Basic Flash Portrait Photography Tips

[morloff]

Did you use a tripod on any of these shots?

[WESTWOODBEATS]

love you guys but come on man its not BOKA its BOKEH lol :)

[Amcacs5654]

Who the hell is this guy?

[silveraven1]

why did you shoot that third photo at 300mm as opposed to a %0mm to 105mm?

[d4t4wx]

3.28ft to a Metre dude. 85+ feet.

[martybop]

Good video and to the point. Well broken down. Easy to understand. I got a lot from this. Thank you very much. :-)

[LongshanksSid]

I've watched loads of portrait vids and been so frustrated by how people like to show off their camera's instead of just getting to the point, on the other hand this vids a lot better it shows you the main things you need to know and gives term names as well as little tip bits, well done man and thank you

[dangerouskva]

Hi, I am a beginner with photography... I already think I would have had a few better pics had i had a Flash in hand. What kind of Flash set up to start off with. I mainly shoot outdoor. If my question makes any sense, please suggest something. BTW, I seriously have a very small budget as well :(

[hitrelease]

@dangerouskva you might wanna look into the yongnuo flashes for starters. The yn460 is around $45, and the yn560 is a kind of cheap alternative to the 580ex going for $70. You can always look for cheap speedlights on ebay too.

[julien41guitar]

Hi, did you use ND filters for these photos or do you make sure you can use shutter speeds within the flash sync speed of the camera? Thanks

[khepow]

Heya, thanks heaps for this extremely useful tutorial and great explanation. It truly opened my eyes on what I really should spend my money on. BTW, you take great photos, keep it up.

[somoneac26]

Thank you, great toturial video. I've learnt a lot from this...

[Amac58605860]

Love the teaching style, man. Perfect for me. Thanks for the video! Amac

[thebenromeo]

Arent you Seth Rogen?

[sharagim1]

you choose easy background, how about outdoor white backgorund like harsh light of white sky?

do you have any sample of that?

[machobo1]

Why would CLS work on the fourth (family) shot? I've seen tests of the CLS working at 150 feet or more.

[SHAUNDAYSH]

I assume that you have raised the ISO so you can get the shutter speed up to shoot freehand ? How have you managed the noise in the photos ? Because I could not see any lol

[4DSquad]

Greg, I noticed all but one of your photos you shot at ISO above 200. Can you speak to that, I'm always trying to shoot at 200 f > 4 for sharper images. Your shots at 2.8 look great.

[handymanforever69]

Greg or Jared what flash u recommend for D7000? ty

[glassonglassyumyum]

The band Walk Off The Earth did there entire music video for the song Money Tree using still photography a IPhone and the Hipstimatic app.. It's awesome!.

[audiosierra]

@glassonglassyumyum , innovative video. Very nice music.

[aidanhill]

Greg, loving your work! I hear your going to do a whole series of these, brilliant. One question. Thinking of getting a Speedlight, but which one? SB-600, 700, 800 or SB-900? Which are good value for money? Was thinking either 600-700 but welcome your opinion.

[gregorycazillo]

@aidanhill 700 or 900.  They are easier to use.

[KatakiUchiha]

Very nice photos. Those first three or so were exceptional!

[paulust2002]

can i ask why you would use such fast iso's for portraits? Is it a habit when you use full frame or is it worth it just for sharp shots.

[lenoat702]

PC FOREVER!!!

[tmlim526]

There's a good chance the Nikon CLS would work at that distance. See Dom Bower's video called Nikon sb900 + sb800 flash distance test

[ithree6mafia]

not really a big deal but you guys should use a camera that is more reasonable in price range, because the d3s certainly is not, and i dont know which person with a d3s would watch this video which is entitled "basic flash portrait". more like a d7000 is reasonable. other that that awesome job!

[gregorycazillo]

@ithree6mafia Its not about the camera, rather the techniques. Yes I use a D3s but anyone can take the same photos.

[ithree6mafia]

@gregorycazillo yes i know about the techniques. but im sure the d3s picture look way better than a d40.

[afterdesign]

I have 2 question.

First what kind softbox/umbrella are you using ? Are you using a tripod with sb-900 and umbrella/softbox or something else ?

And second. I have sb-600 and i'm thinking about sb-700 as a second lamp (not to replace sb-600) and trying to get fun with 2 lamps. Is it good idea or should i buy some stuff like umbrella and try shooting with them ?

Thanx for any tips and keep up the good work !

[gregorycazillo]

@afterdesign Having a second strobe is always fun ;). Umbrellas and other modifiers are not too expensive, just buy one here and there.

[HokieFanatic1]

are you kidding your starting to put advertisements on your videos in the beginning...

