Chapter 7: Flash Techniques that will make you shoot like a Pro

/ L. David Likes Photography/

Technique #1: A secret little trick I discovered to shoot several times faster getting the exposure right every time

Use FF method only once and take several shots holding the back button in between shots

This method keeps the flash exposure from changing when zooming as E-TTL Flash uses zones for setting exposure and since I zoom I change zones and therefore change the flash exposure.

This is one of my favorite techniques. I FEL once and take several shots, zooming the lens in between shots, all giving me perfect exposure. I continuously hold the back button in between each shot (before the ½ second is up). That way I have all the time I need. I then let up holding the button and push it again to get good focus and take the shot. There is only one caveat to this. When you hold the back button the LCD goes blank and you can’t see how the image came out? (The workaround is after doing FEL and taking the shot, you’ll have a quick split second to view the image before you have to hold the button down. You’ll know if you took too long as when you look in the viewfinder of your camera the asterisk next to the flash symbol will have disappeared).

Technique #2: Window Light with Inverted Fill

Procedure

Requires neutral tone or white walls for bouncing light.

  1. Seat subject slightly below the window with light coming from the side causing a shadow on half of the face.

  2. Set camera to M mode and adjust ISO, f-stop and shutter until you can hand hold the camera. Take a shot or two, (without flash), to view histogram and adjust settings until the subject is slightly underexposed.

  3. Turn flash on to E-TTL mode and adjust flash to add -1 stop of fill flash. Manually underexpose the ambient light about 2/3rds stop. Angle bounce flash off the wall over your shoulder.

  4. Allow the center circle of the viewfinder to cover only the highlight side of the face. Do a Flash Exposure Lock (FEL).

  5. Adjust the focus point to where it covers the eye on the highlight side of the face. (Make sure when you take the shot that the flash head is aimed to the same place it was when you did the FEL).

  6. Take the shot.

Alternate Bounce Straight up with Full Flash

Repeat above procedure with the exception of using full flash and pointing the flash head straight up.

Technique #3: Angle bounce and underexpose ambient to darken background

Av Program Mode with darker background procedure

  1. Set camera to Av Mode with Evaluative Metering and Auto ISO

  2. Zoom past subject and meter background at desired f-stop and read ISO value that has a fast enough shutter speed to hand hold (when in doubt use 1/200th of a second).

  3. Set ISO to the reading it was on when you viewed the Auto ISO. Turn the flash on to E-TTL mode.

  4. Turn the flash head to bounce mode (prefer to bounce off the side wall at a high angle behind the camera).

  5. Set autofocus point on an eye (move it within the viewfinder if necessary?).

  6. Turn Quick Control Dial on camera to underexpose ambient by one to three stops (per your creative desire).

  7. Take the picture.

    note: I mention 5th quadrant in the video but meant 5th section (histogram is made up of 5 sections).

Technique #4: Reverse Window Light Method

Procedure

  1. Place subject deep in the room facing the window. Have your back to the window but try not to block the light.

  2. Set camera to Av mode with evaluative metering and adjust ISO so you can hand hold.

  3. Adjust ambient light setting to -2 stops of exposure.

  4. Turn flash on and angle head to bounce over shoulder to nearest wall/ceiling.

  5. Zoom in on face and do an FEL prior to taking the shot.

  6. Put autofocus point on the eye and take the shot.

  7. Add flash exposure compensation if needed?

Note:

My personal preference is to do an FEL every time prior to taking the image. I use the face as a reference point and stay consistent in doing the FEL at that same spot. But as caucasian skin does not reflect 18 percent gray FEC is sometimes needed (It is not unusual for me to add ⅓ to ⅔ rds stops for this reason alone).

Once you get your flash dialed in and continue to FEL each time from the same place you literally can flash and forget about checking your exposure as it will be the same.

Technique #5: Using On-Camera Flash Outside

Note: Since the background ambient light now becomes the second light source, the shadow side of the face may go darker than one would like? As under an overhang the light is typically lower than outside of it. When controlling ambient you can only control one area or the other with shutter speed. If I chose to brighten up the shadow side of the face the background would go brighter than I wanted.

I used a #1100 Illuminator Arm and and Reflector from Westcott. The stand was an Avenger A630 B. The camera lens was an Canon EF 24-105 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM which I used throughout this course.

Sometimes when it is very windy outside you may need to use a sandbag to better anchor the stand and keep it from blowing over. Most professional photography stores will carry these products.