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Archive 2016 · First time flash photography

  
 
sdszilva
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · First time flash photography


I recently moved from Asia and Alaska to Dallas, Texas. My photography has changed a bit as a result. I am now focusing more on candid portraiture, street photography and outdoor portraits. Taking posed pictures of people is entirely new to me as Ive always been focused more on landscape, wildlife and street photography.

I have never used off camera lighting but can see how it would help me out a lot.

I have been considering buying a single, speedlight, umbrella, and stand and using it outdoors. I do not have much room in my apartment to set up anything much larger.

I am shooting a Fuji x-e2 with the 18-55 kit lens and a 55-200mm 3.5 to 4.8 Fuji lens.

The speedlight Im looking at is the Yongnuo 560 IV. I can get that kit for about $130.

Does anyone have any advice on this idea or maybe a better recommendation?

As an example, here are some of my pics:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/20921216@N06/?



Aug 19, 2016 at 01:47 PM
MLK-FM
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · First time flash photography


These sites have many good articles and tutorials on flash photography:
http://neilvn.com/tangents/

http://strobist.blogspot.com/



Aug 19, 2016 at 03:31 PM
Paulthelefty
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · First time flash photography


+1 for strobist site, hit up his lighting 101 "blog course"

Paul



Aug 19, 2016 at 07:29 PM
Michael White
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · First time flash photography


You get what you pay for. They have a mixed review IMO. I prefer name brand items seem to work better and more reliably.


Aug 20, 2016 at 06:24 PM
rico
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · First time flash photography


When starting portraiture, concentrate on artistic issues, not technology and certainly not brands. So, you want to distinguish types of portraits (candid, formal, environmental, group), and decide which one to explore initially. Before artificial light or photography, there was sunlight and paint, so creative concepts like mood and intent were already well developed in Western thought.

Indoors, the free and ready source of light is the window, which can be "north facing" for naturally diffused light, or "south facing" for naturally hard sunlight (undiffused). Sunlight can also be diffused by many means (e.g. curtains) to soften the light to taste. The essential qualities of this light is directional and off-camera which together give you many creative options.

Outdoors, you have to find where light and subject converge at the same place, oftentimes fleetingly. I find this task annoying and time-consuming. A simplification is finding where the light is good (e.g. big wall of white or of glass), and then waiting for your subjects to pass through the zone. If your subject is an active participant, like a model or client, the setup is easier.

In all these cases, you start with natural daylight with the intention of learning about portraiture that interests you, and observing how purchases of gear for artificial light will improve the shooting situation, if at all. Many pros (think SI swimsuit edition) use no flash gear at all, but have passive reflectors to bring light onto the subject.



Aug 23, 2016 at 05:38 AM
Mar73
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · First time flash photography


To answer your question about the Youngnuo 560IV, I have had one for less than a year together with the 603 triggers and only use them occasionally as I am not a pro. I bought them to learn off camera flash and they are serving that purpose well. I personally could not justify the cost of the Canon flash for my limited use.


Aug 23, 2016 at 06:47 AM
Mark_L
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · First time flash photography


I have no experience with yongnuo but dumped all my nikon speedlights for godox and use them for weddings (ie. critical paid work) as do many others. OEM flashes are a total waste of money and don't even have lithium batteries.

I would strongly suggest you buy a softbox not an umbrella. An umbrella inside is light a light bomb going off and you will struggle to learn lighting when you just have light bouncing and reflecting off everything because you have limited control. There are lots of cheap umbrella-ish collapsible ones that are copies of the orginal westcott apollo. An umbrella outside quickly turns into a sail too.

Here is a comparison:





The best thing you can do learning is use harder directional light because you can easily see the difference your changes make.



Aug 23, 2016 at 09:08 AM
sdszilva
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · First time flash photography


This is such awesome info, thank you Mar73, Mark_L and Rico. I've read strobist and agree its very helpful.



Aug 23, 2016 at 10:54 PM





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