Gear Used

• Profoto A1x
• Profoto Large Deep Umbrella
• Profoto Connect

Step 1: Determine Desired Ambient Light Exposure

You can glean from my Instagram that I work primarily with natural light scenes or emulation of natural light. I try my best to use the available light to shape and mold my subjects and add in any additional fill light to match my existing light. For this shot, I wanted to retain as much detail in the shadows of the scene so that the key light coming from the window doesn’t overpower the scene. For these images I chose to use a Canon 5D Mark IV paired with a Sigma Art 24mm.

Step 2: Mimic Your Strongest Light Source

For this particular scene, I wanted to add in more fill light coming in through the window while still maintaining soft light quality. I placed a Profoto A1x on a light stand with a Large Deep White umbrella outside my kitchen window. This area of my kitchen does not get a lot of natural light because of my covered porch outside the window. My sink is also really deep so there is a lack of beautiful light on my daughter when she lays down.

Step 3: Adjust Light Power & Shoot!

I synced to my A1x with the Profoto Connect on my camera. True to Profoto form, it’s simple and easy to use. I had my Connect set to manual and adjusted the strength of my light through the Profoto app on my phone. It’s obviously important for me not to leave my daughter’s side here, so being able to adjust the strength of the light right by her is wonderful. My camera settings for these shots were ISO 500, 1/250, f/2.8.

I edited these images using my Dawn Presets to finish off the image with nice warm tones. I love how natural the light looks on my daughter. Using the umbrella and then having the A1x also diffuse through the window helped to really soften the lighting.

If you want to follow me on my photography journey you can see more of my work on my Instagram or join me at the Click Away Conference hosted by ClickinMoms in Atlanta from March 6th-8th, 2020. You can also join me in the Master Lighting + Off-Camera Flash (OCF) with SLR Lounge for more behind the scenes and tips & tricks on off-camera flash and how to best utilize natural light.

1. To Control the Light
2. To Control the Amount of Light
3. To Control The Direction Of Light
4. To Control The Quality Of Light
5. To Control The Color Of Light

Watch the Video | 5 Reasons to Use Flash

But first, for those who prefer to learn with video content, watch the Youtube video below.  This video is a snippet from our Lighting 101 course within SLR Lounge Premium.

#1: Control the of Light (of any scene)

The first reason to use flash is to control the light in any scene.  Regardless of the time of day or the lighting of a location, a mastery of flash allows you to control the light.

Control of light is really the overarching or umbrella reason of why and how to use flash. Delving deeper, we will illuminate the 4 aspects of light and how to control each one.

#2: Control the Amount of Light

The second reason to use flash is to control the amount of light on your subjects.  Sometimes, you want to add in a full stop or two of light in a dramatic way to illuminate an entire scene.  Other times, like in the image below, you just want a subtle bump of light to help your subjects pop off the backdrop.

Flash is widely thought of as a tool to create dramatic portraits, whether it be in the studio or on location. While flash certainly can be used in that way, it’s not the only way it can be utilized. If you look at the picture below, the model touching her hat looks a little dark and flat. There’s nothing technically wrong with this picture, but we can control the amount of light to improve the image.

To improve this image we strap on an orange gel (Color Temperature Orange or “CTO”) right onto our flash to imitate the orange glow of sunset. We also use a reflector to bounce our flash off of a reflector. This softens the light, creating a natural look. This is one way to enhance shots using your flash to control the amount of light.

#3: Control The Direction Of Light

In every scene you are going to have an existing ambient light. If this light is not flattering for your subjects or if the light is not powerful enough, there are ways you can improve your lighting situation with flash. The family below is a little dark, and if we expose for their faces the background will be overexposed. The solution here is to add in some light to get a proper exposure for their skin and the background.

The natural direction of light is coming from the right. To make this as natural as possible, we add our flash in the same direction of the existing light; in this case the sun. We use a reflector to direct the light where we want it to go, as well as add some softness to the image.

#4: Control The Quality Of Light

While there is no “best” quality of light, there are however many different ones for many different styles. Soft or Diffused flash lighting can be used to create flattering portraits. Hard or Direct flash lighting can be used to create punk/editorial or dance motion shots.

Specular flash lighting can be used to create a dramatic light for athletes. This hard light is used to define shadows. Soft diffused flash lighting can be used to direct and enhance the existing light in a scene.

There is not one right light, but this knowledge will help you accomplish which style you’re shooting for.

#5: Control The Color Of Light

If you have seen our first workshop, Photography 101, then you will know that every type of light source has its own color. From daylight to tungsten to fluorescent; every light color is different. We use flash to creatively control or even fix the color of light in our shots.

In the shoot above, there was nothing wrong with the orange glow of sunset to match that style. However, a change in flash color made the blues of the ocean and our model’s bikini pop more in the second image. This is an example of creative control over the color of light.

Conclusion

When used with intention, flash photography can help photographers of all levels achieve a desired look.  A flash is simply a tool that can be used for creative effects or corrective effects.  It can be used to mimic natural light or create dramatic imagery that makes the subject pop off from the background.  The possibilities are seemingly endless.  For a full mastery of flash photography, see our Flash Photography Training System.

