Introduction to Portable FlashWith Adam S. Lowe [Adam@ASLphoto.com]Washington School Of Photography

About Adam

Twitter: @AdamSLoweInstagram: AdamSLowePhotographyEmail: Adam@ASLphoto.comWeb: www.ASLphoto.comAddress: 12276 Wilkins Ave, Studio 106, Rockville, MD 20852

@DCPhotoSchoolwww.WashingtonArtworks.comWeddings | Portraits | Events | Commercial | Education

AgendaWeek 1 The basics of exposure and flashCamera and manual exposure reviewPortable flash hardware and controlsHow flash affects the exposure triangleBasics of bounce flash

Week 2 Balancing flashMixing flash with available lightUsing flash indoorsUsing flash outdoorsHandling difficult situations

AgendaWeek 3 Modifying The LightFlash diffusersFlash modifiersGels & Gobos

Week 4 Off-Camera FlashWays to use flash off-cameraOff-camera flash techniquesOff-camera flash modifiersOne light, two lights, three lights

What Youll Need(Dont buy anything unless you absolutely need it)

What Youll NeedCamera with manual exposure controls and a hot shoeCanon or Nikon DSLR preferredFlash with TTL, manual exposure controls, and a swiveling/pivoting headNikon SB-700, SB-910Canon 430 EX II, 600 EX-RTYongnuo YN-565, YN600EX-RTRemote trigger or sync cord to use your flash off-cameraCowboyStudio NPT-04 4 Channel Wireless Trigger for External Speedlights with 1 Trigger and 2 Receivers ($27.33 on Amazon)Vello Hot Shoe Adapter with PC Socket + Top Shoe - for Nikon or Canon (TTL pass-through) ($29.95 on B&H)PocketWizard Plus III or Flex TT5 Transceivers ($150-$220 each)

Dont buy any new toys until after the class. Youll have plenty of time to play with gadgets and gizmos and will probably realize that you need less than you think!

Understanding ExposureEverything is a trade-off

What is a Stop of light?Doubling or halving of lightCameras typically work in 1/3 stops. Each click of the wheel or knob is 1/3 stopFor simplicity, Ill refer to stops in full stop increments

The Three Elements of ExposureDarkerBrighterISO Your sensors sensitivity to light100200400800160032006400Less NoiseMore Noise

Aperture How much light makes it through the lensf/22f/16f/11f/8f/5.6f/4f/2.8Wider depth of field (more in focus) Shallower depth of field (blurry background)

Shutter Speed How long the camera lets light reach the sensor1/1000 1/500 1/250 1/125 1/60 1/30 1/15 1/4Freezes fast moving subjectsShows motion (blur)

Steps to Shoot in Manual Mode1. Set the ISO: Sunny

200Partly Cloudy400Overcast800Indoor/Sports1600Dark Lighting3200Very Dark Lighting6400Night2. Set the Aperture:f/1.2 f/3.5 Very Blurry backgrounds (Portraits)f/3.5 f/6.3 Slightly blurry backgroundsf/6.3 f/32 Sharp backgrounds (Landscapes)3. Set the Shutter Speed:Use a tripod of the shutter speed is below 1/the focal length of the lens (ex. 85mm lens and 1/80)Slow shutter speeds blur motionFast shutter speeds freeze action

1/8Blur Water1/60Portraits1/250Freeze slow subjects1/500Freeze kids1/500 1/1000 Sports1/2000 1/4000 Very fast subjects4. Check the exposure:Watch the meter in the bottom of the viewfinderAdjust exposure settings to keep meter in the middle (at 0)Use exposure compensation or aperture/shutter for minor adjustmentsReview the image on the LCD

Understanding Your FlashSo many Buttons and knobs!

Flash HardwareTilt and swivel headBuilt-in diffuserBuilt-in bounce cardTTL & Manual ControlsZoom Controls

TTL / ManualTTL Is the automatic mode for your flashMost people use their flashes in TTL mode. There is nothing wrong with this!Manual mode gives you full control over every aspectLearning why the flash is doing what it does will let you troubleshoot problems and situations as they arise

Exposure with FlashDifferences between aperture and shutter speedAperture controls how much light comes in to the cameraShutter speed controls how long the camera reads the lightFlashes fire instantaneously (effectively)One shot, two exposuresAmbient exposure is controlled with your cameraThe flashs exposure is controlled by the flashAdding flash to the equationShutter speed controls the amount of ambient light in your exposureMost cameras can only use flash at a maximum of 1/200 or 1/250 secHigh speed sync allows the flash to fire at high shutter speeds, but introduces additional complexitiesAperture controls the flashs exposureFlash power controls the brightness of the flash (how long the flash fires)Flash zoom controls the spread of light from the flash

Basics of Bounce FlashExperiment with flash directly on the subject. With and without the diffuserBounce the flash off a nearby wallBounce the flash off a far wallBounce the flash off a colored wallBounce the flash off the ceilingTry straight up, slightly behind you, and slightly ahead of youExperiment with the bounce cardWhat happens when you use the camera in portrait orientation?