the light is coming from high and points down.
- CAKE CUTTING: I get the chance to tell the couple exactly where I want them to stand and position the light about 45 degrees away.
- BOUQUET/GARTER TOSS: I take a picture of the bride/groom right
before the toss with them lit appropriately (“a fake throw”). Then I move my assistant to light the group catching. This does require me talking to the bride and groom before the toss and tell them to wait for my light assistant to move before they actually throw.
- SPARKLER EXITS: I have my light assistant to stand behind the exit line, about halfway down. The flash is high above the guest’s heads, and pointed down at an angle. I always do a test shot on someone when we are forming the line. I tell the couple to walk (NOT RUN!! So I can focus in the dark) and kiss when they are halfway down the line. I tell my light assistant to keep the light pointed at the couple as they walk. The best pictures will be when the couple is about halfway through the line when they are closer to the light.