5 Primary Key Light Video

In this video, we’ll explain the 5 primary key light patterns and the ‘why’ or purpose behind each of them. Keep watching after this video to watch our past episodes of this series.

5 Common Key Light Patterns

1. Flat Lighting
2. Butterfly Lighting
3. Loop Lighting
4. Rembrandt Lighting
5. Split Lighting

Common Key Light Patterns #1: Flat Lighting

Flat Lighting Definition:

The first common key light pattern we’re going to look at is flat light. With this pattern, the light source faces directly into the subject from the angle of the lens. Flat lighting offers the least dramatic lighting pattern because it casts the least amount of shadows on the subject’s face.

Flat Lighting Placement:

Place the key light in front of your subject in the same direction you’re shooting. Angle the light so it lies “flat” on the face (see the image below). This pattern offers very flattering light for portraits because it decreases wrinkles and imperfections. Also, when using flat light, remember to light from slightly above the subject’s face. Lighting from below will create an unnatural and unflattering look.

Flat Lighting Common Uses:

Because this light pattern produces very flattering light, photographers primarily use flat lighting in headshots and glamour editorial shots.

Flat Lighting Examples:

Summary: When we light the subject from the same angle of the camera, it’s referred to as flat lighting. It’s purpose is to cast minimal shadows, and fill the details of our skin to create a soft and flattering look. In fact, of all the lighting patterns, a soft flat light is generally going to be the most flattering since it will fill lines, and imperfections. For this reason, it’s often used for beauty and fashion work. 

Common Key Light Patterns #2: Butterfly Lighting

Butterfly Lighting Definition:

Butterfly Lighting (or Paramount Lighting) comes directly in front and above the subject’s face. This pattern creates shadows directly below the subject’s facial features. The most notable shadow, and where this lighting pattern gets its name, is a butterfly-shaped shadow just under the nose. It is also called “Paramount Lighting” because this lighting pattern was used heavily in the Paramount movie studio of old Hollywood.

Butterfly Lighting Placement:

Start the key light in the flat light pattern, then raise the light up until you see the “butterfly” shaped shadow under your subject’s nose. Angle the face of your light so it points at your subject. The only difference between flat lighting and butterfly lighting is the height and angle of the Key Light. This creates the same flattering features as flat lighting but includes shadows underneath the nose and chin.

Butterfly Lighting Common Uses:

This lighting pattern works well in beauty shots when a reflector is added underneath to soften the shadows.

Butterfly Lighting Examples:

Summary: This light source is similar to flat light, the light source is still directly in front of the subject, and from the same angle as the lens. The difference is that it’s simply brought up to shoot down onto the subject’s face. It’s characterized by a bit more shadows directly under facial features and specifically a butterfly shadow that appears right under the nose. Fun fact: it’s nickname “paramount” comes from Paramount studios who often used to use this lighting technique to photograph their talent. 

Common Key Light Patterns #3. Loop Lighting

Loop Lighting Definition:

Loop lighting is one of the more common key lighting patterns. From the featured image at the top of the article, we see that this pattern falls right in the middle of the spectrum between flattering flat light and dramatic split light. Loop Lighting offers a nice middle ground where most of the face is lit, but enough shadows remain to create some definition.

Loop Lighting Placement:

Loop Lighting evolves from Butterfly Lighting very simply. If you already know how to get to Butterfly lighting, all you need to do is move your light around the subject until you get roughly 25°-50° to the left or right and angled down to the subject’s face.

Loop Lighting Common Uses:

Because this light pattern’s unique angle, it creates a more dramatic look with a shadow that falls off the nose pointing down to one side. The subject will have more light on one side of their face. You can use this to your advantage and light your subject’s “good” or preferred side of their face.

Loop Lighting Examples:

Loop Lighting Example 2:

Summary: This is where we begin to move the angle of the light source about 25-50 degrees from the subject’s face. From this angle, we start to introduce a little more directional shadow on our subject. Keep in mind, as we introduce more shadows onto our subject, we can dictate the intensity of that shadow by the amount of fill light that we let into our scene. In this current slide, we have very little fill light so the shadows are more intense. But here, we have the exact same lighting patterns that are used over a soft fill light. The result is again, fewer shadows = less drama. 

Common Key Light Patterns #4: Rembrandt Lighting

Rembrandt Lighting Definition:

The Dutch master painter, Rembrandt, used this style of lighting in many of his paintings, thus, the name of this pattern. While it is true that many Baroque painters used Rembrandt lighting in their paintings as well, the combination of Rembrandt’s popularity and prolific use of the pattern likely earned him the nod. Rembrandt lighting can be distinguished by half of the subject’s face in shadow except for triangle-shaped light on the cheekbone and eye.

Rembrandt Lighting Placement:

From the Loop Lighting position, move your key light around the subject until the shadow of the nose is touching the shadow of the face. This primarily leaves one side of the face in shadow but keeps a triangle of light on the cheekbone and eye.

Rembrandt Lighting Common Uses:

Rembrandt is a stronger angle than loop lighting, making it look more dramatic. The more shadow we add to our subject and the more we turn our light away from flat lighting, the more dramatic our lighting becomes. It is used heavily in all types of portrait photography, including portraits of athletes. It is also the type of lighting we used in the video above!

