The last card on the table.

The_Traveler

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Every time I open a thread and see someone say, almost as a reflex, you needed 'fill light', I cringe a little. I hate the look of 99% of the pictures made with artificial light. Yes, perhaps the other 1% is terrific but, for me, introducing artificial light, particularly flash, means that I don't actually see the image but I'm hoping that the light I throw at the scene will be correct. And, the subject knows that there's going to be a brilliant flash and that immobilizes them a bit.

(Insert: I know someone will respond that experience people know how the light will look but my intuition tells me that people will know hiw it looks in certain way and so will try to make the scene fit one of those ways. Hence, portraits that are posed and thus lit alike)

I like just going along with the flow, taking the picture when I want, when it looks good to me.
I have a couple of Nikon flashes and only use them when I really have to but for my usual stuff, I just use whatever light is there.

So that was my stance and I thought I was in the tiny minority, just slightly less behind the with-it curve than the film guys, when I read this.

I bring lights every once in a while and do my best never to open the case. I consider it a retreat, the last card you want to put on the table. I just feel so much more inspired by the light that’s out there, if you just look and if you’re flexible enough to move around. I’m going to be shooting in this house tomorrow. I’ve got a little set up that I call the ACME lighting kit. It’s something straight out of a Road Runner cartoon. It’s like a hardware floodlight with a daylight bulb and a stand. That’s my idea of lighting.

.. Kurt Markus

My hero.
 
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Interesting. This should really be a fully on Photographic Discussion thread. There would be plenty of photographers who would be the opposite opinion thinking that the very last card on the table would be to not having any control of the light and just trying to capture with the light available.

I kind of agree with you in that I hate bringing lights unless I absolutely have to, but there's an entire group of strobists who will vehemently disagree with you.
 

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