Yes, You Need Flash! - Full Version 

Thanks Rick

Thanks Scott, You are right, no one lecture can ever be complete or answer all questions. I'm glad I provided some info.

Obviously an opinion. There are a lot of amazing photographers who do natural lighting. Especially in fashion. As he indicated, the real issue is just being time locked.

@@theren8311 EVERYONE in Fashion knows, natural light is not good. It does not make colors pop, nor does it show texture of the fabrics. These only natural light photographers are not amazing. Pretty much everything good that comes from their images comes from computer software, not their skills. Natural light is beginner level and everyone should know that. So, no. NOT an opinion.

Thanks for the sense of humor comment.

Agree with you Stephen, I'm all for encouraging people to learn and use flash, but he'd get much more natural results even if he used a shoot through umbrella to soften his shadows, and also get a much larger spread of light that would negate the use of a second flash on camera in a lot of these images.

WOW from Paris! I'd like to see some of your photos. Thanks for your comment

Matthew Keisling that’s very interesting. Could you explain that a little more in depth. Cheers.

agreed Klas, great presentation overall, and I appreciate carrying a softbox around would get in the way for some of the portraits but the warming gels are a must when dealing with incandescent lights, or else the mixed light makes the picture look unnatural. Especially in the dusk shots of the homes. overall fantastic video highlighting the benefits of off camera flash. cheers

I shoot mostly in manual mode but when doing events like weddings, receptions, birthdays and etc TTL is much easier and quicker.

1/60 at f/4 sorry for the confusion

Thank you, maestro. You're the Don (with a capital D). Your jokes are not bad, a la Jack Nicholson. How many iterations do you go through before you get the well balanced lighting condition? If i get it right, best to set the desired or dream setting via aperture (wide open to get a soft background, or stop down to get a sharp background). Would you at this stage compose using Auto ISO, or would you take a stab in the dark and go for, say ISO 320? Depending on that test shot, then switch to manual to lock down the composition values (i.e. shutter speed, aperture, ISO) and then switch on flash. Add FEB as required (+/-). Would you say that is a good approach?

Camera is always on manual. No Auto anything. I like to shoot at 5.6. It is a personal preference. Indoor I start at ISO 320. If window light is dim I go to 640 ISO. But here is the real answer. Take a lot of photos(300 to 500 a week) and pay attention to the settings. After a while you'll see a pattern of what works for you. You'll note that it's the same situation in a new location and then just do what you did last time under those conditions.

Thanks.

Yup...the audio levels were very low. Talk about dynamic range...or lack thereof ;-)

B&H is not professional guys. It is equipment guys trying hard. It's ok. It's free content. I appreciate the effort.

That's a great observation! Thanks for tuning in!

Most of the time yes. When indoor I sometimes use the Rogue Flashbender with the diffuser. However this cuts the power of the flash so much that outdoor it is useless. With a guide number of 56 outdoor it is always straight flash. Maybe Canon can make a more powerful flash.

Custom Brackets.

Separation from what? Might as well carry a white background with you, pretty boring photography if you ask me. Getting separation from the background is very easy.

Jack i am very sorry for my opinion. I hope i dont need to justify it, but it isnt the same effect with a white background. you see the background, just very bright.

No Need to be sorry for your opinion. I have mine you have yours.

You mean high key photo?

Cakra Pandawa yes. i would still use a fill flash to handle the shadows. but i would try to get it as low as possible. not in every picture.. but in some

*at night

The one shot in particular that I have to agree with you on about flash photos not looking very natural is the one he shot of the musicians around the 40:35 minute mark of the video. That's pretty bad. Looks like a snapshot, not a professionally crafted image. Because his subjects were wearing white, he should have backed his flash off by close to a full stop of output (half the output) due to the relative luminosity of their shirts compared to the scene. There was another shot quite a bit earlier with the groom in his black tux inside the beautiful church all by himself that really didn't work for me, either. The difference between the background and the subject was such that he almost looked cut/pasted into the frame in PS. His exposure was far too bright compared to the background. The exposure ratios needed to be closer IMO.

I would agree with you on not having the time for post when we are talking about pictures taken during the party of a wedding, but do you really shoot a couple of hundred pictures during the "staged" shoot with the bride and groom ? and you have to post process those picture anyway

mrcapello it's ridiculous to not use strobes for pro work. People that call themselves natural light shooters are either lazy or afraid to learn

Marco not seen that comment made by a billion other people before. Well done 👍

The point is that if you meter on something that is plain white (like a dress), the camera will determine an exposure that is 18% gray. It will do the same for black.

watching this on my tablet and have absolutely no problems with the volume, not even cranked up to the max only about 3/4

I find the video sounds better by using headphone, but but not good on computer speakers.

Watched it on my iPhone 7+ with no issues whatsoever.

Norman Rand Wolfe so you can control weather at will?