Photography with Flash, Part Two

Yesterday I blogged Photography with Flash, Part One. There were some great follow up questions and I hope it sheds light into how I work. Speaking of work, I worked hard for that pun. Sheds light, get it? Flash? Okay, so maybe it wasn't the best pun, but if you happened to laugh, we're well on our way to being BFFs. I'll send you a friendship bracelet soon. Here are my responses to detailed questions about shooting with off camera flash.

Susan Evans asks: Do you put flashes in TTL mode? Are you still shooting in manual mode with your camera? How do you meter for light before the shot when you don't know how much difference the flash will make?

I shoot 100% manually , 100% of the time. I like to be in total control behind the camera, but my flash is set to ETTL. At the start of the reception, I do test shots around the room and establish my settings (and also find things I can bounce my flash off, like white walls, pillars, low ceilings, etc.) to get a good sense of what's in store. I also have my second shooter do a mock Grand Entrance and a spin on the dance floor to see the adjustments I need to make (aren't you glad you're not my second shooter?!). These adjustments are made quickly at a wedding reception, so it's important to always be ready. All this could be summed up as: Never walk into a reception blind. Take two minutes to scope the room and create a technical battle plan…you'll feel confident as a result.

Dominic Bong asks: Do you use any diffusers on your off camera flash? Lights look soft on your photos. If you are not using any diffusers , mind telling us how not to get harsh light without diffuser?

As shown in this post, I use a soft box on the off camera flash. This diffuses the light (for a glow-y effect) and I use the white bounce card on my camera for frontal illumination

A portrait photographer writes: I have the Canon 5D Mark III and my primary portrait lens is my 70-200 2.8 and 24-70, 2.8. I also use off camera flash and always have an assistant with me to hold the flash. My question is this…if I invest in a 1.2 (85mm or 50mm) will this take away my need for off camera flash for outdoor portraits, bringing in more of the natural light that is so gorgeous? If I didn't have to worry about this darn flash, I would book so many more portraits sessions, I would be so much more in the moment, and really enjoy my passion for capturing those moments.

I'm a huge fan of fixed lenses like the 85mm and the 50mm. They've radically changed the way I photograph because I can leverage natural light and use wide apertures. However, I'd be hard-pressed to say you'd book more sessions as a result of not using flash. Yes, your style will change as a result of working only with natural light, but I believe you can achieve a gorgeous natural look using a lens with a f/2.8 as well (I used the 24-70, 2.8 almost exclusively my first year of business). If you're photographing portraits in natural light, I'd suggest using your current lenses and changing the shutter speed and ISO to get the desired look you want at a f/2.8. Once you've practiced quite a bit, rent a fixed lens and use it at a shoot before you purchase it…more than anything, make sure the lens fits into your style and the direction you're headed.

Heather C. asks: What is your ISO set to when you're shooting wide open? Versus when you're shooting a little more stopped down like for the grand entrance?
This totally depends on the ambient light, but a consistent range when I'm shooting the reception is 400-640 ISO.

Nikki asks: In a venue with a high ceiling – a) At what angle will you tilt the flash and will you ‘aim' it towards the couple/speeches and b) How strong do you mostly set these off camera flashes – or is this always trial and error?
I hardly ever tilt the flash toward my subjects…I prefer to use the white bounce card. If I'm too far from someone giving a speech, I position myself to shoot just with my OCF and leverage that light without using my on camera flash. The off camera flash is set to 1/16th power, so it's just a pop of light and recharges rather quickly.
2. If the venue has a lower white ceiling, will you point the flashes toward the ceiling so that the light bounces back? Thank you!
I love shooting with low ceilings because I'll point my flash up and bounce light on my subjects. However, my OCF is always pointed at the dance floor. You can see how I position my OCF in this post.

Whew, this was a doozey post. If you stayed with me until the end, thank you. Now let's go flash something.
j*