How to get great light from a small speedlight: OnSet with Daniel Norton

 

 

One of the first accessories an aspiring portrait photographer should purchase is a speedlight for their camera. While most cameras have a built-in flash, it is limited by its small power output and being locked into place on your camera. By purchasing a speedlight, even a small one, you open up many possibilities by being able to move your light around independently from your camera. In the video below, photographer and educator Daniel Norton shows us three ways you can create studio quality light anywhere with a speedlight.

It comes down to position, size and ratio of light from your flash compared to ambient light. One of the most important things you can do to instantly make your light better is to move your flash off of your camera. By doing this, you can control the direction of the light and how it hits your subject. If you shoot just a flash at someone, however, the light will be quite harsh and the transition from light to dark will be very hard. This is where light modifiers come in. You can get a portable softbox or umbrella to use with a speedlight, which while adding cost and size, are usually easy to fold down and deliver dramatically improved light. To see more tips for how to get the most out of your speedlight, watch Norton’s video below. For more videos from Norton and others, visit Adorama’s YouTube channel.

(Via Adorama)