Maybe not for home décor or craft photos, but flash can really help create a nice portrait photo. I use an external flash. The Canon 580ex ii to be exact.
Direct flash is harsh and ugly, but with my Better Bounce Card my flash works really well.
I didn’t get a free one or paid to say that. I just like to pass along things that I think work.
I have made friends with another photographer and we get together and practice photography and help each other. She really doesn’t need my help. She is awesome. She uses off camera flash with soft boxes. One day I will be proficient with it as well. I needed a new profile pic for my photography business. We spent too much time talking and had to take our photos without any sunlight. That’s the beauty of flash. You can still get good portraits. Wanna see mine?
I am NOT photogenic. I have a crooked sill smile and have no idea how to pose, so I was really pleased she got such a good pic of me.
By the time I took her pic it was so dark my camera couldn’t find her and focus on her so I had to switch to manual focus. It worked like a charm. Don’t be afraid to use it. Try it and get comfortable with it because you never know when you will have to use it.
Here is the photo I got of her using my flash and my diffuser in the dark. There was a street light and porch light so it was not completely dark, but dark enough.
We are going to do some fall photos of each other too and use plenty of sun next time.
I also bought a really big reflector. It’s another way to get light on your subjects. You need light in the eyes or your subject just doesn’t look as good.
Izzy had to be my model. I reflected light onto the side of her away from the window.
I just love an Izzy photo.
Here is how I used the reflector.
I clamped the reflector to a stand that I have. I don’t think I like the gold side. I really prefer the white or silver.
What do you do when you need extra light in your photo?
