Flash photography is a skill not many try to master. Its like people just don’t want to learn it and just muddle through with their camera and flash on auto. I’m here to tell you: its super easy!!! The basics of flash exposure: Shutter speed affects ambient light only ISO and aperture affect ambient light AND flash Flash distance, power, and modifiers all change its output. When you understand that concept its easy. If you want to adjust the flash change ISO, aperture, flash power or flash distance. If you only want to change the ambient light in the scene then adjust your shutter speed. I have all my students start out in manual exposure mode with the flash on manual too. That way you are controlling the flash and learning how it works, not just getting by.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Facebook: facebook.com Our new YouTube channel: youtube.com Fenchel & Janisch DSLR Tutorial Series: Choosing the best / right lens for you! A lot of people are asking us, which lens is the best? A tough question and the answer isn’t so easy. First off, let’s talk about which lens you need for which purpose. You have to define what you want to shoot or what kind of story you want to tell: Are you shooting a fictional short film or are you running through the city taking snapshots of people and random events? Voice Over: Moritz Janisch Copyright 2011 by Fenchel & Janisch Filmproduktion GbR Twitter: twitter.com More DSLR videos on our channel: www.youtube.com Official website: www.fenchel-janisch.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Comments
50 responses to “Flash Photography Exposure Basics”
Your tutorials are awesome, very easy to understand and very interesting and helping me take far better photos
great tutorial…just found this site and sub’d….thanks
The best flash tutorial I have seen. Simple and easy to understand. Thanks Greg!
absolutely great tutorial – thanks a lot!
Because the flash is not affected by shutter speed changes. The flash is properly exposing the subject in this image.
great learning video master greg. thanks a bunch!
I know the shutter speed controls ambient light, but why is the camera not getting darker as the shutter speed increases, when the flash power isn’t changing? I feel like the flash power should be getting a little stronger every time the shutter speed increases so it can keep the same looking exposure…
Great video. Big Help!
Flash power is not affected by your shutter speed. Try it, turn on a flash on manual mode and adjust shutter up and down, flash power in image won’t change.
Question: When you say that shutter speed only affects the ambient light and not the flash , do you mean the amount of power that the flash is giving off?
Thank you for your help!
Did not know that changing shutter during flash photography only affected the ambient light. Thanks so much for the tutorial!
congrats for very well explaining the shutter function when using a flash. i would like to see an indepht tutorial for flash photography (outdoor) from you. till then, a happy 2013
Subscribed due to this. Thanks.
actually i have learned photography theoritically i use only my cell phone but i have learnt everything about photography through videos and i found this really helpful
by the way i’d like you to see my portfolio and tell me what u think if possible
Depends on how much light there is in the room, I gauge the light and guess, then adjust.
What’s the usual flash power do you use indoor (before ISO/F)? or you do trial first?
to get more available light in the background. I was on a tripod so I wouldn’t have any issues with camera shake.
Greg you are such an amazing teacher. You take photography serious and you teach it so well. Congrats for that and keep up the great work. Now you said keep the SP at 1/250 why the photos at 1/15-1/60th?
if I turn down the exposure compensation to anything below 1/60 the photo obviously won’t be very clear and will have camera shake. Thanks!
Great video! I Followed along very easily and did it myself step by step to experiment with my camera settings. (I own a Canon xsi and just recently purchased the ex430ii flash for it). I tried to shoot without the flash first (very helpful!) but I do have one question. How can you do this experiment in very low lighting without flash first without a tripod. For example taking a portrait of somebody without a tripod? Any info would help! Thanks again for the great tutorial!
great video!
I’m just a hobby photographer and have been shootin for bout 2 months with a Canon 600D now – and always avoided the flash since it would have killed most of my images with frontal lighting (internal flash, ya know)
I ordered an external flash for christmas so I wanted to get ready for it, thanks for the great information here. It was compact, easily understandable and the example will stay in my mind
Great video Greg. I had a terrible flash portrait session on the weekend, I’ll try again this weekend with a better understanding and hopefully get some good shots.
I just watched your video for the second time, what else should i know before trying to use the yn560?
Thank you!
The best Lens is the one you have with you
nice
Fantastic tutorials man!
Siri on crack!
Golden words: “Don’t let the lens change your vision”.
18-55 I know, now I have the 2.8 17-55.
lol.. stereo microphone? flipout screen? i was talking about resolution and quality, they are exacly the same, no difference at all !!!
17-55 is not a kit lens.
Well, you just focus -.-.
nope, 60d and 7d have same sensor, 650d have different sensor from 600d. Also 650d have newer image processor than 550d, 60d or 7d.
And 650d have a stereo microphone. 7D dosent have a flipout screen that makes framing harder.
This is gay… the fact that I’m ditching important band practice just to watch these amazing tutorials is killing me! Argh!- Why you so good!? :O
Love it.
uncorrect, because you always have a emergency lense like the 18-200 with you 😉
the best lens is you cant afford and what u constantly dream about
good tutorial for me
it all start with the idea in your head
don’t let the lens change your vision
ha! it’s so true
I’m starting to fall in love with your tutorials!!!
The best ones ever!!!
the best lens is that you left at home
youre right, 550d 600d 650d 60d and 7d has the same sensor and same video processing system.. they are exacly the same at video
He used a NIKON 3100D.
I think the 600D takes 1080P video.
he uses 550d/600d and 60d .. but they are all the same at video.. same sensor same cpu
On the lens it has the numbers to show you what mm you are at.
Sir, Which Camera you use to do this video 🙂
yess
aggree