Rembrandt Lighting Examples:

Summary: Our light comes from above, but now at a stronger angle to the face where now we only see triangle shape light over the opposite cheek and eye. This visually interesting lighting pattern is named after the painter Rembrandt who’d frequently use this lighting pattern for his portraiture. For many of us (myself included), this is a photographer favorite. 

Common Key Light Pattern #5: Split Lighting

Split Lighting Definition:

Let’s turn now to the last lighting pattern on this list: split lighting. Split lighting simply “splits” the subject’s face, lighting half of your subject’s face while leaving the other half in shadow. Because of the angle of light, there is no Rembrandt triangle, only shadow.

Split Lighting Placement:

Set up the key light 90° directly to the right or left side of the subject’s face. The line separating light and shadow will be down the middle of the nose and chin. This creates the most dramatic light and the least flattering light to use.

Split Lighting Common Uses:

If flat and loop lighting fills in wrinkles, split lighting will exaggerate them. Photographers often use this lighting pattern in athletic portraits just for that purpose. It exaggerates their muscle definition and body features.

Split Lighting Examples:

Summary: Split lighting is created when the light source comes directly from the side of our subject. It’s characterized by half of the face in light, versus half in shadow. Split lighting is not for the faint of heart, use this lighting pattern when your intention is to show heavy shadows or light vs dark type concepts. 

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this overview of 5 common key light patterns. Once you’ve mastered the primary patterns featured here, you can take it a step further and modify the light or add secondary lights. As a result, setting up your key light for what you want will save you time and unneeded frustration in post. We guarantee that if you understand these 5 common key light patterns, you will instantly start to create more images the way you want to, whether they be flattering or dramatic.

If you’d like to dive deeper into lighting education, check out our Flash Photography Training System, which covers the fundamentals for shooting with everything from on-camera flash to multiple off-camera flashes for creative effect.

Misleading Flash Durations, How And Why?

‘Misleading’ may be too strong of a word, but you can decide for yourself in a minute. In very basic terms, the flash duration is a measurement of how long it takes a flash to go from full power to off.  It’s measured in T.5 and T.1 times.

The T.5 time (the time that most manufacturers give) is pretty much a useless measurement for anyone interested in freezing motion. However, in marketing terms it’s the bigger number and therefore sounds better.

Most manufacturers do not give the T.1 times of their flashes. Something which I find immeasurably frustrating. You can sometimes find the T.1 time by doing a little online digging but often you can’t or it’s a true hassle. What’s worse, is that people purchase lights based on the T.5 figures and end up with equipment which is not suited to their needs.

What Is The T.1 And T.5 Flash Duration?

So what’s the big deal? What’s the difference between those two numbers? It’s actually really simple. The T.5 time measures the time it takes for your flash to go from off, to full power, then back down to 50% power (hence T.5). The T.1 does the same but measures all the way down to 10% power. This is often represented in graph form which you can see in the photo above taken from Lighting 101.

If you want to freeze motion with ambient light only, you use your shutter speed. That’s probably something you’re familiar with. If you’re using flashes, and they’re your main source of light (no ambient), then the speed at which they turn on and off is very important.

Imagine a pitch black room. You could take a 30 second exposure and your camera still picks up nothing. Now, take another 30 second exposure but fire a flash at some point. The time it takes for that flash to turn on and off will determine the time it takes for your photo to be exposed. If the flash takes a long time, then a moving subject will be blurred and vice versa.

Bringing it back to our T.5 and T.1 times, if you’re firing a 500 W/S flash in our pitch black room, when it’s at 50% power (the T.5 time) it’s still putting out 250 W/S. That’s gonna have a BIG effect on our exposure, isn’t it? On the other hand, the T.1 of a 500 W/S flash will only be 50 W/S.

If this has all become a little confusing for you, just remember this. If you want to freeze motion, your flashes need a fast flash duration, the measurement to take note of is the T.1 time, and the specific speed you need will depend on the action you’re photographing. That’s it. The last part (the speed you need) is hard to know, but you can find it.

Why the T.1 Time is More Important Than the T.5 Time

The T.5 time is the amount of time it takes for a 50% of the flash power to dissipate. That time is actually the time that most manufacturers use when they tell you what the flash duration is.

There’s a problem with that. If only 50% of the power has dissipated, what about the other 50%? The other 50% is still going to affect your image. If the flash duration is slow, that 50% is going to actually affect something. What’s more adequate, what’s a better measurement of the ability of a flash to freeze or to know what the flash duration is the T.1. The T.1 time is the time for 90% of the light to dissipate and that remaining 10% that trails off is really not going to affect much.

That’s what really matters.

Power Settings and the T1 Time

There’s another interesting thing. The T.1 time is the best measurement of the flash’s ability to freeze a subject, but the higher the power that you use,  the slower the flash duration, so the slower that T.1 time.  The lower the power setting on your flash, the faster the T1 time, i.e. the faster the flash duration.

A pocket strobe is generally going to be faster than a studio strobe, generally. That’s why oftentimes when people are working with liquids, when people are working with close up macro dropping things into things like water, they’re using pocket strobes because they’re convenient. They’re easy to manipulate and so forth and their flash durations are very quick. To freeze water, you need a very, very quick flash duration, 1/5000th of a second, 1/10000 of a second to freeze water. Sometimes studio strobes can’t quite get there.

