So many times I have heard photographers say to me “ I hate Speedlight’s, I much prefer using natural light” or “I never use flash photography outside” to me this can simply be translated to “I do not understand flash photography out doors”. Getting to grips with using your flash guns can not only improve your basic photography but can also open you up to a whole world of creative ideas.

The trick to using flash outdoors is to balance the mix between ambient (available) light and the artificial flash. This means you are working with 2 exposures, the sunlight and the flash light. Of course you cannot control the exposure of the sunlight so the balance must come from your flash gun/s and the exposure setting on the camera.

While it is a great idea to only shoot when the sunlight is at its best such as when it is low in the sky, as a professional photographer this is not always going to be possible. Even when shooting in the middle of the day with bright sunlight you will still need to get the shot, and using Speedlight’s for fill flash can make this possible.

FILL FLASH

Fill flash is he simplest way to use flash in outdoor photography and its aim is to lighten the shadows on your subjects face is to set your exposure to the ambient light and use your flash on camera to fill in the areas of shadow caused by the sun. In order to maintain the ambient light as your main light source you will want to reduce the flash output so that it only illuminates the shadows rather than acting as the main light. This will vary depending on conditions but as a guide reduce the flash output by about a stop. This will work in a very similar way to a reflector and add and even light to your subject.

Using Speedlight’s as your main light.

This shot was taken with the sun directly behind the main subject. The flash was then used on camera on full power to create this warm image

Even on bright sunny days you can take full control of the lighting and use your Speedlight as the main light source for your image. This can result in some great effects and often give a very high definition and punchy look to your photography. To do this your going to need to make sure your flash is set on its brightest setting to over power the sunlight and also set your camera to its maximum (or close to depending on creative decision) sync speed. Most cameras have a sync speed of 1/250. You can then tweak the exposure using the aperture setting or by fine-tuning the output level on your flash.

Take the flash off the camera.

To get the best results from your Speedlight’s you really have to take full control and that includes the direction the light is traveling. By shooting with the flash on the camera often you will get very harsh, flat and unflattering results. Taking the Speedlight off camera and using it on a light stand or even simply resting on the floor can crate a much more dynamic result. Your flash can then be placed in a way that creates more natural skin tones. To shoot of camera it is a good idea to use a flash trigger. This works by setting your Speedlight onto a small receiver and a transmitter on the hot shoe of the camera. When the shutter is pressed the flash is fired. The best thing about using triggers is you can use multiple flashguns and get really creative with your Speedlight photography.

THis image was taken using 2 speedlights both off camera. ONe was placed behind the subject to add a rim light and to set the modd with the fog the secon was place to the left of the camera and zoomed in like a spotlight to light the subject

Use modifiers.

Light modifiers and diffusers are not just for the studio. Almost every portrait or wedding shoot I do I use a small softbox with an sb900 as a main light at some point in the shoot. There are loads of products out there made to help improve your Speedlight photography. You can even get an adaptor that means you can use any Bowens S fit accessory.

As with any other photography skill learning to use Speedlight’s takes a little bit of practice but it really is worth it for improving your portrait photography. Once you have mastered the use of a off camera Speedlight you are no longer limited to what the available light has to offer and can truly control the result of your images

For this image one speedlight was used to the far right of the camera with a small softbox. The trigger gave me the option to shoot across the pond while still haveing the flash close to the subject.

Great For Speedlight Photography