The main principle in lighting is the bigger the light source the softer the light on your subject. If your light is direct from the camera it becomes flat and unflattering. But if we were to bounce the light source off a wall, ceiling, reflector or maybe use it off camera with a soft box, a whole new world of possibilities open up for the photographer. This is the main advantages of the speedlight over the use of the direct on-camera flash, flexibility!
You have more power and with a longer battery life; speedlights have a much further reach than your built in flash and the functionality of using long life rechargeable batteries or battery packs. You have the versatility to swivel the flash head so you can direct the light where you wish to enhance the ambient light rather than replace it.
They can be used off-camera with attachments fitted to it such as a soft box or snoot which help to shape and soften the light. You can setup a makeshift studio with several speedlights and radio triggers. On the last studio photography course we did at Seaham Hall hotel we showed students how to create a highlight background (white background) by just using speedlights.
The below picture was taken on our Wedding Masterclass Photography Course at Seaham Hall, using off-camera flash and a purple gel. So much can be achieved with such a small piece of portable kit, all you need is the kit and the know-how.
Which flash should I buy? Like all things photography related there is a wide range of flashguns on the market all with variable degrees of functionality and obviously this comes with a variation on price. Two factors should influence your decision; firstly the power of the flash as this is going to determine how well you can bounce the flash. Secondly to what degree can you swivel the flash head; some speedlights just allow you to swivel up and down but ideally you want to be able to swivel from left to right for maximum flexibility. There are plenty of 3rd party speedlights on the market but I would always recommend buying the same make as your DSLR, if you were to use a very cheap 3rd party flash unit the chances are you would only end up buying a better one later anyway.
If you would like to learn how to use your speedlight more effectively then why don’t you attend our Photography Course using Flash at Seaham Hall?
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| Off-Camera flash with Purple Gel Photograph by Going Digital North East Student Alan Jervis |
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