Natural Light vs Off Camera Flash (as fill light and main light)

#photosprouts

This is officially our first youtube tutorial. We only had 3 subscribers at the time we created this video.

Natural Light or Off Camera Flash?

The purpose of this video is to show you there’s no right or wrong in using just the natural light, or adding in a flash in your portrait sessions, you’ll just get different results.

As a photographer, we should “previsualize” how our photos will look like when we just shoot in natural light, or add an off-camera flash.

Main Points:

1. Shoot in natural light (01:30)

-There’s just one exposure: The ambient exposure (combination of ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed) and it will affect the brightness of both the subject and the background.
-Find an open shade and avoid a bright background (otherwise it will be washed out)
-Use a step ladder

2. Add a flash as a soft fill light (3:54)
-When you add a flash, there will be two exposures: the ambient (background brightness) and the flash (subject brightness) exposures.
-Turn off the flash and expose for the ambient light.
-Once your get your desired ambient exposure, you can turn on the flash and adjust the power until the subject is properly lit.
-This method works well in an open shade
-A regular flash such as Godox AD200 or Godox TT600 is good enough when you use this method.

3. Add a flash as the main light and underexpose the ambient light (5:30)
-This is how you create dramatic portraitures.
-This method allows you to walk out of the open shade and shoot anywhere, including full sun.
-Just like point #2, turn off the flash and expose for the ambient light. You want to underexpose the ambient light
-Once your get your desired ambient exposure, you can turn on the flash and adjust the power until the subject is properly lit.
-This method requires you to use a high power flash such as Godox AD600 (or 2 AD200s) because you need to overpower the sun.

4. The main benefit of using a flash:
-Allowing you to shoot anywhere, including full sun
-Balancing the subject and background exposures

Equipment
-Camera: Canon 5D Mark iv
-Lenses: Canon 85mm F1.4 and 70-200mm F2.8
-Flash: Godox AD600
-Softbox: Glow Ez Octabox (36”)



***

✅ Be sure to grab your FREE FLASH CARDS: 4 Steps to Shoot Fast on the Camera's Manual Mode
https://www.photosprouts.com/flashcar...



✅ Photosprouts Photography Workshops* | Instructor-led Workshops in San Francisco
| Equipment provided |
Browse In-Person Workshops:
http://www.photosprouts.com​


✅ Christina Szeto Photography
Exquisite Family Photography serving the San Francisco Bay Area
http://www.christina-photo.com​


✅ Social Media:
  / photosprouts​  


📸Photosprouts Online Classes:

📸 MASTER CLASS | From Natural Light to Off-Camera Flash Portraiture
| Building Your Confidence In On-Location Lighting |
https://christina-s-school-7697.think...

📸 The Exquisite Kids & Family Posing System
https://christina-s-site-9b06.thinkif...

📸 Shooting Painterly Portraits
https://christina-s-site.thinkific.co...

📸 Understanding Color Gels:
https://christina-s-school-7a2c.think...

📸 Color grading:
https://photosproutsbeginner101.think...

📸 The Joy of Flower Photography:
https://photosproutsbeginner101.think...

📸 Beginner 101 For Photography Newbies:
https://photosproutsbeginner101.think...