George Boyle
Flash photography is an essential skill for wedding photographers to master. While it can be intimidating, using flash gives photographers more control over their images, allowing them to create dynamic, professional, and well-lit photos, even in low-light conditions. There are two main types of flash: on-camera and off-camera. On-camera flash, or bounce flash, involves mounting the flash on the camera and bouncing the light off a wall, ceiling, or bounce card to create soft lighting. Off-camera flash, on the other hand, involves placing the flash off to the side, often on a light stand, to create more interesting lighting from a flattering angle. Both techniques require an understanding of how light and shadows impact photography, as well as the right equipment, such as speedlights, transceivers, and modifiers like diffusers. With the right knowledge and tools, photographers can capture beautiful, well-lit images at wedding receptions and other low-light events.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| When to use flash | When it's too dark, to isolate the subject, reduce distractions, fill light to reduce shadows, or for creative purposes |
| Types of flash | On-camera flash (bounce flash), off-camera flash, speedlights |
| Off-camera flash angle | 45 degrees |
| Flash power | Depends on the amount of ambient light; can be handheld or mounted on a stand |
| Lighting tools | Softboxes, gels, umbrellas |
| Lighting techniques | Backlighting, long exposures, dragging the shutter |
| Lighting considerations | Natural lighting availability, type of reception space, time of day, venue guidelines |
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What You'll Learn
Using on-camera flash
On-camera flash is a convenient technique for wedding photography, as it allows you to be very mobile while adding extra light to your photos. It is particularly useful when shooting in low-light conditions or when you need to fill in harsh shadows. However, it can be tricky to master, and improper use may result in unflattering images with blown-out highlights.
To set up your on-camera flash, attach it to the hot shoe on top of your camera. The flash should be angled slightly sideways at a 45-degree angle to achieve a directional bounce. This angle is particularly useful for group portraits, ensuring even lighting within the group. You can also experiment with bouncing the flash off walls or ceilings to create softer lighting and reduce harshness.
When shooting in darker rooms with low ceilings, bouncing the flash can help capture well-lit pictures. Additionally, if there is no light coming from windows, bouncing the light upwards can create a more even spread of illumination. However, be cautious of deep shadows under the eyes and chins that may occur in such lighting setups.
For sparkler shots, you can experiment with various techniques, including bouncing the flash up and angling it forward, using a diffused speedlight at 90 degrees, or a kicker light behind with a speedlight for fill. It is essential to keep the shutter speed fairly low to capture the subtle and dreamy lighting created by the sparklers.
On-camera flash is a valuable tool in wedding photography, but it should be used judiciously and with an understanding of its potential pitfalls. Practice in different lighting conditions and consult your flash's manual to become adept at using this technique to create stunning wedding photographs.
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Using off-camera flash
Off-camera flash photography is a universal skill that can be used in various settings, including weddings. It can be intimidating for photographers to use off-camera flash for the first time, as it requires understanding and controlling the light in a new way. However, with practice and experimentation, it becomes much easier to master.
A basic setup for off-camera flash photography includes having one flash mounted on the camera and another on a light stand. The flash on the camera can be used to trigger the off-camera flash or turned off if only the off-camera light is desired. When using off-camera flash, photographers have control over various aspects of the light source, including placement, power, height, and direction. This allows for creativity and the ability to adapt to different shooting environments.
For wedding photography, off-camera flash can be used in several ways to enhance the final images. One technique is to use a single off-camera flash with a MagGrid to create dramatic portraits of the groom, with the ambient light lowered so that only the subject illuminated by the flash is visible. Another setup for bride photos involves placing the sun behind her and using an off-camera flash to light her front, correctly exposing the background and removing shadows. A softbox or Octabox can be used to soften the light and illuminate the subject, while a bare flash without a modifier can be used for the background to create a 'pop' effect.
When shooting in darker environments, adjustments to the ISO, shutter speed, and aperture can be made to achieve the desired level of darkness before turning on the off-camera flash. The flash should be placed at a 45-degree angle close to the subject, with the light spread focusing on the face. Different lighting patterns can be experimented with to create variety in portraits.
Off-camera flash is a valuable tool for wedding photographers, allowing them to have control over the lighting and create unique and dramatic images that natural light may not always provide.
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When to use flash
Using flash in wedding photography can be intimidating for beginners, but it can also be freeing once you understand how to use it. It is a great way to create dynamic, interesting, and professional images, and it allows you to shoot in less-than-ideal lighting conditions.
