Flash Photography Crash Course

You haven't stumbled on just any blog post. This is a series of articles where I will walk you step-by-step through the basics of flash photography.  It isn't nearly as in-depth as my online flash photography class, but the articles in this series contain exactly the information I would tell you if you walked into my office and asked me for a crash course on flash photography.

I guarantee I will help you with the technical steps necessary for setting up your flash, but before we get to that, you must learn about light.  Skip the first few articles in this series and you will spend the next year learning through trial-and-error what I can simply explain to you right now.

Let's get started…

This morning I wrote the following message to a photographer whose work I was able to critique.  This message is, in essence, the same message I have written to dozens or hundreds photographers before.

“Your photos are a joy to see. [Insert a sincere comment here on something I like about their photography–and there is always something]. If I could change one thing in your photos, however, it would be the lighting.

The study of light will improve your photography faster than the study of photography will improve your photography.  You see, working with light is what makes you a photographer–ANYONE can learn to use a camera.  (Tweet this tip with one click!)

This advice always raises the same questions.  Do these sound familiar?

• “So what do you mean by ‘great lighting'?  Do you mean the warm yellow light of the magic hour?”
• How much does a proper flash photography setup cost?  (Hint: I'll get you started for $150 including the flash)
• I can put a flash on my camera, but I don't know how to do off-camera flash.  How do I make the flash fire?
• I have seen photographers using softboxes and umbrellas.  I would like to use these tools in my portrait photography.  Can you walk me through the setup step-by-step?

In this series, you will learn the answer to all of those questions, but condensed down into only two lessons: Lesson One–What is great light? and Lesson Two–How to manipulate light to match your vision.

The two lessons contained in this series could undoubtedly be learned elsewhere or through your own efforts, so I sincerely thank you for allowing me to take you on this journey into the study of light.  It is all that really matters in great photography.

Click the red button below to go to page 2 of this tutorial.

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