Anyone who knows me knows that I love strobes and flashes. And that I'm always looking for that great photo that is flashed and doesn't look flashed.
That's why I often get the question: "When is the best time to flash?"
If my answer is " Stop flashing inside and start flashing outside ", I often get back: "What kind of weird advice is this again?".
We humans are very conditioned and like to stick to old principles: when it is dark inside the flash goes on and outside there is enough light not to flash.
When I ask if they are satisfied with their indoor flash photos, the answer is invariably: "NO, because that's why I ask you for advice".
"And what about your outdoor photos?", "Well, they could be a lot better if I compare them with your photos!".
I also know exactly what the problems are:
Indoors in the dark, the flash must give a lot of light. The light does reach your subject but not the background, so you get white heads and a dark background. Really such a typical flash photo. That's why this standard indoor flashing is not a good idea.
And outdoors, you get shots where eyes are often dark, faces have weird shadows, and your subject blends into the background, doesn't really stand out.
That's why flashing outside is a very good idea. Just look at the photos, which are flashed outside!!!
And did you know that the color temperature of your flash is the same as the color temperature on a sunny day?
That's not for nothing!! Speed cameras are designed to be used outdoors on a sunny day.
In the distant past, however, someone thought that flashing in the sun is very stupid and very smart in the dark.
And even though we know that we won't get nice pictures with this, we still see this as the truth.
But outside you can get enchanting effects and control the light completely to your liking. You get picturesque pictures as Esther van der Heijden shows here during a workshop!!
Esther was also skeptical, but as a regular visitor to the studio she thought: I'm just going to try it. Maybe it's not my thing but then I tried.
After the workshop she exclaimed: this is really my thing!!
You can also go out with me on Friday afternoon. This time we're going to Amsterdam to take cool photos in the city with flashes.
Are you there? Then register very quickly:
https://shop.marcellogeerts.com/products/outdoor-flitsen-met-reportageflitser
2 comments
Wat is het toch jammer je niet dichterbij zit. ik wil graag leren hoe je foto,s moet maken met felle zon en dus ook schaduw. weet ik moet flitsen en soms lukt het me ook wel. maar wil van soms lukt het af wil kunnen leren hoe ze altijd geknipt moeten worden met felle zon
Wat is het toch jammer je niet dichterbij zit. ik wil graag leren hoe je foto,s moet maken met felle zon en dus ook schaduw. weet ik moet flitsen en soms lukt het me ook wel. maar wil van soms lukt het af wil kunnen leren hoe ze altijd geknipt moeten worden met felle zon