FLASH ON LOCATION

Take control of lighting in any setting, and master the art of using off-camera flash and strobes

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Studio-based photographers are experienced in the use of lighting, whether that’s flash, strobes or continuous light sources. The studio can be seen as the home of controlled artificial lighting, as the indoor setting usually means this will be the main light source.

When you’re shooting on location, the use of flash isn’t essential, but rather a great way to create dynamic images. Whether this is through the use of fill light to lift the shadows and balance the presence of natural and artificial illumination, or rim light to outline the subject, or even a strong backlight to create faux effects, location lighting would be uncontrollable without flash.

A key skill that you need to master when shooting any subject on location is balancing the light ratio between natural and artificial light. While there are challenges with shooting in a studio, the main advantage is that lighting structure can be built from the ground up, and be completely tailored to the subject and style you’re shooting. When shooting outdoors, or in an internal setting with some natural lighting, you’ll need to either make use of, and blend, the natural light, or overpower it.

The lighting decisions you make will be based on image style, the practicality of setting up lighting, and the quality of the illumination, so consider each of these factors before you decide which technique is best. Over the next few pages, with the help of professional photographers, we’ll take a closer look at some top location lighting techniques, and help you to use flash effectively, and with ease.

PLAN YOUR SHOOT

Pack essential accessories, and decide what to use based on the location and conditions