The Off-Camera Flash Handbook: 32 Scenarios for Creating Beautiful Light and Stunning Photographs

Description

If your past attempts at learning flash have all ended in failure (not to mention tears and/or blind rage), then The Off-Camera Flash Handbook is about to change everything for you. For years, photographer Vanessa Joy has been using off-camera flash to create gorgeous portraits that look like they were shot in the most beautiful natural light at the perfect time of day. Well, guess what? That consistent look was not created thanks to the most amazing luck with the weather. No. It was created by a pro photographer who mastered her use of off-camera flash. And with her down-to-earth and practical explanations, that’s exactly what Vanessa teaches you in this book. Vanessa breaks down off-camera flash into an easy-to-understand approach, and instead of focusing on the gear and the settings (which are also included, of course), she focuses on the kinds of shots you want to make. This book is about learning to use off-camera flash easily and quickly so that you can create beautiful, natural-looking light in any situation, at any time you need it…regardless of the weather or time of day. The book is divided into three parts. Part One covers the fundamentals of off-camera flash, and it does so without blasting you with a firehose of information. Instead, Vanessa gives you the basics you need so that you can start shooting right away without becoming overwhelmed with technical jargon. Once you’re set up and ready to go, Vanessa jumps right into Part Two with specific photo scenarios and real-world situations where you’ll learn key techniques for using your flash to create consistent, beautiful photographs. For each scenario, Vanessa provides the goal for the shoot, a gear list, the step-by-step shooting instructions, and images that show both the progress of the shoot and the behind-the-scenes shots or lighting diagrams of the setup. She also discusses problems you may encounter, variations on the shot, and additional practical scenarios for each situation. Just a few examples include: • Recreating the golden hour at any time• Shooting groups• Making indoors look like outdoors• Enhancing natural light• Using flash at events• Working in harsh sunlight• Creating silhouettes• Shooting at sunset• Fixing an ugly-light room• And much more Finally, Part Three tackles the questions you’ll likely have once you’ve got the basics under your belt and you’re already creating great photos with your off-camera flash—things like high-speed sync, sync speed, a practical understanding of the inverse square law, etc. There is also a helpful FAQ section at the end of the book. Cover Title Copyright About the Author Dedication Acknowledgements Table of Contents Part 1 Getting Started with Off-Camera Flash (OCF) Chapter 1 You Already Know This Chapter 2 Getting the Flash Off Your Camera Chapter 3 Getting the Exposure Chapter 4 Light Positions and Modifiers Chapter 5 How to Add More Lights Part 2 Off-Camera Flash Techniques Scenario 1 Creating Gold Haze Scenario 2 Creating Golden Hour Scenario 3 Creating Twilight Scenario 4 Photographing a Sunset Scenario 5 Making a Magenta Sunset Scenario 6 Group Shots with One Light Scenario 7 Individual Portraits Scenario 8 Portraits of Couples Scenario 9 Epic Rain or Snow Scenario 10 Enhancing Natural Light Scenario 11 Making Indoors Look Like Outdoors Scenario 12 Super Soft Portrait Light Scenario 13 Warming Up the Sky Scenario 14 Keeping a Blue Sky Scenario 15 Light Like It’s Coming Through a Window Scenario 16 Creating a Silhouette Scenario 17 Turn Day into Night Scenario 18 Tiny Little Details Scenario 19 Table Details Scenario 20 Event Speeches Scenario 21 In Harsh Sunlight Scenario 22 Shooting with Reflectors Scenario 23 Event Bounce Flash Scenario 24 Using Gels for Fun Color Effects Scenario 25 Using Gels to Color Correct Scenario 26 Lighting a Dark Room Scenario 27 Making a Rainy Day Sunny Scenario 28 Lighting to Look Like Window Light Scenario 29 Making Front Bokeh Scenario 30 Filling in Shadows Scenario 31 Wow, This Indoor Light Sucks Scenario 32 Rim Lighting Part 3 Features, Troubleshooting, and FAQs Chapter 6 WTF Are You Talking About? Chapter 7 But Light Doesn’t Do That Chapter 8 FAQs About OCF