OK, Why Do I care? What Can I do With This Knowledge?

The obvious example is, of course, to freeze motion; a person jumping, a dancer, liquids, powder and paint being thrown, anything moving quickly. In the photo you see above, I used some stock splashes which were taken from the Photigy splash pack, but those splashes are captured by product photographer Alex Koloskov; he uses some of the best equipment to ensure the splashes are completely frozen. Another example from my own work is this “Dove With Wings” image. That was accomplished by composting evaporated milk, which had been injected into a fish tank, find a full explanation of that method here. In that example, it’s possible to use flashes with a slower flash duration as the subject (evaporated milk) is not moving as fast.

It’s not only useful to know this stuff for specialist types of photography like my product work. By understanding flash durations, exposure times and the effect of camera movement, Pye and the Lin & Jirsa team create unique shots which amaze their clients. In a recent article Pye explains how to take dance floor images like the one below, check it out here.

A variation on the same technique, allows them to pull off stunning shots like this one. If you’d like to learn more about these techniques, the SLR Lounge team have crafted some wonderful tutorials which you can find in the SLR Lounge store, click here. I’d encourage you to look over Flash Training System.

Where to Find Accurate Flash Duration Times

If you want to get T1 times for a specific flash, you can look online. A great resource is actually from Andy Gock. Andy has done some fantastic testing on flash durations.

Oftentimes you can find the T1 time from the manufacturer themselves, but sometimes it’s not available. Just look online, you can find the actual flash duration. I would highly recommend doing that before purchasing new flashes because you might end up with flashes that might not have a fast enough flash duration for whatever use you might have. For most people, this generally is not an issue, but if you’re wanting to use your flash to freeze motion, this becomes a problem.

Conclusion | Next Steps

The next time you’re considering a purchase make sure you know the T.1 times of your flashes. For many photographers, this won’t matter too much. If your subjects don’t move then it doesn’t matter at all. However, the day may come where you need those fast flash durations but don’t have them. If it were me, and I had the option, I’d always choose a flash which also had good flash durations just in case.

Can I work out the T.1 flash duration from the T.5? Yes and no. Typically the rule is to divide by three. If the T.5 is 1/3000 then the T.1 is 1/1000. However, this varies depending on flash brand and technology used. For cheap brands, I’ve heard people say you need to divide by four, whereas I’ve also heard people say that with some IGBT heads the numbers are pretty close. Personally, if I can’t find the figures I err on the side of caution and divide by three.

As to whether this is misleading or not, that’s for you to decide.  If you’re looking for more information on Flash Duration and other topics, I would suggest watching the video embedded below:

Why Body Photography?

One of the top requests I’ve received as a test photographer is to capture updated body shots for a model’s book. Not to be confused with “digitals” that are done at the agency, body shots are exactly what the term entails; images that accentuate a model’s physique.

The parameters for a successful body photography session are very reminiscent of a basic model test; clothing is minimal, therefore the overall mood and styling need to make sense. This type of imagery can turn trashy in the blink of an eye, thus requires a bit more finessing for all involved.

A model is typically being considered for a specific brand or article in a magazine when this type of work is being requested by the agency. I will often inquire with the booker if this is the case and style the shoot accordingly in an attempt to help them book the gig.

Body Photography Clothing and Wardrobe

Body photography clothing is often undergarments, swimwear or a good pair of denim. There will never be a shortage of pictures of models wearing only a pair of jeans with arms folded across their chest. Swimwear and lingerie are also key clothing items to choose when highlighting a model’s form, but photographers are encouraged to be venturesome with their vision.

The location also needs to match the clothing whether it be a bikini at the beach or a bodysuit in an indoor setting. The main crops for these images are:

• full length
• 3/4
• waist up

Women can be tricky as we seek an accepted balance between minimizing and emphasizing their natural curves as the dissidence of non-inclusion is on the rise. No matter the body type, however, lengthening a woman’s body remains to be a constant. In addition to curves, some key areas to highlight on a woman are their legs, the indent right at the glute (if applicable), and their neck.

Some looks are best achieved in naturally-lit situations, while others are better accomplished with a one-light setup in the studio. Choose the lighting that will do the model justice with a proper gradation that clearly defines their body.

Keep the posing natural and unforced. I will often start my shooting sequence with the model in a starting position and have them move slowly from there.

Implied Nudes in Body Photography

Please note that a model does not have to be completely stripped of their clothing for an implied nude to work. It can be achieved with strategic lighting and body/prop placement. Mario Testino’s towel series is a perfect testimony of this. Implied nudes for body photography can become T&A awfully fast if one is not careful.

These images are very delicate in nature and require a certain level of intimacy that can only be established with their trust. Take the time to build their trust in you, as this will deliver a certain level of authenticity. Then, direct the shot from the expression of the model all the way down to the overall look and feel.

Body Photography for Men

As with women, the styling consists primarily of underwear and a good pair of denim. Body photography  for men tend to be more arduous because they often have to flex their muscles for periods of time and still manage to have a non-pained facial expression.

