No one likes my flash photography

[LCLimages]

In summary - One light doesn't cut it these days, which is why pro photographers do portrait shots with 5 or more lights - main, fill, hair, accent (kicker), rim, background.

Rankin shoots a lot with one light, the best used to shoot with just one

I shoot with one light. Granted, it's in a 48" octobox, but it's just one speedlight camera left. I have a narrow window in my studio room, camera right, that acts nicely as a fill sometimes. Does that count as 2 lights?

 

[D-B-J]

One light doesn't need to be harsh. As others have said, the lighting doesn't fit the model. Mind showing us one of your popular natural light photos? Maybe you're just significantly better with natural light!

 

[photoguy99]

Wait, what. Could someone PLEASE tell me if one light has to be harsh, maybe with some samples?

TIA

 

[pixmedic]

one speedlight, 42" brolly.

DSC_2013_2001 by pixmedic, on Flickr

 

[tirediron]

Can I play too?

Single speedlight driving a 50" SB
(oh yeah, and this thread is six months old)

 

[pgriz]

(oh yeah, and this thread is six months old)

Not anymore, it ain't.

 

[KmH]

I do agree about the Instagram-look that is so popular today. Man, I just hate hate hate it!! But it seems to be the standard for so many in the online world.

Moo!

 

[Kawaracer]

In summary - One light doesn't cut it these days, which is why pro photographers do portrait shots with 5 or more lights - main, fill, hair, accent (kicker), rim, background.

My view, there is only one sun so why should there be more then one light, and on a recent workshop portraits without studio that was confirmed by the teacher. Of course for advertisments and so on they use al those lights. For naturaly looking pics you only need one light