There are various instances when using a flash in wedding photography is beneficial. The first and most obvious is when it's too dark for your camera to capture the scene clearly, such as during evening wedding receptions or indoor weddings, especially if the artificial lighting in the room is dimmed. In these cases, a flash can help illuminate the subjects and ensure they are well-lit and sharply focused.
Another instance where a flash can be useful is when you want to isolate your subject or reduce distractions in the scene. If the scene is evenly lit, you can use the flash like a spotlight to bring focus to your subject. Conversely, if the scene is cluttered, you can use the flash to darken the distractions and draw attention to your subject.
Additionally, a flash can be helpful when you need fill light to reduce shadows, especially in situations where the light is uneven or there are harsh shadows falling on your subjects. This can be common in indoor ceremonies or receptions, where the light may be dimmed or there may be patches of direct sunlight creating uneven lighting.
It is important to note that while flash can be beneficial, it should not be overused. Some photographers prefer to capture a more natural feel during the daytime hours, and the use of flash should not detract from the subject's actual surroundings or create harsh shadows.
Furthermore, when using flash, it is advisable to test your flash lighting beforehand to understand the settings that create the best results. You can also experiment with different flash techniques, such as on-camera or off-camera flash, bounce flash, and modifiers to soften or diffuse the light and prevent harsh shadows.
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How to create a backlighting effect
Wedding photography is challenging, and creating the perfect shot involves finding the right balance of light and shadow. Backlighting is a valuable technique to achieve this, and it involves placing the light source behind the subjects.
To create a backlighting effect, you can use the sun, a window, or a flash placed behind the couple. If using the sun, you will need to adjust your camera settings to avoid underexposing the couple or use a fill flash to create more contrast. You can also meter for the couple's faces to ensure they are properly exposed, and placing them against a darker background will maintain that contrast.
Windows can also be used to create backlighting by placing the couple at an angle to the window, which will result in soft, flattering light. Placing them directly in front of the window is another option, which can create a silhouette effect or intentionally blown-out highlights.
Using a flash behind the couple can mimic golden hour backlighting on a cloudy day, and it can also create interesting silhouettes, especially at night. This technique is called off-camera flash, where the flash is placed at a flattering angle to the subjects, such as 45 degrees, and triggered remotely.
Another way to create backlighting is by using reflectors, which bounce back the light that's already in the scene. This can be done with natural light or artificial light sources. Reflectors come in various shapes and sizes, and a shoot-through reflector is a great option for wedding photography as it creates a flattering ring of light and is easier to use without an assistant.
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Using gels for colour correction
Wedding photography often involves shooting in dark environments, such as reception halls, where the minimum power setting on your flash is still too bright. This is where gels come in handy. Gels are cheap but powerful tools that can help you work accurately and creatively with colour temperature. They can be used to either adjust/balance colour temperature or add colour for a creative effect.
For example, if you are shooting in a room with incandescent light bulbs, which emit a colour temperature of 2800°K, using a flash will make your subject and surroundings look very cool and unnatural. To colour correct for this, you can use gels to warm up your flash colour temperature. CTO (colour temperature orange) gels are commonly used for this purpose, with 1/4 CTO, 1/2 CTO, and full CTO gels offering different intensities of warmth. If you are shooting under fluorescent light sources, which have a green tint, you can use a 1/2 Plusgreen gel to eliminate the green colour cast.
When using gels, it is important to consider the loss of light that they may cause. Gels that add colour also reduce the amount of light transmitted. Therefore, you will need to compensate for the loss of light by adjusting your exposure accordingly.
To achieve accurate white balance, you can use a white balance card or a device like the X-Rite Colour Checker Passport to establish an exact white balance setting for the ambient light. You can then bring this image into Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw to determine the actual colour temperature and adjust your gels and white balance settings as needed.
Gels can also be used creatively to dramatically alter a scene. For example, you can use warming flash filters and shoot in daylight with a daylight white balance to make your subject appear warmer. Alternatively, you can change the white balance to incandescent/tungsten to give your subject a correct balance while adding a bluish/purple tint to the sky.
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Frequently asked questions
Using flash in wedding photography can help create more dynamic, interesting, and professional images. It also allows you to shoot in low-light conditions and gives you more control over the lighting.
There are two main techniques for using flash in wedding photography: on-camera flash and off-camera flash. On-camera flash involves mounting the flash directly on the camera, while off-camera flash uses external lighting sources such as light stands or speedlights. Another technique is bounce flash, where the flash is bounced off a wall, ceiling, or bounce card to create softer lighting.
To get started with flash wedding photography, it's important to understand the basics of how light and shadows impact photography. You can then experiment with different flash settings and techniques to find what works best for you. It's also recommended to start with on-camera flash before advancing to off-camera flash techniques.
