Good flash tutorial?

I have not done any shooting with flash yet (aside from a little fill flash for backlit subjects)

Is there a good tutorial to learn about flash use? Things like bounce flash and sync speed etc?

duckster wrote in post #18981558
I have not done any shooting with flash yet (aside from a little fill flash for backlit subjects)

Is there a good tutorial to learn about flash use? Things like bounce flash and sync speed etc?

YouTube.

Most importantly, get out and shoot. Learn from your shoots, Experiment. Never stop.

Shoot Every day. Reflectors, bounce, off camera ..... play.

Assuming you are using Canon hardware, Canon has some decent tutorials that range from the very basic (see https://snapshot.canon​-asia.com …sh-photography-in-9-steps) to the advanced (see https://cpn.canon-europe.com …e_most_from_spe​edlites.do). Depending on the specific Speedlight model, you might also be able to expand your knowledge. For the Speedlite 600EX-RT for instance, you can find some excellent content at https://www.usa.canon.​com …e-600EX-RT-with-Syl-Arena.

Thanks for that information

duckster wrote in post #18981863
Thanks for that information

Hi Duckster - which model flash do you own? There's a wealth of info here in addition to online tutorials and a lot of folks will be happy to offer tips.

John from PA wrote in post #18981859
Assuming you are using Canon hardware, Canon has some decent tutorials that range from the very basic (see https://snapshot.canon​-asia.com …sh-photography-in-9-steps) to the advanced (see https://cpn.canon-europe.com …e_most_from_spe​edlites.do). Depending on the specific Speedlight model, you might also be able to expand your knowledge. For the Speedlite 600EX-RT for instance, you can find some excellent content at https://www.usa.canon.​com …e-600EX-RT-with-Syl-Arena.

Excellent information above.
Also a great real book and e-Book to have is Syl Atena’a Speedliters Handbook 2. Great resource of how to see available light through adding a Speedlight to Off Camera and a vast array of modifiers and gels.
A recommend the book so much that I even have a copy of it in my pocket on my phone.

I do not have a flash yet, that is one of the things that I am needed education on as there are a lot of them out there!

duckster wrote in post #18981951
I do not have a flash yet, that is one of the things that I am needed education on as there are a lot of them out there!

Ah, you are in an ideal place then regarding your potential choices .

Whatever brand flash you purchase I would highly recommend a unit with a flash head that tilts and swivels. This will give you the ability to bounce the light off ceilings, walls and other objects which can greatly enhance many photos. Bouncing creates a larger and softer illumination surface for your subject. It's very easy to experiment with this technique and you'll be pleased with the results.

That is the one thing that I have figured out so far in my reading, if it doesn't tilt/swivel it won't really be much better than the built in flash. Some of the YouTube videos are nice for showing how to use bounce flash but I need to figure what I need and the settings and such, the stuff you need before even starting to shoot with it.

duckster wrote in post #18982392
That is the one thing that I have figured out so far in my reading, if it doesn't tilt/swivel it won't really be much better than the built in flash. Some of the YouTube videos are nice for showing how to use bounce flash but I need to figure what I need and the settings and such, the stuff you need before even starting to shoot with it.

There are some very good YouTube videos out there plus it will be easy to experiment on your own. Make sure that you get a flash that has full ETTL communication with the camera. That level of communication will enable both camera and flash to coordinate metering and light output.

And what does the flash need to be able to take shots faster than the normal sync? I shoot some sports events and would like to be able to use shutter speeds faster than 1/250

duckster wrote in post #18982450
And what does the flash need to be able to take shots faster than the normal sync? I shoot some sports events and would like to be able to use shutter speeds faster than 1/250

I put some links in here: Indoor Sports/Flash Photography
Just as a point of interest, it's possible to cheat the shutter sync speed a bit. You need to test your rig to see what's possible. Test images are in this one: Strobe sync @ 1/400: Pushing the limits.

duckster wrote in post #18982450
And what does the flash need to be able to take shots faster than the normal sync? I shoot some sports events and would like to be able to use shutter speeds faster than 1/250

Don't count on it. Faster-than-sync flash requires a feature called HSS. HSS is, in effect, a very fast strobe light. Regular flash gives you one burst of light per frame. HSS uses multiple bursts per frame, which quickly eats into available power, and cuts effective range. I don't recall the exact details, but the 580EX II is capable of HSS up to 1/8000 shutter speed. Even if shooting at ISO 3200, the max effective range is on the order of 10 feet. I'll set it up and report proper details in a minute.

Well, that was quick. Camera 80D. Flash 580EX II.
1/8000, f/5.6, ISO 3200. Max flash range is 12 feet.
1/2000, f/4, ISO 1600. Max flash range is 24 feet.

HSS is a bit more useful than I would have guessed. Be sure to carry a lot of batteries, though. At or near full-power output for every frame will kill them really quickly. And if you shoot quickly, the flash will overheat in about 20 frames.

Try Neil Can Niekerks tangents blog. He addresses the artistry of flash as much as he does the technical issues. Honestly just watch every you tube video on flash. You can learn from the bad ones as much as the good.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #18982461
I put some links in here: Indoor Sports/Flash Photography
Just as a point of interest, it's possible to cheat the shutter sync speed a bit. You need to test your rig to see what's possible. Test images are in this one: Strobe sync @ 1/400: Pushing the limits.

Thank you for the links