A Beginner's Guide to Lighting Outdoor Portraits With Flash

Flash can feel a bit daunting to photographers who have not used it before, particularly when you take it outside and have to learn to balance it with the sun. You will find it a lot easier if you master a few fundamental concepts first, and it will make you a far more versatile portrait photographer. If you are ready to start learning, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know. 

Coming to you from Koldunov Brothers, this excellent video tutorial will show you how to use flash to light outdoor portraits. The beauty of learning to use flash outdoors is that you are no longer tied to the timing and direction of the sun, and you are free to shoot whenever and however you want. This allows you to do some rather creative things, such as placing a dramatic sunset behind your subject, then balancing the exposure by lighting the person with the flash, allowing you to avoid having to make massive adjustments in post that would degrade image quality. Check out the video above for the full rundown. 

If you would like to continue learning about how to light a portrait, be sure to check out "Illuminating The Face: Lighting for Headshots and Portraits With Peter Hurley!"

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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