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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Impossible Task? Learning To Use A Flash In 3 Months.
Bryan Thomas, Photographer, Student/Intern
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 1:53 PM on 06.24.09 |
->> Hello all.
First and foremost, nice to meet all of you. I just became a member yesterday and this is my inaugural post on the message boards. Hopefully, it won't be my last.
That said, over the course of this summer, I have some free time and, in the next few months, I was hoping to teach myself how to use a flash better. I'm only moderately familiar with using a flash but, by the end of the summer, I was hoping to be familiar enough that I didn't feel dumb purchasing a new flash that I knew I was going to be using proficiently (and appropriately).
Therefore, does anyone know of any good books that helped them learn? I'm beginning grad school in the fall, so I'm holding off from taking any courses (although, the ICP in New York has been wonderful to me) and trying to do it on my own. Or, is this task to daunting and should I just wait for this fall?
Thanks for your help,
Bryan Thomas
bryanthomasphoto.com |
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George Bridges, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | USA | Posted: 1:57 PM on 06.24.09 |
->> Get Joe McNally's DVDs on lighting with camera strobes.
He uses Nikon and a lot of what he does is specific the CLS but as far as placement, gels, gobos, etc. it goes for any flash.
Too bad you are asking now. He's doing a workshop right now in NY and I think has one coming up at Adorama one night. Check their site now to see if spaces are still available. |
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Kevin Novak, Photographer, Assistant
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Bel Air (Baltimore) | MD | USA | Posted: 2:01 PM on 06.24.09 |
->> Bryan,
Welcome to SS!
I'd start here, first, http://strobist.blogspot.com/ and then read anything you can by Joe McNally.
Kevin |
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Bastian Ehl, Photographer
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Magdeburg | _ | Germany | Posted: 2:03 PM on 06.24.09 |
->> Joe McNallys books rock.
Beside, take a look at:
Minimalist Lighting - by Kirk Tuck
Secrets of lighting on location - by Bob Krist |
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Philip Johnson, Photographer
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Garland | TX | USA | Posted: 2:11 PM on 06.24.09 |
| ->> I'll second the Stobist website. They have great assignments for you to different things anbd you can see what others have done. |
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Adam Vogler, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Kansas City | Mo. | USA | Posted: 2:13 PM on 06.24.09 |
| ->> Another vote for Strobist and McNally. |
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Robert Hanashiro, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | | Posted: 2:16 PM on 06.24.09 |
->> Buy "Hot Shoe Diaries" from Joe McNally ...then go out and shoot.
A lot.
Evaluate what you shot with a very critical eye.
Then do it again.
There is no better learning experience than shooting and seeing for yourself what works and what doesn't.
Another way to learn is to observe a good photographers' shoot.
Good luck. |
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Darren Whitley, Photographer
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Maryville | MO | USA | Posted: 2:21 PM on 06.24.09 |
| ->> All the suggestions here are valid. Strobist has been very influential for me. Don't look elsewhere. Dig deep into Strobist and the corresponding Flickr.com pool of images. Pay close attention to the cheap solutions as you're on a budget. Cheap and effective has to be your method of operation while in college. |
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Robert Hanashiro, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | | Posted: 4:05 PM on 06.24.09 |
->> One last suggestion from me:
Look at Roberto Seale's work for inspiration.
'Nuff Said! |
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Jeff Mangum, Photographer
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Bullhead City | AZ | | Posted: 4:39 PM on 06.24.09 |
->> Start here.
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html
Go through all the lighting 101 and actually take pictures with the techniques, harass your freinds and neighbors.
Like everyone else said study other photographers, try to emulate there shots(just for learning, not for using).
The photogs they listed are among the best |
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Bryan Thomas, Photographer, Student/Intern
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 11:31 PM on 06.24.09 |
->> Excellent.
Strobist.Blogspot.com is locked, loaded, and ready to be used (hopefully daily) this summer. Not to mention the trips to Amazon.com I'm going to have to make.
Looking forward to figuring this all out.
Thanks. |
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Kevin Seale, Photographer
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Crawfordsville | IN | United States | Posted: 11:42 PM on 06.24.09 |
| ->> Strobist.com has been extremely helpful for me. I think you will like it. Another book I would suggest is Light Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting. |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 9:34 AM on 06.25.09 |
->> Dg28.com - Neil Turner's website.
Neil Turner is a great photographer and SS.com member. Like Joe McNally, if you take his work and study it, you'll learn - a LOT.
Best of all, if you have a question, you email Neil and you'll get a response.
Between Neil,Joe and Strobist, you'll learn a lot about light.
Enjoy the journey. |
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Joshua Sy, Student/Intern
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Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 2:36 AM on 06.26.09 |
->> All this is really great advice - it's really all about getting that flash off-camera. If you're on a budget, you can DIY most of the light modifiers that Joe Mcnally and David Hobby use or talk about, and if you haven't got PW's, I'd totally recommend getting the Cactus triggers that the Strobist forums seem to be abuzz about.
I think 3 months is plenty of time to learn how to use flash, especially with those resources! I'm in college too, and I've been taking advantage of the accessibility of photo subjects (friends, aspiring models, athletes, random people on the street, etc) to really get some practice in. It's really amazing who you'll find that's willing to give up some of their time in exchange for a cool shot of themselves - just make sure they wouldn't normally be willing to pay for it first!
The idea's been tossed around over the Internet quite a bit, but it might be a good idea to start a "portraits of friends" series where you try a different lighting technique at every shoot to get through the different ways of lighting things. At worst, you learn and have a lot of fun; at best, a portfolio might come out of it.
Hope this helps! |
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Robert Hanashiro, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | | Posted: 4:00 AM on 06.26.09 |
->> "I think 3 months is plenty of time to learn how to use flash..."
I beg to differ on that statement.
Having worked for over 30 years doing a lot of portrait work for daily newspapers large and small, I still learn something each time I do a shoot.
You might learn the very basics in 3 months ... and I mean the basics.
Going out every day and making a lit portrait and evaluating your work is a good start. And even if you did go out and shoot something EVERY DAY, there are so many variables and conditions we work under, 3 months is not "plenty of time".
I don't mean to trash on anything or anyone here, but trust me, 3 months time would barely get you through the first chapter in the area of portrait lighting.
As I tell students during the Academy lighting sessions: Study light. Keep things simple. Learn to shape and direct light to create the things you want in a situation and subject. And then start all over.
'Nuff Said! |
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Soobum Im, Photographer
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Portland | OR | | Posted: 5:06 AM on 06.26.09 |
->> planet neil is a good source not only for wedding photographer but sports photographers. His website is
http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/ |
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