One of the main dilemmas faced by newer shooters is deciding which type of artificial light to invest in with a limited budget. The basic question is: What is the best bang for the buck that will help you grow the most? This month, I talk about the pros and cons about the two most common solutions to OCF shooting: speedlights versus mono strobe lights.

Many of the ShutterFest faithful have been telling me loud and clear that they need help with the basics of off-camera lighting. I’ve spent years cultivating studio and location skills ranging from simple one-light setups to complex multiple-light, large-crew productions, so I often assume everyone understands the basics. Clearly this isn’t the case. This month, let’s dig into the foundations and some basic techniques.

One of the most common statements I hear from shooters is: I can’t get my images to look the way I want. That statement can mean many things, ...

When I started in photography almost 20 years ago, photographing outdoors with natural light was an anomaly. Most photographers had retail studios and practiced traditional, classical posing and lighting.

I’m standing over a Colorado mountain precipice, caught in a sudden blizzard, 45 minutes from the nearest paved road. My fingers can no longer feel the camera they clutch. A mere black suit and white gown...

Flash is the perfect tool for freezing motion. Whether it’s speedlights or strobes, we’ve all seen this in practice, but there’s more than one way to freeze a cat. What if we wanted to repeatedly freeze...

The first time I attempted off-camera flash, I was working for one company and second shooting with another main photographer who was also fairly new to OCF.

As many of you know, I recently returned from a trip to Brazil. While there, I wanted to make sure I got some killer portraits. Wherever I go, I bring my travel kit, which consists of the standard camera,...

After several years of using a reflector outdoors, I began searching for more inspiration. Just like every other photographer just starting out, I knew the time had come for my business to tackle off-camera flash.

There’s always more than one way to solve a lighting problem. Last month we examined how to turn harsh midday sunlight into beautiful portrait light.