Yes, you are not the only one who, hearing the word flash makes a face of disgust or frustration ;-). Nor are you the only one who is transported to a world of burnt photos with dark backgrounds, red eyes, or visualizes a study of impossible schemes with intimidating devices directed by a super professional who you don’t even dream of approaching, but yes dreams of better results with the flash.
The flash is scary, things as they are, it creates enemies and rightly so. But the truth is that our beloved on-camera flash is to blame for so much frustration and doesn’t even come close to representing what a flash is capable of. It’s like comparing a pinhole camera with an SLR. A good flash in good hands (yours a little more trained 😉 ) are capable of creating visual magic, modeling light, perfecting it, modifying it entirely. And with that said, the first piece of advice is pretty obvious 😉
Get an external flash
While the built-in camera can be useful on some occasions as a fill flash, the truth is that it is quite limited. If you really want better results with the flash you will have to buy an external one. There are multiple prices, from 30 Euros to infinity. To learn more about the external flash, I recommend this complete guide that we have prepared for you with the basic characteristics (guide number, recycling speed, angle of rotation, zoom, etc.), types of flash and much more.
In this other guide we recommend the best external flashes, in case you are after one to make it easier for you when choosing one or the other.
Work in manual mode
The manual mode is the best way to work in general, but when we work with external flashes, the thing becomes quite essential if what we want is to perfectly control the result. Plus, the effort is worth it. If we work automatically, the camera can constantly vary the exposure values as it pleases without us being able to decide in the slightest about it. If you want to learn to bend the light at your whim, the automatic is not the best way to do it, do not you think? 😉
For this it is essential that you know the parameters of the exposure triangle and how they affect the relationship of the flash with the light. Let’s freshen them up a bit:
- shutter speed: The weather in which the shutter remains open is what determines the greater or lesser entry of light. The faster the shutter speed (the faster the shutter opens and closes), the more to freeze the movement. Instead, the longer the shutter remains open, the more motion is impressed on the sensor.
- Diaphragm: The aperture is related to a greater or lesser amount of light entering through the lens. It is counted in f numbers, obtaining more light input when opening the diaphragm and less light input when closing it. Aperture values are expressed in f values. Low values (f/1.4, f/2.8, etc.) correspond to open diaphragms and therefore more light. On the other hand, high values correspond to closed diaphragms (f/11, f/16, f/22, etc.) and therefore less light.
- Similarly, the diaphragm is directly associated with the depth of field or area in focus in the image (at more open diaphragms, less depth of field and more closed values, greater depth of field).
- ISO: It is the sensitivity of the sensor to light. The higher the ISO number, the more sensitivity to light (which allows us to work with closed apertures and/or higher speeds) but also more noise in the image. At a lower ISO number, on the other hand, we retain sharpness but lose sensitivity, which forces us to work with lower speeds or more open diaphragms.
The game and the decisions we make based on these three variables are the basis of any photography and work in manual mode.
Now, once the concepts of the exposure triangle have been refreshed, how do they affect flash photography? How can you help me get better results with flash? Let’s see it.
Relationship between flash and exposure triangle values
- shutter speed: As long as we work within the speed of flash sync (maximum speed at which we can work without activating another known as the slot mode useful for high speed images), this is a value that will not affect the exposure of our scene.
- diaphragm opening: A larger diaphragm opening associated with the use of the flash implies a greater range of illumination from it to what we are photographing. That is, by opening the diaphragm we achieve something similar to increasing the power of our flash, allowing its flash to reach further.
- ISO: Higher sensitivity implies, as with the aperture, a greater range of flash illumination.
Take into account the focal length
Remember that longer focal lengths (telephoto lenses for example between 200-500mm) help not only to get closer to the subject but also compress the elements of the scene. A short focal length (for example, from 10 to 35mm) allows us to work with more angle and depth, since it separates the different planes of the image, exaggerating the perspective.
An average focal length of 50 to 70mm, as you well know, is the one that most closely resembles the human gaze.
And you will think, very well, but why is this important when working with flash?
Because the focal length with which we work will determine how close or far we will be from the subject to be photographed and therefore the flash intensity of the flash that we are going to need is not going to be the same if we are close to the subject or far from it.
Likewise, you must take into account the multiplication factor of your sensor to determine the focal length real of your target (although most modern flashes automatically detect this and do the calculation themselves).
Learn some basic lighting schemes
The easiest way to learn and gain fluency is usually to learn some work processes or pre-established schemes and from here, once mastered and understood, is when, little by little, we let ourselves be carried away by our own style.
For example, I propose you to start with portraits and some classic lighting schemes with this article: The complete guide to lighting your portraits. Here you will find some classic and simple schemes that you can do with just a camera and a flash.
Learn how to bounce light to get the best results with the flash
Although when we think of flashes the image of that direct light on the subject comes to mind, the truth is that most handheld flashes allow the head to be rotated in some direction, which allows us to modify that direct light and direct it towards another part of the camera. scene in order for it to arrive more diffuse to the main subject.
We know that indirect light that illuminates the subject as bounced light. ceilings, walls and in general white surfaces They are ideal for bouncing light, as this does not change its color or intensity.
If you try it you will see that the result is much more natural and satisfactory than if you shoot directly at the subject without any type of diffuser.
TRICK: Many flashes incorporate a tab (“eye glow panel” or “eye glow tab”) at the top to keep the glow in the subject’s eye when we bounce the flash off the ceiling or at angles where we would lose this photogenic reflection.
If you are going to use the TTL system, learn to know it
As always, automation has its advantages and disadvantages. The TTL system (through the lens) is very practical as long as we intervene aware of its limitations. In other words, the TTL system is the most automatic way for the flash to determine the necessary flash for the scene in question.
The calculation that it establishes is done by emitting a pre-shot flash towards the subject to be photographed and, based on the distance, the ambient light, the camera’s exposure parameters, etc., it determines the duration of the shot. So far so good, this would work perfectly in the ideal situations for which flashes are designed, which is for elements that reflect between 18% and 25%, or medium gray, exactly the same as exposure meters or photometers.
But by now you know that we rarely find ourselves in these ideal situations, so the TTL, like our camera’s light meter, is easily cheatable with darker or lighter scenes, which often leads to misinterpretation of exposure, and therefore incorrect photography at exposure levels. This is where you have to intervene, learning to anticipate these situations where the TTL system is going to fail, and trying to make up for pre-exposure based on the scene in front of you.
TTL exposure lock
It is basic so as not to be able to vary the composition at will regardless of the measurement pattern you have chosen.
Accessories
They are usually quite cheap and very useful. The most recommended is a diffuser of light to position it directly above the flash head to provide a less harsh light. Although you also have filters to correct or creatively use the color temperatureand so on.
Unleash your creativity for better results with flash
It is the most grateful and fun part. Don’t be afraid of mistakes, you learn from them, right? 🙂 Reading is good, it is useful, it gives us a hand when we are lost, it teaches us and accompanies us, it solves doubts… But the only way to really learn is to be there, camera in hand, flash in the shoe, model in front and think, aim, make mistakes, correct, improve, change, test, innovate… Don’t be afraid to let yourself go, to give free rein to your creativity, have fun and the rest will come by itself, no matter how difficult it may seem at first.
I hope that these notes or tips to achieve the best results with the flash have been useful to you. If so, please share them with whoever you think can benefit from them. Thank you very much and until next time 🙂