When I coach other photographers or teach workshops, I hear over and over again how many of them struggle with flash. Long after they've mastered the use of natural light, many are scared and intimidated when low light situations force them to pull the dreaded, mysterious speedlight from their camera bags. Many photographers love shooting weddings but get bored when the reception comes around. They don't like their reception images and they rarely show them off as a result.
Confession: I used to be one of those photographers.
I hated my reception photos and was determined to improve. Today I love the unique challenge of making beautiful images like these with flash. I get jazzed when I'm able to capture the essence of the fun and celebratory nature of a reception and make images that are comparable to those I've shot throughout the day.
Confession: I used to be one of those photographers.
I hated my reception photos and was determined to improve. Today I love the unique challenge of making beautiful images like these with flash. I get jazzed when I'm able to capture the essence of the fun and celebratory nature of a reception and make images that are comparable to those I've shot throughout the day.
I'm a little different than some of the other photographers you will hear speak on this topic. I'm not a gear head. And I'm not techie. I don't live to try out the next best speedlight or flash modifier. I just want to make photos that I am proud of. So I've figured out the formula that works for me and allows me to do so.
I love shooting with off-camera flash (as the images in this post demonstrate), but before you master off-camera flash, you need to master on-camera flash. The basics are a fundamental foundation that you need to lay firmly before you can feel confident to build on it.
So if I was starting out shooting receptions with just a simple on-camera flash set-up, these are the three pieces of gear I couldn't live without:
1 -- Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite. I own two of these, but you could start with one. They have radio transmission built right in, so when you ARE ready to take on the challenge of off-camera flash, they will communicate without the need for pocket wizards or any other gizmos attached. And they fire EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Seriously brilliant.
2 -- MagMod Bounce. This simple-to-attach flash modifier transforms the light coming out of your flash from a harsh spotlight, to a more diffused, softer light.
3 -- Battery Pack. This battery pack attaches to your flash and helps it to recycle faster. When you are trying to capture fleeting moments and fast movements at a reception, you need to be able to fire off a slew of frames quickly and count on your flash to fire every time. This battery pack helps ensure that the perfect shot won't be black due to your flash not being ready to fire.
I love shooting with off-camera flash (as the images in this post demonstrate), but before you master off-camera flash, you need to master on-camera flash. The basics are a fundamental foundation that you need to lay firmly before you can feel confident to build on it.
So if I was starting out shooting receptions with just a simple on-camera flash set-up, these are the three pieces of gear I couldn't live without:
1 -- Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite. I own two of these, but you could start with one. They have radio transmission built right in, so when you ARE ready to take on the challenge of off-camera flash, they will communicate without the need for pocket wizards or any other gizmos attached. And they fire EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Seriously brilliant.
2 -- MagMod Bounce. This simple-to-attach flash modifier transforms the light coming out of your flash from a harsh spotlight, to a more diffused, softer light.
3 -- Battery Pack. This battery pack attaches to your flash and helps it to recycle faster. When you are trying to capture fleeting moments and fast movements at a reception, you need to be able to fire off a slew of frames quickly and count on your flash to fire every time. This battery pack helps ensure that the perfect shot won't be black due to your flash not being ready to fire.
That's it! Those are the 3 pieces of flash gear I couldn't live without at receptions. And together they form a great starter-kit for any new wedding photographer.
And here are the basics for how to get everything set up to create the magic:
Put your flash on top of your camera. Point it straight up. Add the MagBounce diffuser to the top. Hook the battery pack to your belt and plug it into your flash. Turn everything on and put your flash on ETTL. Take a photo in a low-light situation where your in-camera meter shows that according to your camera settings, you will be under-exposed. Notice that the flash puts out the amount of light it judges you need in order to correctly expose the scene.
Super-simple!
If you found this post helpful, and are interested in learning more, click here to opt-in for my free video series -- 6 Hacks to Eliminate Boring Low-Light Photos and Get You Creating Reception Images you LOVE! In it I share my best 6 tips for shooting with flash. If you are intimidated by flash and wanting to conquer it once and for all, this is a great place to start!
And here are the basics for how to get everything set up to create the magic:
Put your flash on top of your camera. Point it straight up. Add the MagBounce diffuser to the top. Hook the battery pack to your belt and plug it into your flash. Turn everything on and put your flash on ETTL. Take a photo in a low-light situation where your in-camera meter shows that according to your camera settings, you will be under-exposed. Notice that the flash puts out the amount of light it judges you need in order to correctly expose the scene.
Super-simple!
If you found this post helpful, and are interested in learning more, click here to opt-in for my free video series -- 6 Hacks to Eliminate Boring Low-Light Photos and Get You Creating Reception Images you LOVE! In it I share my best 6 tips for shooting with flash. If you are intimidated by flash and wanting to conquer it once and for all, this is a great place to start!
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