Simply having men look down and away from the camera while flexing produces great results and still plays to the overall mood. It is one less thing to focus on. Having them in a more relaxed pose that naturally emphasizes their musculature is a great way to achieve a successful expression for images where seeing their face is required.

The focus for men is on their muscles, all of them; particularly the “V” and core. A fool proof way to achieve definition is by lighting them slightly from the side to cast shadows across their body. Popular crops for men are:

• from the “V” on up
• 3/4
• full body

There are a number of different ways that a body shot can be orchestrated. Simplicity often reigns supreme over an overcomplicated setup any day of the week.

Make sure to have a clear vision from the start and connect with the model.

Conclusion

In conclusion, body photography is a unique and powerful genre that allows us to celebrate and capture the beauty within each individual. Throughout this article, we have explored various tips and techniques to enhance your body photography skills. Remember to prioritize communication and build trust with your subjects, as it is essential to create a comfortable and empowering environment. Experiment with different poses, angles, and lighting to highlight the unique features and personality of your subjects. Embrace diversity and celebrate body positivity, ensuring that every body shape and size is represented and celebrated. Finally, always approach body photography with sensitivity, respect, and an appreciation for the stories and journeys that each person carries with them. By following these tips and techniques, you will be able to create stunning body photographs that empower, inspire, and showcase the true beauty within. Keep exploring, learning, and capturing the essence of the human form, and let your creativity shine through your lens.

For more on model test shoots and lighting check out the following:

• How to Shoot a Basic Model Test | Gear, Shot List, Agency Requirements & More
• How to Test Shoot With Model Agency Represented Models
• How I Shot It – Simple One Light Portrait Studio Setup in a Garage

Moreover, flash photography does not have to be intimidating. To help, we’ve compiled 9 helpful tips from our Lighting 101 workshop to use as your guide to flash photography, starting from how to use and operate a speedlight to full creative control of your flash.  The goal of this guide is for you to walk away with a sound understanding of flash photography that you can use to build upon with experience and practice.

Here is the outline of this camera flash guide:

1. Realize Why You Need Flash
2. Understand the Difference between TTL vs. Manual Flash
3. Learn the 5 Most Common Light Patterns
4. Choose Your Quality of Light
5. Balance Flash with Ambient Light
6. Memorize The Inverse Square Law (Flash Power)
7. Understand Bounce Flash vs. Direct Flash
8. Use Flash Modifiers
9. Understand Creative vs. Corrective White Balance

Step 1: Realize Why You Need Flash

After a certain point, natural light simply just isn’t enough. Here are 5 of our top reasons as to why you should use flash:

1. Control/Modify Light: while the sun is a powerful key light source, it can be difficult to try and modify such a large light source and flash allows you to do that.
2. Control the Amount of Light: when you’ve lost your natural sunlight there is only so much you can push your camera to retain the information in the image and this is where flash comes in to assist.
3. Control Direction of Light: we can time our shoots around sunrise and sunset but what happens when you are forced to shoot in the peak afternoon sun or late at night? Using OCF allows you to change the angle and direction of your light source freely.
4. Control the Quality of Light: for the majority of the day, the sun is a harsh light source with only a few ways to modify it to make it softer. Flash gives you the opportunity to create the exact quality of light with flash modifiers like MagMod.
5. Control the Color of Light: this is where the creativity of flash trumps the power of the sun, especially when working indoors and having to bounce your flash to combat the nasty tungsten lighting we find in most rooms.

Step 2: Understand the Difference Between TTL vs. Manual Flash

When it comes to photography as a professional, you want control amd precision. You don’t want your camera making decisions for you because it makes it hard to replicate settings, figure out how to troubleshoot, or give you creative control. Let’s understand the difference between TTL and Manual Flash:

• TTL – The flash takes a reading and makes its best guess.  The flash fires a pre-flash, which takes a measurement of the light reading, and then fires the flash at the power level that it thinks will properly expose the image. The biggest pro is that it’s automated and does the thinking for you, but it comes with a whole list of cons, which is why we prefer manually controlling our flash.
• Manual – The photographer controls the exact power.   At the end of the day, we want full control and precision. We want every one of our shots to be similar in exposure so that when we get into post-production, we can apply one set of development settings and be done.

More Information: Watch this quick minute tutorial using Manual Flash to create soft light!

Step 3: Learn the 5 Most Common Light Patterns

From left to right: Flat Lighting, Butterfly Lighting, Loop Lighting, Rembrandt Lighting, Split Lighting. For more information watch this episode of Slice of Pye.

• Flat Light: Flat lighting faces directly into the subject from the angle of the lens. Flat lighting is the least dramatic lighting pattern because it casts the least amount of shadows on the subject’s face.
• Butterfly Light: comes directly in front of and above the subject’s face. This creates shadows that are directly below the subject’s facial features.
• Loop Light: it falls right in the middle between flattering flat light to dramatic split light. Loop Light is a nice middle ground where most of the face is still in light but you still have enough shadows to bring in some definition.
• Rembrandt Light: move your key light around the subject until the shadow of the nose is touching the shadow of the face. This primarily leaves one side of the face in shadow but keeps a triangle of light on the cheekbone and eye.
• Split Light: Set up the key light 90° directly to the right or left side of the subject’s face. The line separating light and shadow will be down the middle of the nose and chin. This creates the most dramatic light and the least flattering light to use.

