Flash-photography guru Joe McNally shares lighting tips in Nikon video series

 

 

We’re in an era where cameras can almost see in the dark, and as a result, the art of adding light to a scene is under-appreciated. But when the student is ready to turn down that ISO dial, the teacher will appear.

Nikon just posted the second in a series of lighting tutorials with brand ambassador and flash-photography guru Joe McNally. In this installment, McNally offers up some tips on how to make the most of a studio session with limited lighting equipment—just two Speedlights and a diffuser, in this case.

McNally first demonstrates how a flash from a distance can create harsh lighting, especially against a black background. As a workaround, he has the on-board flash trigger a second flash, placed behind a diffuser closer to the model. The resulting light looks like it comes from a soft box—not bad for two small, portable, battery-powered lights, and what amounts to a fancy bed sheet.

Anyone new to lighting will pick up plenty of McNally’s wisdom in the 3 and a half minute clip, as well as from the first lesson in the series.

(Via PetaPixel)