Master flash photography with this comprehensive guide! Join photo educators and Westcott Top Pros Steve and Mark of @Panopticphotography as they take you from fearful to flawless in using flash for stunning portraits. Learn to control light with key components like aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and flash power. Discover advanced techniques like high-speed sync and explore the best light modifiers to elevate your photography game. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to improve your on-location portraits, this video provides the tips and tricks to master flash and take your photography to the next level.
Gear used:
FJ80 ii:
FJ200:
FJ400:
Rapid Box Switch Octa-S:
Beauty Dish Switch(24”):
Beauty Dish Switch(36”):
Rapid Box Switch Octa-M:
Compact Collapsible Umbrella:
ProGrip 2:
Shorty Arm:
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00:00 – Intro
00:23 – Why Learn Lighting?
01:26 – Flash vs Natural Light
02:30 – Component 1: Aperture
05:47 – Component 2: Shutter Speed
08:08 – What is the Focal-Plane Shutter?
09:21 – What are Stops of Light?
10:25 – Component 3: ISO
12:06 – Component 4: Flash Power
15:16 – Component 5: Flash to Subject Distance
15:46 – The Inverse Square Law
18:09 – Using the 5 Components Together
22:33 – What about HSS?
24:16 – How to Choose a Modifier
31:07 – That’s a Wrap!
Comments
30 responses to “Mastering Flash Photography: 5 Lighting Principles for Beginners”
Thank you for allowing us to be part of this project. We LOVE helping others along their photo journey, always be learning!
Aperture was the first thing I understood when I started photography. Then I learned iso. It took me forever to understand how shutter speed works.
Learned and had fun.
This is by far the most in depth, well explained, easy to comprehend tutorial I've seen on flash photography. I'm new to photography, and after watching this, I feel like I now have a doctorate in flash photography. Well done, I'm a new subscriber. 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾
Lol. Clicked this video entirely because I recognized where the thumbnail was 😂Love that area of Sacramento. Also I have been learning a ton from your guys' lighting videos! Thank you!
Thank you for this overview! A great reminder of the basics.
Fun to see Sacramento, some cool spots to shoot
i personally love using my fresnel light modifier, umbrella both white and silver reflector. but i do use the softbox inside!
Hmm… I don't understand how going from 1/100 to 1/250 shutter speed darkened the background but not the subject. Shouldn't the subject have darkened too?
I have not finish watchingi tbut this one is one of the best ones I have seen. Thank you for this one!!!
This video must edited. Its an absolute falsehood to say that ISO effects the sensitivity of the camera. It does not add light, or subtract light. Westcott knows this, both of the "educators" in the video know it – yet they repeat this absolute falsehood about digital cameras.
You didn’t talk about power loss when using High Speed Sync. The higher the shutter speed the lower the light power so, an adjustment is needed in one of the other areas depending on the desired outcome. You either need to move the light closer (if you can) or increase the light power if you have it available or, change the aperture or, ISO. Some of these will change the feel or look of the final image so some thought needs to taken to ensure the final image matches your initial vision.
thanks for that tutorial easy to understand and very informative
Cheers Gents!
Thank you for this well explained video
Great video
great job!
Awesome video ❤
First time I understood. Thank you!
I agree on learning through Youtube and Pinterest 👍 and looking at images like where does the light or lights come from and studie that.
thanks so much for this amazing tutorial!
Flash photography is quite new to me. I just got my 2nd AD200 Pro and 2x 35" soft boxes. I love to experiment. I got back into photography after 15 years, so have quite a bit to catch up, but enjoying every moment. This is the best info and examples all in one video that I've seen so far! Thank you!
Hands down… bar none…. this is THE best tutorial video I have ever watched… I shared it with several people … Super engaging…slightly comical …. full of information… Fantastic job fellas
Thanks for sharing your valuable experiences !
I really enjoyed and learned a lot. Thank you.
Best lighting video tutorial have come across
I just want that buckle on his hip that he attached his camera to 😮
I have Godox v1pro but couldn't use high speed sync with XProII© trigger. I have synced to HSS in the trigger but not able to do in the speed light, there is no option of sync in the manual mode. The camera that I use is Sony zve10. How can I use HSS?
Very much efficient and brilliant video tutorial for beginners who are at YouTube channel ❤❤
You guys are great teachers