Portrait Photography Using Flash for Beginners

Beginner Photography  •  Flash Photography  •  Photography Tips  •  Portrait Photography

As beginner photographers, the concept of using flash when working outside in broad daylight may sound a little confusing. After all, why would you need additional light when you have ample light available? However, it’s important to understand that a flash is used not only to add light but also to add character to the image. Now, this does not mean you can simply start popping the flash everywhere; it helps if you understand what a flash can do and how to use it effectively. So to help you out, we have professional wedding photographer Vanessa Joy with Adorama who’s sharing some interesting tips and tricks to help beginners take fantastic portraits using flash:

“Flash is not just about adding more light to the photo. It’s about molding the light to your photo.”

Joy showcases some interesting examples of how using a flash even when outside can help elevate the photo to the next level. As she demonstrates, sometimes the image may appear unnatural due to the added light. You can remedy that by either using the built-in diffuser in the speedlight or by using a white card. If there’s a white wall around, you can reflect light off of it as well for an even softer light.

Using a flash when taking portraits also has other advantages. For instance, it fills the subject’s eyes and makes them pop. And if the subject has dark circles and wrinkles, the light from the flash fills them up too.

If you have a flash lying around and are afraid to use it, or if you’re thinking of getting yourself one, be sure to follow these tips. This will be a great way to improve your portrait photography further.