Lessons
Class Introduction
06:17 2Defining Flash Photography
09:43 3Camera Setup: Metering
03:58 4Camera Setup: Exposure Mode
04:36 5Camera Setup: Flash Synchronization
06:35 6Camera Setup: Shutter Speed
10:00 7Camera Setup: Aperture
10:22 8Camera Setup: White Balance
10:53Flash Settings: TTL
07:52 10Flash Settings: Manual
06:03 11Flash Settings: TTL Flash Power
02:51 12Types of Flashes
03:10 13Philosophy of Single Flash
08:10 14Considerations for On-Camera Flash
11:44 15Shoot: Common Mistakes
14:03 16Shoot: Using Domes
21:41 17Shoot: Using Flash Benders
04:25 18Shoot: Snoots
04:26 19Shoot: Light Sphere
04:32 20Shoot: Event Photography
09:51 21Understanding TTL Cables
08:58 22Understanding Wireless Triggers
26:15 23Cable and Triggering Q&A
23:08 24Uses of Modifiers: Umbrellas
08:44 25Shoot: Using an Umbrella
27:08 26Shoot: Using a Softbox
31:11 27Shoot: Using an Octabox
06:01 28Shoot: Using a Beauty Dish
17:54Lesson Info
Camera Setup: Metering
Alright, well let's get in some more tech-y stuff here, some more technical stuff. I'm gonna grab my camera. And, I think for the studio, so they can look in here, it'll be easier if I put this on my tripod. What I want to talk about now is metering. So, we're gonna get in some technical metering stuff. So, all the Canons and Nikons and Fujis, and everybody else out there in Cameraland, they have metering modes, light metering modes, okay. And on the Nikon system, the metering mode button is typically right up here, there are three types of meters. Three types of light meters. There's matrix meter, center weighted meter, and spot meter. Okay, so, what should we use for flash? Well, the truth is, is that, the metering system for flash, almost always, regardless of which camera brand you're using, kind of uses a multi-pattern meter. So like, even if you're in spot meter, when the camera's trying to figure out the automatic flash exposure, it kinda looks at the whole frame. So, it's reall...
y using a multi-pattern meter for the flash. Even though, you might have chosen spot meter. That said, if you want your camera to be as automatic as possible, and to do most of the thinking for you, I recommend that you use matrix meter on the Nikon, on the Canon it's evaluative meter, you know, multi-pattern type meter. So, what I'll do, I'm just gonna turn on my info screen, here, and, can you guys see that? Okay, cool. So, then if I push this metering mode button, you can see down here, and I rotate with my thumb, you can see, I'm switching between the metering mode. So, that's matrix or pattern meter, this is the central weighted meter, and there's the spot. In general, my recommendation is that you use matrix metering. And, that's if you're gonna use, TTL flash. Now, I haven't use the term TTL yet, or I haven't defined it yet. But TTL stands for Through The Lens metering. Most flashes give you two options for metering. One is TTL, that's Through the Lens. And the other is manual. You know, manual flash output. There's a bunch of other stuff in there, and I'll talk about those later. But two that we really think through as photographers, are TTL, and manual mode, okay. So, if you want the camera again, to do most of the thinking for you, set the thing for matrix meter, and that will automate it as much as possible. Later today, I'm gonna talk about why TTL may not always be the best choice. In fact, some of you, have probably had bad experiences with TTL. In consistent experiences with TTL, and that's just the nature of the beast. So, I'm gonna show you how to wrangle TTL, and then also maybe how to go to the next step, which manual, old school. Alright, so cool, any questions about matrix? Anybody? Spot? So that's kinda the first step. You notice, just as a side note here, I'm starting my flash photography discussion, with the camera. And that's important. It's important that you get your camera settings nailed first. Once your camera's all set up for ISO and aperture, and shutter speed, and synchronization mode and all that, those eight or ten things that we have to get right here. Once that's set, then we start talking flash, then we start going through the flash settings. So, make that a habit of yours. Always start with the camera, and then over, afterwards, get into the flash and the flash settings.
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
Yasemin Soyen
First of all I am very happy to discover Creative Live and since then I learned, enjoyed many classes! This week for the first time I was in the live audience and their sincerity, hospitality made the experience even more valuable. About this class, it was a pleasure to meet Mike Hagen. Besides his wide knowledge, creative thinking and information sharing, he was a very humble, nice teacher, with great positive energy. Thanks everyone!
Mark
Fantastic course - Mike is an engaging and entertaining teacher and this course was just what I needed to start using my external flash with confidence. I have had my external flash for a few years but have rarely used it as mastering all the settings was daunting and the results I got were inconsistent. This excellent course changed all that and I'm having great fun taking much better shots with my flash. I highly recommend!
Candy Smith
This class was fantastic. Mike is excellent under pressure when things don't go perfectly, love his style and grace and how encouraging he is to his models, great mentor. I learned so much about using flash, and my pictures are so much better.
Student Work
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Lighting