Flash Photography Tips
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There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. - Edith Wharton
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Hello! I am Chee Chong Fun I love photography, and I give presentations to share the knowledge and passion. You can find me at @cheechongfun 3
1) Don’t Flash a Scenery ● Common newbie mistake to fire the flash while taking a landscape photo. ● A small flash is not going to light up an entire city. ● Pretty much useless and stupid to do so.
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2) The Sun Exists ● Another common newbie mistake. ● Don’t forget that the sun exists while shooting outdoor. ● The sun is a strong light source, much stronger than any flash on Earth. ● Do not attempt to overpower the sun with a tiny flash. ● Use the sun as the main light source if possible.
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3) Environmental Lights First ● Always consider the environmental lights first. ● Because you probably cannot switch them off, and have limited control over it. ● Place your subject to make full use of the environmental lights. ● Or limit the impact of it.
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4) The Reflector ● Not quite a flash tip. ● But the reflector is a cheap and good way to compliment the flash. ● Use the reflector on the sun to brighten the subject. ● Or you can use it to bounce the flash off it.
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5) Soft and Hard Light ● Soft light is gentle, and produces smooth shadows. ● Hard light is intense, and produces harsh shadows. ● There is nothing wrong with hard light, you just need to learn how to use the different light qualities differently.
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6) One Flash Epic ● You can get good photos with just one flash. ● Just don’t bare flash at someone flat in the face – It is rude and will not produce good pictures. ● Instead, place the flash at an angle, beside your subject. ● The split lighting will create a dramatic photo.
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7) Color Gels ● Color gels are cheap pieces of transparent color paper. ● Simple way to create interesting photos. ● Do be very careful with it though, as it becomes cheesy when you use it wrong.
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8) Flash Hacks ● You can use any piece of white paper, cloth or plastic bag to soften the light. ● Tissue paper, toilet paper, party cup – Anything goes in a desperate situation.
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9) Stay in the shade ● When you shoot in the harsh afternoon sun. the photos will probably turn out bad with defined shadows. ● Staying in the shade will reduce that bad effect. ● Then use a flash to fill things back.
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10) Learn from the masters ● Look at photos online. ● Study the catchlight in the eyes. ● You should be able to figure out part of the lighting setup used. ● This is a good way to learn how the professionals do their lighting.
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Thanks!
You can find more full flash photography tips at http://xlightphotography.com/flash-photography-tips-awesomephotos/
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Credits Special thanks to all the people who made and released these awesome resources for free: â—? Presentation template by SlidesCarnival â—? Photographs by Unsplash
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