Flash photos

[paigew]

As for my 'credentials', I have a speedlight, and have watched neil van niekerk webinar about it. I experiment with it, but not nearly as much as I would like to. I have gotten shots I love that I couldn't have gotten without it. Are those my favorite photographs...no. I am excited to learn studio lighting in the future but I do not think it should be the first thing you learn.

Cool.. but I made my living with for about seven years... little bit of difference there! 90 percent of the shots I take have flash... I don't use it on landscapes for hopefully obvious reasons!

charlie, that obviously wasn't a brag about my mad flash skills. Congrats to you for 'making your living' by using flash. Can I see some of your newborn/baby/toddler shots since that is what the op is wanting to shoot?

 

[MLeeK]

What does it really matter if Charlie has newborn pics or not? We know from everything he does with flash and shows here regularly that he has the skill with flash to shoot anything. A newborn is incredibly simple compared to much of his lighting work

 

[paigew]

What does it really matter if Charlie has newborn pics or not? We know from everything he does with flash and shows here regularly that he has the skill with flash to shoot anything. A newborn is incredibly simple compared to much of his lighting work

I am not saying that charlie doesn't know how to use flash. I love this forum and how people put words into other people's mouths. I have multiple times for my own learning asked people to post their best flash portraits and have gotten barely any replies. What I have seen isn't my favorite work; it all looks artificially lit. So if I can be proved wrong and converted to a flash loving photographer then go for it! Show me what you got. That is all I'm saying. I personally rarely like the look of flash and when I do like flash it is from a very experienced photographer. Not a newbie with a 50mm 1.8 shooting at 1.8.

 

[MLeeK]

As for my 'credentials', I have a speedlight, and have watched neil van niekerk webinar about it. I experiment with it, but not nearly as much as I would like to. I have gotten shots I love that I couldn't have gotten without it. Are those my favorite photographs...no. I am excited to learn studio lighting in the future but I do not think it should be the first thing you learn.

Cool.. but I made my living with for about seven years... little bit of difference there! 90 percent of the shots I take have flash... I don't use it on landscapes for hopefully obvious reasons!

charlie, that obviously wasn't a brag about my mad flash skills. Congrats to you for 'making your living' by using flash. Can I see some of your newborn/baby/toddler shots since that is what the op is wanting to shoot?

Where did I put words into your mouth?

 

[rexbobcat]

I am not saying that charlie doesn't know how to use flash. I love this forum and how people put words into other people's mouths. I have multiple times for my own learning asked people to post their best flash portraits and have gotten barely any replies. What I have seen isn't my favorite work; it all looks artificially lit. So if I can be proved wrong and converted to a flash loving photographer then go for it! Show me what you got. That is all I'm saying. I personally rarely like the look of flash and when I do like flash it is from a very experienced photographer. Not a newbie with a 50mm 1.8 shooting at 1.8.

Shoot natural light then. It's limited but if that's the look you like then, um, okay, go for it.

 

[Stradawhovious]

Personally, I put off learning how to use a flash for the same reason lots of "natural light only" photographers do. I was scared of it. Now, in hindsight, I'm kicking myself for all the opportunities I missed. Do I shoot with artificial lighting all the time? Nope, but I do when I can because I feel I get a much better result. Especially when used in conjunction with ambient.

YMMV of course.

At any rate, to the OP and Mom to be (congrats by the way) A speedlight, a lightstand, an umbrella and a reflector can be your best friend in the whole world once you get the basics down. They can also be thrown into a corner and set up in a moment's notice when you would otherwise have to wait 24 hours for the sun. Learn the basics, have fun, and take a hundred thousand photos of your baby.

 

[paigew]

Where did I put words into your mouth?

okay you got me. I went a little overboard .

Anyway it doesn't matter. I am just trying to prove a point to the OP that there are plenty of extremely talented photographers (even ones specializing in newborns) that mainly use natural light. You do not need flash. You can get gorgeous photos without it if you learn how to use your camera. Why is everyone so against natural light?? That is what I want to know.

 

[paigew]

Shoot natural light then. It's limited but if that's the look you like then, um, okay, go for it.

Its not that at all. I want to love flash. I want it to look natural. I am not anti-artificial light mwac. People say it can be done to look natural, and that I am doing things wrong but I have yet to see any perfect examples to learn from.

 

[Stradawhovious]

Its not that at all. I want to love flash.

Then learn how to use it. It will never look natural if you keep it mounted to the camera.

 

[paigew]

Its not that at all. I want to love flash.

Then learn how to use it. It will never look natural if you keep it mounted to the camera.

I plan to. But (my point) I want to master my basics first. Not master flash and not know anything about composition, or camera settings. Crawl before you walk people.

 

[Mach0]

Regardless of flash or ambient lighting, if you want your newborn pics to look good, you better start practicing. I personally like flash. You can modify it, control it's output, placement, and aren't limited by the perfect hour of ambient light. Ambient light can make some amazing photos as can flash. If you go with flash, go with one flash, and try to learn that. If you want to go the ambient route, hopefully your child is on the same cycle as when you plan to shoot so that the baby is cooperative. Of course, if you have tons of time, you can play the waiting game with your newborn and the sun.
Good luck and post pics! Kids are fun!

 

[Stradawhovious]

I plan to. But (my point) I want to master my basics first. Not master flash and not know anything about composition, or camera settings. Crawl before you walk people.

I hate to break it to you, but learning about light is the basics. along with the exposure triangle and composition, etc.

Light is easier to learn about it when you can control it.

 

[MTVision]

I plan to. But (my point) I want to master my basics first. Not master flash and not know anything about composition, or camera settings. Crawl before you walk people.

I doubt there is time to master anything before the newborn comes - in another thread the OP said his wife was due in a week!!

A little off-topic but please....please...don't just try to attempt any ole newborn pose that you've seen online. A lot of people don't realize that a lot of the "popular" newborn photos are composites - like the head in hands pose. I'm assuming you already know this...newborn safety should always come first.

 

[paigew]

I plan to. But (my point) I want to master my basics first. Not master flash and not know anything about composition, or camera settings. Crawl before you walk people.

I hate to break it to you, but learning about light is the basics. along with the exposure triangle and composition, etc.

Light is easier to learn about it when you can control it.

okay but what about when you can't control it?? Then what happens is you don't know how to take a photo in difficult lighting situation and you miss the shot.

anyway I am not going to argue anymore. I had (have) a simple point and suggestion to the op. It wasn't meant to turn into a battle of the wills or whatever. Fine learn flash by the time your baby comes, good luck to you. I am sure you will love any images you take of your sweet baby anyway.

 

[Stradawhovious]

okay but what about when you can't control it??

That's why it's important to understand it. Try to keep up.


Anywhooo, to the OP...... Whatever you do, have fun doing it. And keep the questions coming! There are a whole bunch of folks willing to help. All you need to do is decide what advice best for you, since some of it will (obviously) be conflicting.