More and more, I am honing my flash teaching into a well-defined method. It comprises theory and practice, including:

1. Basic theory
2. Tech: Tools
3. Tech: Modifiers
4. The Epiphany…Turn Your Thinking Around: Balance
5. The Four Flash Lighting Types
6. The Three Starting Points: outdoors, indoors/party and studio
7. Learning Bouncing
8. Flash or strobes?
9. Off-camera flash
10. Learning The Limitations
11. Getting Creative, Post-work, and minimizing the latter
12. Troubleshooting

The emphasis is on obtaining a Quick Start.

Today, a quick tip.

Namely: Conceptually and in practice, split your photo into background/ambient and flash: two different shots, and treat them as such!

Here’s background: a very talented photographer I had the honour of teaching a few days ago. or rather.. the background behind her.

Aim for minus 2 stops (—2 on the meter).

Now add flash,. so we get background plus Flash:

There you go. And that is direct flash, hand-held, but off camera.

This is how it works. Not complicated, and in my courses and books (see http://learning.photography) you get the practical start points (f-this, ISO-that, etc) that allow you to get this right off the bat 90% of the time. Learn this stuff: it is such a nice experience to be able to light things predictably, and well!

Back to writing the “Portraits” book.