Photography Foundations: Flash

Learn the concepts, tools, and techniques for lighting with flash—from improving built-in flash results to shooting with external and off-camera flash.

Introduction

• Learn the basics of flash photography
• What is good flash lighting? Part 1
• What is good flash lighting? Part 2

1. Lighting Roles

• Roles: The key to understanding lighting
• Key light
• Fill light
• Back light

2. Flash Anatomy and Exposure

• Types of flashes
• Anatomy of a flash
• Flash range
• Flash exposure
• Flash sync speed
• Automatic flash metering
• Manual flash metering

3. Work with a Built-In Flash

• Flash and shooting modes
• Built-in flash as fill light
• Fix backlight problems with fill flash

4. Handheld Flash

• Communicating with a handheld flash
• Set flash exposure manually
• Position a key light
• Set flash exposure with TTL
• Change light source size with diffusion
• Handheld flash as fill light
• Handheld flash as backlight
• Shoot with three flashes

5. Manipulate Ambient Light

• Why photos look different with a flash
• Control background brightness
• Control background color with gels
• Ratios
• Slow sync flash

6. Fun Effects with Flash

• Bounce flash to create a key light
• Freeze motion
• Silhouette effect
• Deep depth of field
• High-speed sync

Conclusion

• What's next?