More Information: Read this article to better understand how to use light direction and light quality to take better portraits.

Step 4: Choose Your Quality of Light

There is no absolute right or wrong when it comes to the artistic world of photography, however, there are looks that do tend to go better for specific situations. Let’s discuss the differences between the 4 different qualities of light.

• Hard Light: A light that qualifies as soft or hard is quite simple, it is the transition from light to shadow on a subject.
• Soft Light: has a gentle transition from light to shadow.
• Diffused Light: A light that has its reflective qualities removed is called diffused light. When this light hits a subject, the reflective light does not bounce back into the camera. Showcasing a soft and diffused light quality
• Specular Light: A light that retains its reflective qualities. When this light hits a subject, the reflective light bounces back into the camera. This light has stronger highlights and stronger contrasts.

More Information: We recently did a Slice of Pye Episode on the Profoto Instagram covering this topic – you can watch the full episode here!

Step 5: Balance Flash with Ambient Light

The balancing act is simple in theory: lower flash power combined with longer shutter speeds offer a more natural look, and higher flash power with shorter shutter speeds will create something more dramatic looking.

When working with flash, your aperture will determine how much of the flash gets to the sensor. This means that if you’ve chosen a wide aperture for your desired background look, you will need less flash power to get your ideal exposure. The power of your flash is determined by your desired look and you can see on the slide from Lighting 101 above, for a natural look you’ll want to decrease flash power and brighten your ambient light exposure.

More Information: Read this article to better understand how to balance ambient exposure with flash.

6. Memorize The Inverse Square Law (Flash Power)

The Inverse Square Law states that any physical law stating that some physical quantity or strength is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source of that physical quantity.

For example, if you set up your light 1 meter away from your subject and you are getting 100% power flash hitting your subject. You move your light back 1 meter and now you’re 2 meters away. Does that mean you lost half your light, about 50%? It seems to be logical but it’s not the case. You actually lose 75% of your light.

More Information: Check out our Lighting 101 workshop to fully comprehend the Inverse Square Law!

Step 7: Understand Bounce Flash vs. Direct Flash

Bounce flash does not work in every situation, but it provides a great solution for indoor venues and locations with low, neutral or bright ceilings.

Direct flash has a very distinct purpose and looks when used correctly. Often times, amateurs point the flash straight forward because they want to fill the face with light in dark situations make the subject look like a deer in headlights. The key here is anything but subtlety. Give the flash enough power to become the main and primary light in the scene. Just watch out not to blow any highlights, especially over the skin.

More Information: Both have their intended uses however, there is almost always a better option than using direct flash so it’s important to understand when it can be used vs. when it shouldn’t be used. Here is a great example of when direct flash is appropriate.

Step 8: Use Flash Modifiers

While understanding how to use a flash is the first step, modifying it for corrective and creative control will really help perfect the shot. Our favorite flash modifiers on the market are the MagMod flash modifiers. They are great for beginners and give photographers the ability to quickly and easily modify their flash. These are our top 3 favorites:

• MagSphere: an omnidirectional flash diffuser that gives you the best looking light possible.
• MagGel: is made of silicone rubber material which holds up to 3 gels. This is great for corrective/creative white balance which you will learn about in the next section.
• MagGrid: carefully optimized beam pattern provides even light coverage and eliminates unwanted light spill, allowing photographers to capture cleaner and more consistent photographs between shots.

Besides MagMod modifiers, one of the best modifiers to have on you at all times is a shoot-through umbrella. This is a great flash modifier for soft, beautiful light no matter where you are.

Step 9: Understand Creative vs. Corrective White Balance

In photography, there is always room to bend the rules when it comes to the “correct” way to do something. Creatively speaking, there is no “perfect” way to set your White Balance. Every type of light has a color and the best way to achieve the right color in almost every situation is actually the WB setting that may seem the most intimidating and yet is actually the most simple: Kelvin White Balance.

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This slide represents Kelvin White Balance settings for corrective white balance.

This slide represents Kelvin White Balance settings for creative white balance.

Take your camera inside and outside, and practice dialing the Kelvin up and down until the image looks right. In no time at all, you’ll start to remember which numbers correspond to which shooting conditions. A lot of indoor light is somewhere around 3000-4000K. Daylight is around 5000-6000K. Deep shade, or after-sunset light, is 7000K+. In no time at all, this will become second nature!

More Information: Check out our Ultimate Guide to Creative Use of White Balance.

We hope you enjoyed our Beginner’s Guide to Flash Photography! If you’ve mastered the foundation of flash photography be sure to check out our more advanced off-camera flash courses to learn creative tips and techniques to up your flash game or purchase our comprehensive Flash Photography Training System which includes Lighting 101, 201, 3, and 4!

Flash Gel Video Tutorial

Flash Gels can be used for corrective purposes or to add a dramatic look to a scene for an artistic effect. In the following video, we show you these two techniques so you can take your images from ordinary to extraordinary.

