Outdoor Flash Photography

Maximizing the power of your camera’s flash is difficult enough in a studio set-up, but outdoors literally presents a whole new world of challenges. John Gerlach and Barbara Eddy have taken the most asked about subject from their renowned photography workshops and turned it into this guidebook that is sure to inspire your next outdoor shoot, while also saving you time and frustration. Outdoor Flash Photography covers a range of practices from portrait to landscape, including unique strategies that the authors have pioneered through 40 years in the field. Mastering the use of multiple flashes to freeze action is shown through one of most challenging subjects in nature, hummingbirds in flight. This book will benefit photographers of all experience levels who are eager to evolve their outdoor photography and get the most out of their equipment.

Photographers are always looking for perfect light. Unfortunately, the quality of available light, and the situations in which photos are created, are rarely perfect. This is especially true when photographing weddings or portraits on location. So while finding beautiful existing light is every photographer’s ideal, it isn’t always possible. This is the point at which photographers tend to reach for a portable, on-camera flash. Indeed, these intense light sources can prove invaluable, but only if you know how to use them effectively. In the hands of an inexperienced photographer, on-camera flash will produce images that look flat and lifeless—images with harsh shadows, washed-out skin tones, cavernous black backgrounds, and other unappealing visual characteristics. In this book, acclaimed wedding and portrait photographer Neil van Niekerk shows you how to avoid the pitfalls photographers new to speedlights often encounter so that you can produce professional images using on-camera flash. You’l learn to use simple accessories to manipulate the quality of light from your flash and how to improve a lighting scenario by enhancing rather than overwhelming the existing light. When the available light is too low and too uneven to be combined with flash, he shows you how to override it completely with flash and, with some thought and careful application of specialized techniques, still get results that look great. On-camera flash is one of the most challenging light sources to master, but with the techniques in this book you’ll learn to use it with confidence. For wedding and environmental portrait photographers who must work in ever-changing lighting scenarios, this can mean better images and better sales.

If you're a beginner photographer, this book can save you hundreds of dollars. If you're a seasoned pro, it can save you thousands. With access to over 16 HOURS of online video, this book helps you choose the best equipment for your budget and style of photography. In this book, award-winning author and photographer Tony Northrup explains explains what all your camera, flash, lens, and tripod features do, as well as which are worth paying for and which you can simply skip. Tony provides information specific to your style of photography, whether you're a casual photographer or you're serious about portraits, landscapes, sports, wildlife, weddings, or even macro. For the casual reader, Tony provides quick recommendations to allow you to get the best gear for your budget, without spending days researching. If you love camera gear, you'll be able to dive into 200 pages of detailed information covering Nikon, Canon, Sony, Micro Four-Thirds, Olympus, Samsung, Leica, Mamiya, Hasselblad, Fuji, Pentax, Tamron, Sigma, Yongnuo, PocketWizard, Phottix, Pixel King, and many other manufacturers. Camera technology changes fast, and this book keeps up. Tony updates this book several times per year, and buying the book gives you a lifetime subscription to the updated content. You'll always have an up-to-date reference on camera gear right at your fingertips. Here are just some of the topics covered in the book: What should my first camera be?Which lens should I buy?Should I buy Canon, Nikon, or Sony?Is a mirrorless camera or a DSLR better for me?Do I need a full frame camera?Is it safe to buy generic lenses and flashes?What's the best landscape photography gear?Which portrait lens and flash should I buy?What gear do I need to photograph a wedding?How can I get great wildlife shots on a budget?Which sports photography equipment should I purchase?Should I buy zooms or primes?Is image stabilization worth the extra cost?Which type of tripod should I buy?Which wireless flash system is the best for my budget?How can I save money by buying used?What kind of computer should I get for photo editing?What studio lighting equipment should I buy?When you buy this book, you'll be able to immediately read the book online. You'll also be able to download it in PDF, .mobi, and .epub formats--every popular format for your computer, tablet, smartphone, or eReader!

Maximizing the power of your camera's flash is difficult enough in a studio set-up, but outdoors literally presents a whole new world of challenges. John Gerlach and Barbara Eddy have taken the most asked about subject from their renowned photography workshops and turned it into this guidebook that is sure to inspire your next outdoor shoot, while also saving you time and frustration. Outdoor Flash Photographycovers a range of practices from portrait to landscape, including unique strategies that the authors have pioneered through 40 years in the field. Mastering the use of multiple flashes to freeze action is shown through one of most challenging subjects in nature, hummingbirds in flight. This book will benefit photographers of all experience levels who are eager to evolve their outdoor photography and get the most out of their equipment.

Hit the ground running with this no-nonsense guide to outdoor portraits! Acclaimed photo-educator Jeff Smith shows you how to design beautiful images that virtually sell themselves. Quick lessons take you through every step of the process in detail, showing you how to select locations, and then use natural light alone or in harmony with reflected light and/or strobe lighting for flawless results. Smith shows you what to look for (and avoid) when lighting the subject’s eyes and face, and demonstrates exactly how to balance your scene and subject for portraits all day long (even at the tricky midday hours). With this all-day approach to location lighting, you’ll be able to book sessions that are more personalized, more profitable, and more convenient—for both you and your clients.