[peely64]

Excellent, I hope you stay on this subject for at least the next vid, one of the best yet.

Thanks

[AlTyler138]

Very nice, cant wait for the rest of these. I hope you go a bit into detail about exposing for the flash. I have just started messing with my flash and get a alright exposure but most of the whites are blown.

[simbles1]

what version of lightroom are you using?

[gregorycazillo]

@simbles1 Lightroom 3.3 at the time of recording.

[rokoksejuk]

Hi Greg. Loved the series so far. Hope in your next series you will explain the types of flash modes and how to use them... Thanks a lot man :D

[Xndingo11]

ur not pronouncing bokeh correct...

[cgrs2501]

you are saying it wrong... it's not bokah... it is bokeh. See wiki for bokeh.

[aidanhill]

What flash would you recommend for a D7000 on a budget?

[OceanCold]

@aidanhill Nikon SB 600. I have 4 of them and I use them as studio lights with Lithium batteries. They do the job just fine, and the pay is good! Look up "prophotolife episode 13" and see all the things you can do with one flash. The D7000 has a wireless control for the SB 600. Contact me when you have more than one.

[HelloChello33]

im just wondering.

i have the 550D and ive got the twin kit lense set.

Im thinking about either gettng a 50 mm lensee or a flash... or anything to improve my photography...

what would you suggest??

[ruckowner]

This is a great start to the series, never knew how a flash can change so much being off camera. Can you do a lot of those effects with a SB series flash on a stand? I hope you guys go into equipment and what works for different budgets. I love to get a couple of SB flashes and an umberla/stand setup. Thanks again Greg, keep up the great work! You to Jared....

[actablecause]

Wish you could have let us know what you were using for each photo. Umbrella, softbox, etc.

[miguel2wwe]

some on camera flash tips would be nice. you know maybe modifiers on camera flash(bounce card,lightsphere)

[almubeeb]

It's great to see how much Greg cares about the subtleties of the light. Fantastic control!!

[lambadf]

what lens would you reccomend for wider angles for under about $175

[redman68au]

thanks greg! always great info and easy to understand!, Im a big fan of the big man! cant wait for the hands on tutorials. cheers mate

[hewlettorama]

Great video, Greg!!

[Corgan3underscores]

how to control the flash "off camera"? o.O' do you mount them on tripods?

[gregorycazillo]

@Corgan3underscores I use light stands.

[Corgan3underscores]

@gregorycazillo yes, I'm sorry I would mean stands instead of tripods. Anyway: I'm trying to set up a basic light "studio scenario" (indoor and outdoor) because a I want to realize a couple of image that I have in mind. BUT I can't find nothing understandable about portable light. I think I have to look to cotinuous light (I can't manage flash at the moment) with umbrella/reflective panel (if I find an assistant) for what I'm trying to do, the problem is on portable batteries. Do they exist?

[gregorycazillo]

@Corgan3underscores I've never used continuous light so I'm the wrong person to ask, sorry.

[Corgan3underscores]

@gregorycazillo thanks anyway!

[spideyheidi]

this was great ! thank you for the information and for taking the time to create the video x

[LEXPIX]

Nice vid Greg.

[funkymoz]

Great stuff, Greg.

I'm wondering (and hoping to see future videos on) is also around setting up the flashes in the shots. Are the umbrellas, like, right outside the picture in some cases? Or several meters away? And how did you direct that narrow softbox in the first picture? Just gut feeling and then start shooting or, bye pressing the test button *flashflashflashflash* while still angeling in it up, etc?

Looking forward to the follow up vids! :-)

[gregorycazillo]

@funkymoz Sorry I don't understand your questions, ask me in the FKP Forum.

[deadkennedys909]

Greg or Jared, I wanna put a wireless flash trigger for my d60 and my sb600. What would you guys reccomend for that set up? Should I get a ttl cable first? Or go wireless from the start?

And Greg! Show us whats in your flash bag :) Lets see all your flash equipment!

[gregorycazillo]

@deadkennedys909 You should buy a Sb-700, 800 or 900 then you can control the SB-600 remotely.

[Acidrain1993]

THANK YOU SO MUCH Greg for this great video! I'm pretty new to photography and I'll take all the help I can get concerning flash. It's a very confusing subject for me. Also, what was that video you were talking about? The one about bokeh and how your distance from the subject affects it?

[aalborg82]

Great video. I just have one thing to add.... Get a new webcam Greg! ;-)

[johanneswingerlang]

Great video Greg! Love talks like this.

[Giorgosm10]

Great tutorial Greg!! :)

[johnny48166]

What flash units are you using ?

[gregorycazillo]

@johnny48166 A lot of them.....a few of the Nikon Speedlights, White Lighting monolights as well as Quantum T2 series portable units.