Flash Gels For Corrective Effect

Corrective coloring is different from creative in that we want to match the direction of light but change the quality and color of the light.

By default, the color temp of your flash is most likely 5500K (Kelvin). If you are shooting outside and you walk indoors into a dimly lit reception hall or ballroom, the lights are generally around 3600k or Tungsten, which looks more orange.  So, when lighting your subjects with flash, your subjects look “cooler” or more blue, but the background retains a more orange look. When you try to fix it in post, your background looks very muddy – brown and oversaturated.

To fix this, you ‘gel’ for corrective purposes by taking your CTO gel (Color Temperature Orange) and place it over your flash or inside the flash gel holder, as doing so will change the color temperature of your light to orange. Then drop the in-camera white balance to 3600K which will be very close to the Tungsten color temperature of the light in the ballroom.

For the first scene, we are using the Profoto OCF Beauty Dish (which we tested in this article) with the Profoto B2 and an orange CTO in one of the flash gel holders. Remember when lighting to set your camera exposure first to how you want the ambient light to look in the scene, and then adjust the flash power accordingly.

Camera Settings: 1/200th, f/1.4, ISO800, 3600K

Gear Used:

• Canon 5DS
• Sigma Art 35mm
• Profoto B2
• Profoto OCF Beauty Dish

The Profoto B2 with OCF Beauty Dish was held at a 45-degree angle on camera left at about 20-30% power. The before image on the left is without the CTO flash gel and the one on the right is gelled. Both images are SOOC (straight out of camera).

Example 2: Flash Gel to Match or Correct

In this image, we placed a tungsten gel on our flash to adjust for the green tint on our couple coming from a nearby building. We then used, you guessed it, a silver reflector to simulate the same direction of light found in the scene to create a cleaner and brighter light source than the pre-existing light.

Flash Gel For Creative Effect

In the second scene, we show you how to flash gel for creative effect and tell you about a bonus lighting technique from our Lighting 101 and 201 courses.

Creative coloring is when we refine color in order to create a dramatic result. First we work with our background, light our subject and if needed, refine color.

First, we begin by setting the in-camera exposure to how we want our ambient light to look, just as before. We drop the white balance to 3600K and set the shutter speed to 1/50th, aperture to f/1.4, and ISO at1600.

Gear Used:

• Canon 5DS
• Zeiss Otus 55mm
• Zeiss Otus 85mm
• Profoto B2
• Profoto OCF Beauty Dish
• Westcott Reflector

We set up the Profoto B2 and use the CTO flash gel inside a grid, and the grid will help control light spill on our models. We are using a modeling light to determine where and how that light is going to fall and we use it to glance the light off the models’ hair but t’s primarily hitting into a reflector we are holding on the other side. This pushes the light into the models’ faces and we get a two light look with only one strobe.

The before image shows what the scene looks like set in-camera without flash, and the one on the right is our end result.

Example 2: Flash Gel for Creative Effect

In our shoot on the beach we combined a tungsten gel to maintain a warm skin town. We then cooled our white balance down (between 3500k-4200k) and utilized a silver reflector to achieve higher contrast and saturation.

Conclusion

To recap, the two reasons we gel depend on what effect we are going for:

1. Creative effect: a temperature throw
2. Corrective effect: balancing the ambient light with flash & matching the existing lighting

Of course to learn even more about lighting modifiers and how to use them in all different kinds of portraiture situations, be sure to check out our Flash Photography Training System which includes our best-selling lighting courses:

• Lighting 101: The Fundamentals of Flash Photography (On-Camera Flash Mastery)
• Lighting 201: Single Source Off-Camera Light Shaping
• Lighting 3: Location Lighting for Dramatic Portraits (Advanced Off-Camera Flash)
• Lighting 4: Creating Every Natural Light Effect Using Flash

For each modifier, we will include a description, pros & cons, and uses for various lighting gear and sources. There is something in this article for everyone, no matter what the budget.

Reflectors

DESCRIPTION: When shooting outdoors, reflectors are extremely powerful tools, and when used correctly they can be used as the main light, fill light, rim light, etc. You can bounce a flash off of the reflector or simple angle it to catch sunlight and push that light towards the subject.

PROS: One of the cheapest, fastest ways to create and control soft light sources. Bouncing flash off a wall or ceiling is also very effective and simple. It’s also very portable compared to lugging around a softbox or light stands.

CONS: Reflectors can waste light power, (brightness) and your non-reflector bounce options are extremely limited if a ceiling is high, or any off-white color. It can be difficult to create consistent exposures, especially if an assistant is hand-holding a reflector and you’re bouncing flash from on-camera. You also risk losing a lot of light power since there isn’t much control from your on-camera flash.

USES: Active or fast-paced situations such as on-location sessions or lifestyle portrait shoots, where you want to create soft diffused light but need to be moving around a lot. Reflectors are more practical for sunlight, while on-camera flash-bouncing is more practical for indoor walls and ceilings. Here is a great example video that shows how you can use a simple on-camera flash and the white side of the reflector to create a portable softbox.

Scrims

DESCRIPTION: Diffuses sun, other natural light, or off-camera flash. The modifier (and flash) can be held by an assistant, or one or both can be on light stands. Instead of bouncing, light passes through a scrim and is diffused.

