{"id":30698,"date":"2015-07-28T19:06:08","date_gmt":"2015-07-28T23:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/?p=30698"},"modified":"2024-01-22T00:50:55","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T04:50:55","slug":"how-to-position-off-camera-flash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/how-to-position-off-camera-flash\/","title":{"rendered":"How to position off-camera flash"},"content":{"rendered":"

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How to position off-camera flash<\/h1>\n

One of the most frequent (but easily corrected) mistakes I see when photographers use off-camera flash, is that they didn’t position the flash in relation to their subject. They simply place the flash to the side (and often at a too-extreme 90 degree angle from their own position), with the flash too low in height.<\/p>\n

Your subject’s pose and their position most often dictates how you should place the flash.<\/p>\n

We perhaps instinctively\u00a0expect a light source to come from above somewhere, because that is where the sun is, or the light is coming from a clouded sky. Even with window light as used in paintings, the light source is slightly higher than the subject. Hence we get the light patterns which are standards in photography lighting – loop lighting and butterfly lighting. In other words, the light comes from somewhat above.<\/p>\n

With this in mind, it is always a good idea to have your flash or additional light source placed higher than your subject.<\/p>\n

Where exactly, and how high, will depend on your subject. Looking at this example of dancer, Anna Russell, in mid-leap – we can compare the photos where the flash was too low, and where the flash (as in the main photo above), is placed more correctly in relation to her position and movement.<\/p>\n

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My brave assistant, Jessica, holding the Profoto B1 up on a monopod. For this, it really needs to be a tall monopod such as the\u00a0Lastolite LS2453 monopod<\/a>\u00a0(affiliate<\/em>). Another option I use is the more expensive, but sturdier,\u00a075″\u00a0tall Gitzo monopod<\/a>\u00a0(affiliate<\/em>).<\/p>\n

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With the flash\u00a0held as if for a more normal portrait, the light came from too low an angle when Anna leaped up in the air.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Direction<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>
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Direction & Quality of Light<\/h2>\n

I wanted to distill the essence of what we, as photographers, work with – light! Before we can truly grasp on-camera flash and off-camera flash, and really, any kind of photography, we have to be aware of the direction and quality of light. We need to observe the light that we have, and then decide how best to use it, or enhance it.<\/p>\n

With this book, I try my best to share those \u201caha!\u201d moments with you, and I do believe this book can make a difference to your photography.<\/p>\n

The book is available on\u00a0Amazon USA<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Amazon UK<\/a><\/strong>, or can be ordered through Barnes & Nobles and other bookstores. The book\u00a0is also available on the Apple iBook Store, as well as Amazon Kindle.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>

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This cropped image will show how the shadow of Anna’s nose is higher than her nose itself, and starts to cast a shadow over her eye. This really isn’t good.\u00a0It’s now starting to look like horror movie lighting – light from below. You can see similarly bad examples if you have the bright idea to bounce flash off the floor to light your subject from below.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, all this is\u00a0avoidable, by holding the light at a subject-appropriate height.<\/p>\n

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The difference between the lighting here, and the more appropriate lighting, is clear.<\/p>\n

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Camera settings & photo gear (or equivalents)\u00a0used<\/h2>\n