Lesson 4: Flash as Your Main light
This post will focus on using your flash as the sole source of illumination.
Why is this approach so valuable? By isolating your flash as the primary light source, you gain a fundamental understanding of how it operates without external factors affecting your final image.
In this exercise, we'll simplify the process, so you don't need to worry about light modifiers or complex setups. While combining ambient light with flash can yield stunning results in certain scenarios, our focus today is solely on making your flash the star of the show.
Our objective is crystal clear: Your flash will be the sole light contributor to your photograph.
To achieve this, we'll begin by ensuring that no ambient light creeps into your frame.
Here are the initial steps and my test shot to illustrate the concept:
Adjust Your Camera Settings:
Set your camera to its lowest ISO setting for optimal image quality.
Configure your shutter speed to match your camera's native sync speed, typically around 1/200 second. But, why is this important? Let's take a quick moment to understand.
Explanation: Each camera has a shutter sync speed, which is the fastest speed you can use with your flash without capturing a distracting black band caused by your camera's shutter curtain interacting with the flash burst. While high-speed sync (HSS) gear exists, we'll focus on the maximum sync speed for this exercise, as it's accessible to all photographers.
I still could see my subject so I adjusted my aperture to f11.
After that, my settings were correct. You may use a different aperture depending on the amount of ambient light in the room around you and if you have the HSS option.
After I had a black frame, I turned on my flash and set the power to 1/16th. Why 1/16th? Because, we just need to start somewhere.
After that, my settings were correct.
Correct Exposure
You may use a different aperture depending on the amount of ambient light in the room around you and if you have the HSS option.
Practice this technique in different areas of your home and at different times of the day.
You can also use your flash to bounce off the ceiling or wall in order instead of using it with a modifier. Again, this is something that will be saved for another blog post. :)
Today's Exercise:
Before turning on flash, adjust settings so that you get an entirely dark image.
Try: ISO 100, 1/200ss, f-something (wider aperture if you are in a dark room/smaller aperture if you have lots of light around you)
Take a test shot
Adjust aperture as needed.
Turn on flash
Set flash power to 1/16th (or any other mid range output)
Take a test shot
Adjust flash power depending on if you need more or less light.
Here is my novice attempt at a video to walk you through this exercise:
Now, try it for yourself and happy creating!