Why use an External Flash (Part 2)

I wanted to provide some additional information and example from my previous post.  Using an external flash has its pros and cons as with just about every other piece of equipment used in photography.  Another added benefit is that using an external flash during sunsets can allow you to capture the deeply saturated colors of the sky while capturing your subject at the same time.  Also by using the external flash, your shutter speed can be kept above 1/125 which will help keep the primary focal point (your subject) from being blurred and keeps it sharp.

I had the opportunity recently to have the lovely subject Kelly (above) that wanted to have some college graduation photos done and wanted some of them to be with the sunset.  Anyone that has been in El Paso knows that having a sky with any clouds is an unusual event and we were actually lucky enough to have had just a few.  I would have liked to have had more clouds so as to bring out more color, but in hindsight this was actually just the right amount so as to not distract attention away from the subject.

For photographers, understanding light is one, if not the most important aspect in photography to learn and understand.  It is not just knowing how to capture the light coming from the sun during the day, but it is also every aspect of lighting to include using an external flash.  I could have even gone further with the photo and used the external flash on a tripod just to the right of where I was standing, but with time of the essence while taking the photo which was only about five minutes total, I did not want to take that precious time away from the subject.  You have to know when to compromise and when not to.

I hope that I have given you something to think about when using an external flash and hope that you realize that you must be diverse enough to use all available resources in order to achieve the desired results for your clients.

As an additional note, after the client seen the final photo ordered many more prints for family members and friends which allowed me to gain a good profit from the photo session.  If you learn, you will eventually profit from your experience whether expecting to or not.  Until the next time, keep on practicing.

Raney