Hi all.
Last week I had the opportunity to shoot in a studio for the first time. That was the first time I worked with flashes and soft box shooting a model.
I normally only shoot portraits outdoor with natural light and do it as a hobby. However I gotta say that I really liked the results I got with the flash. It really adds a punch and depth if done right.
I was wondering if I should consider getting a flash to be able to shoot more indoor professional (studio like) shots and also I saw that many photographers shoot outdoor with a flash which allow them to shoot in hard locations and in difficult hours throughout the day.
I was wondering if I can get something small but powerful , I was looking at something like an ad200 pro and a small soft box.
I am also wondering if it’s gonna allow me to explore other photography fields (maybe product photography, which has been interesting to me to try and explore) mostly looking for something that is going to be very versatile to let me explore and get good results.
What is your opinions about a flash? Is it an overall good purchase? Is it only good for specific stuff or a specific look?
It’s not just about spending the money. It’s also about the fact that it adds complexity to the shoots and also weight (flash softbox nightstand etc)
I know it’s a tricky question but i thank every help.
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Being proficient in flash is going to open up all sorts of photography doors for you. I’d definitely recommend learning it if you want to advance to the next level.
Even outdoor portraiture can be improved with flash, almost all outdoor portraits I do include some level of flash. It can be a huge pain, but the payoff is worth it if you don’t want to deal with shadows on the face, neck, and clothes and if you like that golden affect you can get.
I think the most obvious advantage you can get is indoors where you have cruddy light but ceilings low enough you can effectively bounce your flashgun. When you truly need indoors high shutter speed (running toddler or something) and your camera supports a high speed sync. This is where mommy and daddy hobbyists fall down and where people who have learned their equipment can shine.
Damn that closer was inspiring!!!
That’s exactly the intention that I’m going for , until now I was under the impression that introducing flashes into stuff like portraits, gives the image sort of an unnatural look. Kinda like making natural pics feel like overly done and weird.
But I am starting to understand that it might be just poor use of light. I’m definitely into adding that extra punch and depth into my images and I might have to just work on making it look natural and blend into the image.
Off camera flash opens a whole new world and learning how to use and control light will help improve your photography when you’re just using available light too. You can find all the info you need here: https://strobist.blogspot.com/
Flash is awesome, Joe McNally swears by them and David Hobby has a website - Strobist - devoted to teaching you how to use it.
In addition to the photogs mentioned here, look at Daniel Norton’s youtubes. He has a nice balance between gear and technique. But heavier on the studio technique. Adorama also has a great series where artist use gear they happen to sell to produce work. Same story, the photogs focus on techniques. No hard selling of gear.
I want to echo what others have said about flash outdoors. It opens possibilities beyond what available light can do.