If you want to master the art of using flash for photography, check out our handy guide to flash photography for beginners. Today we explore why flash is essential for various photography genres, from portraits and events to product and landscape photography. We'll also guide you through the exciting world of flash photography equipment, helping you decide which gear is right for you and your budget. So, let's dive in and discover the power of flash photography for beginners.
Table of contents
- Flash photography vs natural light
- Flash photography vs constant light
- Most popular uses of flash photography
- The importance of flash lighting direction
- Flash photography equipment
- Flash photography FAQs
Flash photography vs natural light
We all love the beauty and wonder of natural light and the undeniable warmth that it adds to our photography. The only trouble with relying on natural light is that there's no guarantee the sun will be perfectly placed and shining at its most wonderful when you're ready to fire your camera. Photography with natural light as your main source is based on planning your shoot for certain periods, such as during the golden hour, and sometimes our most successful shots are based on chance — the lighting illuminates our subjects just so at a given moment.
When you master using flash for photography, you leave far fewer things to chance. With your flash gear set up and settings mastered, you're free to focus on your subject and composition, knowing the lighting aspect of your photography is taken care of.
You don't need to turn your back on natural light completely. Experienced photographers know when it's time to turn off their flash gear and let the wonder of nature take hold, or even when a shot calls for a mix of natural light and flash — flash photography in daylight can produce some truly beautiful results.
Flash photography vs constant light
Flash photography has been around in photography studios long before the invention of digital photography. Way back in the early days of film, photographers clued on to the fact that more light meant taking better photos with ease.
Similarly, photographers have been using constant light sources to illuminate their work instead of natural light. What is the difference between constant lighting and flash lighting? Quite simply, constant lighting stays on continuously, not just when you are firing your shutter.
The benefits of this include being able to see the effects of your lighting in real-time and making any adjustments on the fly, without relying on test shots and reshooting. Constant lighting is ideal for beginners and is also very useful for vlogging and general videography.
Most popular uses of flash photography
Macro photography — Flash is crucial for macro photography, providing the necessary light for high-magnification shots and freezing motion for sharp images, especially with fast-moving subjects like insects. It also allows for greater depth of field and creative lighting options, and is essential in specialised fields like dental photography. Most close-up enthusiasts reach for ring flashes, thanks to their exceptionally even output.
Portrait photography — Flash lighting is a cornerstone of portrait photography, offering control and consistency crucial for capturing flattering images. In studio settings, flash units provide the primary light source, allowing photographers to sculpt light and shadow to emphasise desired features. Multiple light setups — using key lights, fill lights, and hair lights — are common in studio portraiture, creating depth and dimension while minimising unwanted shadows. Off-camera flash techniques, often combined with modifiers like softboxes or umbrellas, are also employed both in the studio and on location, further enhancing the subject against the chosen backdrop.
Underwater photography — Flash is a great option for underwater photography, providing the necessary light to overcome the water's light-absorbing properties and illuminate subjects in the often dark and murky depths. Suitably waterproof flash and camera gear is of course necessary for this endeavour.
Food photography — Food photography is all the rage on Instagram and other image-sharing platforms. While some food photographers like the lo-fi grainy approach, when you're aiming for a more polished, appetising image, a soft and even quality of artificial light can be crucial.
Sports photography — Flash photography can be used for sports photography, but it's often tricky and requires careful consideration. It's more common in indoor sports or situations with low ambient light. Using flash can help freeze action and illuminate subjects, but it can also be disruptive to athletes and requires powerful equipment.
Slow-sync flash photography — Slow sync flash combines a slow shutter speed with flash, allowing ambient light to contribute to the exposure while the flash freezes the subject, creating a balance between background and foreground illumination.
High-speed sync flash photography — High-speed sync flash allows you to use flash at shutter speeds faster than your camera's sync speed, eliminating motion blur and enabling the use of wider apertures in bright light.
Wedding and event photography — Flash photography for weddings and other events is essential for capturing well-lit, memorable moments. Whether it's the intimate exchange of vows in a dimly lit ceremony or the energetic celebration on the dance floor, flash ensures that subjects are properly exposed and the atmosphere is preserved. It allows photographers to control the lighting, eliminate harsh shadows, and freeze motion, resulting in crisp, vibrant images that truly capture the spirit of the occasion.
The importance of flash lighting direction
The direction of the light falling on your subject is extremely important to the success of your photography. Light defines and shapes your subjects, adding shadow and highlights in important places which creates essential dimension. It's important to develop an understanding of this when using both natural and flash lighting — and the good news for flash photographers is that you can control the positioning and strength of your artificial lights to drastically alter the appearance of your image, as you see fit.
Flash photography equipment
Flash photography equipment is available in a huge range of shapes, sizes and designs. Whether you're after a little more light to create more eye-catching family photos, or you want a full studio lighting setup for professional portraits, here's what you need to know about flash lighting gear.
Speedlights and on-camera flashes — If you've just started your DSLR or mirrorless photography journey and find the built-in flash limiting, the next logical step is a hotshoe-mounted flashgun, otherwise known as a speedlight. Speedlights are available in different configurations, from smaller units that provide just an extra burst of light, to more professional offerings with higher power output, swivel heads for directing and bouncing your light, and even wireless control.
Off-camera flashes and studio lighting — In more professional lighting setups, photographers reach for even more powerful flash gear, otherwise known as studio lights. While more portable options are available for use on location, most studio lights require electricity, have significantly higher flash output, a variety of additional functions, and compatibility with a much larger variety of modifiers and accessories.
Flash photography accessories — Flash photography accessories are essential tools for shaping and controlling light, allowing photographers to craft stunning images. Popular options like umbrellas provide a soft, diffused light, while softboxes offer more directional control and minimise spill. Other accessories such as snoots, grids, and barn doors further refine the light for specific effects. By mastering these light-shaping tools, photographers can transform a simple flash into a key ingredient for creating photographic masterpieces.
Flash photography FAQs
What is a guide number?
If you want to know how powerful a flash gun is, the clue is in the guide number. A guide number is a measurement — either in feet or metres — that explains how far a flash can reach at a certain ISO (usually ISO 100). The bigger the guide number, the further the flash can reach, and hence the more powerful it is.
Is my camera's pop-up flash any good?
Your camera's pop-up flash is not as strong or versatile as a dedicated flash gun, but it can still be used in a pinch to produce some great photographs. For best practice using your camera's built-in flash, understand the limitations, learn to adjust your camera settings for optimal results, and consider using techniques such as fill flash.
What is fill flash photography?
Fill flash is like using a little extra light to brighten up the dark parts of a photo. Imagine taking a picture of someone with the sun behind them — their face would be shadowed, which is how we produce silhouette photographs. Fill flash uses a flash to add just enough light to the face so it's not too dark, while still keeping the background looking good. It helps make photos look more balanced and prevents harsh shadows.
What is bounce flash photography?
Bounce flash photography creates soft and more natural-looking light by redirecting the flash off a reflective surface, such as a ceiling or wall. Mastering this technique involves understanding angles, distances, and flash power adjustments to achieve the desired illumination. A speedlight with an adjustable bounce head is essential for this technique.
See your photography in a better light with flash photography
From mastering your flash photography settings to understanding the nuances of light modifiers, there's always something new to learn. Still wondering what soft lighting is best for portraits or vlogs? Keep experimenting and exploring! For more photography tips, tricks, and inspiration, be sure to follow Ted's photography blog.