[aadiflesher]

You shoot RAW... but how do you save your pictures after you edit them in Lightroom? I shoot RAW too and after everything in Lightroom I save mine JEPG at 100 quality.

[gregorycazillo]

@aadiflesher Why would you save two copies of your photos? Just save one copy (RAW file) then export as needed. The extra set of files takes up too much hard drive space.

[aadiflesher]

@gregorycazillo I don t think I got it .... So what do you do with your RAW file after you edit it?

Sorry if it is a stupid question...

[gregorycazillo]

@aadiflesher Export a copy when I need it. If for prints or web, etc. Then delete those jpegs after I am done with them. I don't archive more than one copy of an image.

[aadiflesher]

@gregorycazillo ok, thanks. I got it with Lightroom now. But what do I do if I have to put in Photoshop? How do I get it out of there. What file format i mean :) I really want to have good quality photos, that is why I m asking all of this silly things. I hope it s ok. And thank you. Love your videos and your work!

[gregorycazillo]

@aadiflesher Use a PSD file.

[piebekoster]

Super tutorial, very handy

I've been doing some portrait photography myself and I wonder: how do you set up your light? Do you place you model and just have them standing on a spot, while you are getting the light right or do you do this before the shoot?

thanks in advance

[gregorycazillo]

@piebekoster Depends on the situation...

[MMMLANAAA]

Can you make a video on shooting though an umbrella?

[gregorycazillo]

@MMMLANAAA Don't worry its all coming...be patient!

[rhowell5]

He Greg, awesome tutorial!! Great timing too, cause off camera flash is what I'm experimenting with right now. Quick question, I know you said that you used a snoot for the last picture, but because the background was blacked out, would that be considered a Low Key photograph? It would be great if you guys could explain that in an up cumming tutorial. Thanks and keep up the great work!!

[gregorycazillo]

@rhowell5 Yes the Nikon Family photo is definitely low-key.

[radarbeam]

Greg,

Very cool photos, thanks for sharing. Any chance we could get a tutorial on off-camera flash photography, how to set it up, what's needed ...ect?

Thanks

[chinmayfun]

hey JaredPolin, appreciate the instant response..... excited for the upcoming videos....

[lopezae33]

the flash series is cool! 

[drtydzn12]

am i the only one that thinks greg says bokeh weird?

[chinmayfun]

Would have liked to see actual photography....

Just a photo description is kind of difficult for begginers to imagine...

Thanks it did give a lot of info, its just that it could have been better

[JaredPolin]

@chinmayfun This is a series and its just the begging. This is on ongoing thing and there will be plenty of information this is just setting it all up so be patient.

[gregorycazillo]

@chinmayfun Its all coming, please be patient.

[IDAlecious]

does greg have a flickr?

[gregorycazillo]

@IDAlecious flickr . com / cazillo

[filipeali]

Beautiful photos Greg!!

[gregorycazillo]

@filipeali Thanks!

[MrJubblegum]

Thank you Greg !

[rundatrack]

Wonderful lesson.  Greatly appreciated.

[js091402]

Great video Greg! These lighting/flash videos are what I've been hoping for. What would be great is to see you actually setting up for a shoot and explain a little more about the placement and effect on the photos. Thanks again for these vids!

[gregorycazillo]

@js091402 Its all coming...stay tuned.

[littIewaynesmith]

Some beautiful photos, Greg, and great advice too.

One question; I notice in your Lightroom Metadata/Exif info for your photos, you had a "subject distance" value. I can't seem to get this too appear in my version of Lightroom (3.3 / camera raw 6.3). Do you have any idea why that is?

[gregorycazillo]

@littIewaynesmith In the lightroom library module in the right panel you see the area marked metadata. Just to the left of the word metadata you will see a drop down menu probably marked as default. Choose one of the other options to show more/less data.

[trongs01]

epiphany => revelation?

[gregorycazillo]

@trongs01 Yeah that fits better!

[trongs01]

@gregorycazillo love these lighting vids, greg. keep them coming!

[boommattboom]

what lens would you recommend for a budget of about £50 which is about $70?

[shonasam840]

@boommattboom What kinda photography you do..??

[JaredPolin]

@boommattboom i would say a used 50 1.8 from somewhere would be the only one in that price range.

[irue12]

@JaredPolin

the 50mm 1.8 is a awsome lens for its price

[cinexstudios]

@boommattboom i'd say go with a Nikkor 50mm, F1.8 lens - like Jared suggested - its a good lens and you can use it in a lot of situations you'll come across.. and very good for portraits and the like - and its priced around the pricerange you're looking for in a lens :) cheers

[maxdenhaag]

the dog is the pack leader

:D