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LinkedIn Learning

Photography Foundations: Flash

via LinkedIn Learning

Overview

Learn the concepts, tools, and techniques for lighting with flash—from improving built-in flash results to shooting with external and off-camera flash.

Harsh, unflattering lighting can ruin a photo—and with flash, it's easy to get harsh, unflattering lighting. But flash is a necessary part of a photographer's toolset—after all, the world doesn't always provide you with the best natural light. Fortunately, it isn't difficult to get great results from flash, and in this course, photographer, author, and teacher Ben Long details the concepts and techniques behind effective lighting with flash. Ben starts with the fundamentals, going over the anatomy of a flash and flash exposure. He shares tips for improving the results from a camera's built-in flash, and then focuses on creating great light with a handheld flash. The course also explores topics ranging from bouncing and syncing flash to shooting with one or more off-camera flash units.

Syllabus

Introduction
  • Learn the basics of flash photography
  • What is good flash lighting? Part 1
  • What is good flash lighting? Part 2
1. Lighting Roles
  • Roles: The key to understanding lighting
  • Key light
  • Fill light
  • Back light
2. Flash Anatomy and Exposure
  • Types of flashes
  • Anatomy of a flash
  • Flash range
  • Flash exposure
  • Flash sync speed
  • Automatic flash metering
  • Manual flash metering
3. Work with a Built-In Flash
  • Flash and shooting modes
  • Built-in flash as fill light
  • Fix backlight problems with fill flash
4. Handheld Flash
  • Communicating with a handheld flash
  • Set flash exposure manually
  • Position a key light
  • Set flash exposure with TTL
  • Change light source size with diffusion
  • Handheld flash as fill light
  • Handheld flash as backlight
  • Shoot with three flashes
5. Manipulate Ambient Light
  • Why photos look different with a flash
  • Control background brightness
  • Control background color with gels
  • Ratios
  • Slow sync flash
6. Fun Effects with Flash
  • Bounce flash to create a key light
  • Freeze motion
  • Silhouette effect
  • Deep depth of field
  • High-speed sync
Conclusion
  • What's next?

Taught by

Ben Long

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