PROS: Big, soft light, not too wasteful, easy to set up, relatively cheap.

CONS: Light spills everywhere, and there is potential for unwanted shadows if the scrim cannot fully cover the entire subject from the sun or light source.

USES: Best used when you want to do two things at once: create shade from the sun, and add your own light to the equation. Usually, the most flexible uses are when framing waist-up or similarly close portraits. Otherwise, it’s slightly less practical and controllable compared to other light modifiers.

Shoot Through Umbrella
DESCRIPTION: best used for emulating soft, window light. A shoot-through umbrella uses off-camera flash, is collapsible, comes in various sizes, some cheap and some very expensive. Hands down one of the best modifiers to have in your kit.

PROS: Creates a soft and large light source that you can take with you no matter where you go.

CONS: Can be a little obtrusive because of the size. It has a wide spread because there is no cover for the umbrella, making it hard to control the light spill. Can create shadows on the wall that distinctly giveaway the type of light source used.

USES: Simple lighting setups where you need to quickly set up 1-2 lights, get a light source that is bigger than a bare strobe, yet still bright. Great for photographing large groups and soft portraits.

Rewind: Photography Lighting Equipment – The Best Light for Your Budget (2021 Update)

Softboxes or Octaboxes

DESCRIPTION: Uses off-camera flash or strobes, is collapsible, all kinds of different varieties, some are super cheap and some are very expensive. Needs light stand, or “light on a stick” monopod. (See our Flash Training System for more!)

PROS: Great balance of portability and light control, doesn’t spill everywhere, much easier to get huge directional light sources especially if you have a grid. Many options are very affordable and fast to set up. (umbrella boxes)

CONS: Some options can be pricey, some aren’t exactly effortless to set up.

USES: The better your lighting is, the less post-production you’ll have to do, and the more clean and polished your images will look. A softbox is great for shooting a single subject, a couple, or an entire family, either in-studio or on-location. Add a flash grid to the softbox, if you’re in a setting where you want to minimize spill on foreground/background.

Here are some of the best softboxes for speedlights:

• MagMod MagBox
• Profoto 2′ Octagonal Off-Camera Flash Softbox
• Westcott Rapid Box 26″ Octa Softbox
• Glow EZ Lock Octa 48″

Beauty Dishes

DESCRIPTION: Uses off-camera flash or strobes to create soft, beauty portraiture light. You can watch the full video on how we created the shot above here!

PROS: Very soft yet highly controllable quality of light, thanks to specific grid accessories.

CONS: Many do not collapse, require a lot of flash power, and can become rather expensive when buying a complete system.

USES: Anything from general portraiture to high-end fashion work, as long as you have the help (assistant) to manage it, and the time for setup and break-down. Very good at keeping light focused on the subject and off of the foreground/background, allowing you to shoot a very complex scene with ease.

• Profoto OCF 24″ Beauty Dish with Deflector Plate
• Profoto OCF Magnum Reflector
• Glow 22″ White Beauty Dish for Bowens Mount

Light Controlling Modifiers (Grids & Snoots)

DESCRIPTION: Used to stop, cut down, or “shape” light direction or spill. (Usually when already using one of the previously mentioned light sources.)

PROS: Pin-point light-shaping abilities, similar to spotlight effect.

CONS: Some grids either cut too much light or not enough depending on the necessary modification. Usually, lower quality grids tend to have more light spill or less gradual light fall-off which defeats the purpose of using a grid.

USES: Small accents (hair, rim lighting, etc.) Also good for wide-angle shots that need a spotlight on a subject within a scene, anything from an environmental portrait to an ultra-wide angle first dance shot.

• MagMod MagGrid
• MagMod MagSnoot
• Profoto A1 Grid Kit
• Profoto Snoot

Speedlight Diffusion

DESCRIPTION: Uses to diffuse or soften the light output of an on or off-camera flash.

PROS: Quick, simple soft or diffused light, highly portable, efficient.

CONS: Not soft enough or not softer than an umbrella. Some options still have some specularity. Each one of the options below does different things so please be aware of that prior to purchasing.

USES: When you wanted to soften or diffuse the light on your subject instead of pointing a bare bulb towards them. If you are working an event or wedding, having a softer or more diffused on-camera light source will yield better results.

• MagMod MagSphere
• Gary Fong Lightsphere
• Fstoppers Flash Disc Portable Speedlight Softbox
• MagMod MagBounce

Colored Gels for Flash

DESCRIPTION: Colored plastic sheets used to shift or correct the color of light output. Come in a variety of colors for creative or corrective purposes.

PROS:  Ideal for shooting creative flash photography and an easy trick to transform a scene.

CONS: Must understand how each color affects each scene’s ambient light exposure in combination with your in-camera white balance. Sometimes, it can come off as cheesy or

USES: Creatively alter the look of your scene or correct skin tones to match the ambient light. Learn how to visually change your camera’s white balance here.

• MagMod MagGels
• Profoto OCF Gel Starter Kit

To learn more about lighting modifiers and how to use them in all different kinds of portrait shoots, be sure to check out our Flash Photography Training System, available for digital download and also as part of our SLR Lounge Premium subscription!