If your past attempts at learning flash have all ended in failure (not to mention tears and/or blind rage), then The Off-Camera Flash Handbook is about to change everything for you. For years, photographer Vanessa Joy has been using off-camera flash to create gorgeous portraits that look like they were shot in the most beautiful natural light at the perfect time of day. Well, guess what? That consistent look was not created thanks to the most amazing luck with the weather. No. It was created by a pro photographer who mastered her use of off-camera flash. And with her down-to-earth and practical explanations, that’s exactly what Vanessa teaches you in this book.

Vanessa breaks down off-camera flash into an easy-to-understand approach, and instead of focusing on the gear and the settings (which are also included, of course), she focuses on the kinds of shots you want to make. This book is about learning to use off-camera flash easily and quickly so that you can create beautiful, natural-looking light in any situation, at any time you need it…regardless of the weather or time of day.

The book is divided into three parts. Part One covers the fundamentals of off-camera flash, and it does so without blasting you with a firehose of information. Instead, Vanessa gives you the basics you need so that you can start shooting right away without becoming overwhelmed with technical jargon.

Once you’re set up and ready to go, Vanessa jumps right into Part Two with specific photo scenarios and real-world situations where you’ll learn key techniques for using your flash to create consistent, beautiful photographs. For each scenario, Vanessa provides the goal for the shoot, a gear list, the step-by-step shooting instructions, and images that show both the progress of the shoot and the behind-the-scenes shots or lighting diagrams of the setup. She also discusses problems you may encounter, variations on the shot, and additional practical scenarios for each situation.

Just a few examples include:

• Recreating the golden hour at any time

• Shooting groups

• Making indoors look like outdoors

• Enhancing natural light

• Using flash at events

• Working in harsh sunlight

• Creating silhouettes

• Shooting at sunset

• Fixing an ugly-light room

• And much more

Finally, Part Three tackles the questions you’ll likely have once you’ve got the basics under your belt and you’re already creating great photos with your off-camera flash—things like high-speed sync, sync speed, a practical understanding of the inverse square law, etc. There is also a helpful FAQ section at the end of the book.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1: GETTING STARTED WITH OFF-CAMERA FLASH (OCF)

You Already Know This

Getting Your Flash Off Camera

Getting the Exposure

Light Positions and Modifiers

How to Add More Lights

PART 2: Off-Camera Flash Techniques

Creating Golden Haze

Creating Golden Hour

Creating Twilight

Photographing at Sunset

Making a Magenta Sunset

Group Shots with One Light

Individual Portraits

Portraits of Couples

Enhancing Natural Light

Making Indoors Look Like Outdoors

Super Soft Portrait Light

Warming up the Sky

Keeping a Blue Sky

Light like It's Coming Through a Window

Creating a Silhouette

Turn Day into Night

Tiny Little Details

Table Details

Event Speeches

In Harsh Sunlight

Shooting with Reflectors

Event Bounce Flash

Using Gels for Fun Color Effects

Using Gels to Color Correct

Lighting a Dark Room

Making a Rainy Day Sunny

Lighting to Look Like Window Light

Making Front Bokeh

Filling in Shadows

Wow, This Indoor Light Sucks

Rim Lighting

PART 3: Features, Troubleshooting, and FAQS

WTF Are You Talking About?

But Light Doesn’t Do That

FAQs about OCF

From a master of professional photography, a book that explores the exciting possibilities of artificial light. This guide to on- and off-camera flash picks up where Peterson's previous title, Understanding Exposure, left off--helping free photographers from the limitations of auto to get the images they want when natural light isn't enough. For the many amateur photographers afraid to venture past natural lighting, here is the book that will finally help them master artificial light. In his trademark easy-to-understand style, Bryan Peterson explains not only how flash works, but how to go beyond TTL automatic flash exposure to master manual flash, allowing readers to control the quality, shape and direction of light for a perfect exposure, every time.

Photographer and author, Ed Verosky, covers a variety of topics and techniques designed to help photographers consistently create high-quality images with minimal gear. Included are plenty of shooting strategies, diagrammed techniques, and examples which will make getting great photos much easier and more enjoyable. 100% Reliable Flash Photography provides pro and semi-pro photographers with a fast, no-nonsense guide for getting amazing light in any situation. Gain the skill and confidence you need to create great images with the most basic and available lighting sources. The strategies detailed in the book are designed to completely eliminate the stress of not being sure of what to do in a new or fast-moving environment. That makes it a perfect read for wedding, event, editorial, and portrait photographers. 100% Reliable Flash Photography centers on a strategy of standardization. The first part of the book covers relevant lighting and gear knowledge mostly focusing on how to do some really good work with a simple on-camera flash, or even basic household lighting. There are also off-camera flash techniques including detailed instructions for a basic two-light manual setup that serves as Verosky's typical gear for editorial work. This leads into the core chapter, Standardization, which is about making your gear easier to use and eventually master. The book continues with techniques, examples and diagrams for indoor and outdoor lighting, then several “backstories” quickly detailing shoots with several of the portrait subjects featured in the book.