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Introduction

Lesson 1 from: Speedlights 101

Mark Wallace

Introduction

Lesson 1 from: Speedlights 101

Mark Wallace

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Lesson Info

1. Introduction

Lesson Info

Introduction

We have three days of speed lights and this is going to be a blast and we're going to just slow down we're going to go through everything that we possibly can about these little speed like guys here on dh lots of time for question and answer so I want to do is first say welcome talked to you about the three days and what we're gonna be doing so day one is a solid foundation so what I'm gonna be doing is day one is real really helping us understand every single little nuance of what the camera is doing with the flash what the flash is doing and how it's doing all of its exposure how the flash is figuring out the correct exposure all that kind of stuff so we're digging and we're going to tear everything apart and so we know all the different technical language all the stuff that you need to know to really wrap your head around what has happening with the flash and so a lot of um practical information on day one to make sure solid day too we're going to take all of that information we're ...

going to start modifying the light we're going to start adding soft boxes and like modifiers and some of the gross stuff we're going to get our flashes off our camera we're going to talk about how to do a key lighting the kicker lightened feel light and we're going do a bunch of different things we're going to shooting outside and shooting in low light we're going to shoot in the dark bright sunlight into a bunch of things so all this training that we get from day one that seems theoretical and a lot of information we're going to put that into practice day too and so we're gonna be going over it and over it and over it and then we're going to continue day three we're gonna put everything into practice and so these air sort of both put everything into practice but we're doing is all the language understanding all the technicalities all the stuff that's going on take that build on it a little bit make sure that we know how to put that into practice with modifying the light understanding how life is shaped and use and they're going to take these two things and we're going to run through a bunch of scenarios we're going to go through things like how do you shoot maybe uh christmas or holiday photos at home in low light how do you shoot those halloween photos of kids how do you issued a wedding reception when all they have are tables outside with little lights wrapped around trees and there's just it's pitch black how do you do that? How do you shoot a group how do you freeze action when people are flipping around and doing sports and things like that so we're going to shoot a lot day two and day three a lot a lot in fact that's pretty much all we're doing is just shooting so day one really heavy on understanding the technical stuff day two and three put into practice put it into practice so from body home what I want you to do is if you have your camera and flash grab it you were going to be walking through things and so you're going to need that as we go through these different things you could be flipping switches and dialing and going in and looking also if you have a user manual for your flash on your camera grab that too so you'll be needing that as well so we want to start by meeting our students we have some awesome students here and so watch this this is a cool animation project you can see it's a flash you like that yeah that took me seconds to figure that one out anyway okay, so what I want to do here is asked our students tell us your name and tell us the thing that you hope to get out of this workshop and we're starting right here with josh mimes josh daniels on what I want to get from this workshop is to be able to mix ambien with flash quickly on the ok and you're shooting with what kind of camera can canon camera ok next to you is and I would love to learn more about cheating off camera flash, especially for wedding receptions okay, so we have mix ambient light with flash fast and off camera flash specifically wedding receptions we have um I just want to get really comfortable with them I have studio lights at home and but in the field I'm like fumbling around I just really want to be make a second nature any of the new e signature yes quickly be able to take things and I think that you're not alone in this that in the studio we have the ability to control everything exactly and precisely and it's every time the same as soon as we use these speed lights it's like what is going on? This shot looks this way in this shot looks this way of this shot looks this way and they're all wonky and what's going on and I just want to go all right? Well, this all seems like even if I do the same setting from before I get a different result yes and can you didn't see your name? Kim kim sorry introduce yourself and I want to make sure master the flesh on weddings, receptions, that's what I started the most wedding receptions and what your wedding receptions look like they're inside or outside at night in the dig out endorse ok, so we're going to talk about both shooting inside and outside because it's different it's different and so we'll talk about all that kind of stuff so catch up past tense ok mister going cold me I'd like to learn more about the off camera flash and the modifiers and be ableto and also be able to comprehend the camera the the flash itself everything with it right so when you pick up that flash and you want to get it off camera at a soft box what mode you put it on moody put your camera on where do you start those types of things right and what if you had two or three flashes and how do you direct people on how you do it like that fast cause guess what the bride just came down the aisle in a missed shot that stuff right? Ok, so we're going we're going to do all of that stuff in fact all those scenarios you just talked about we're doing on day three and some on day two in one or two were doing today so it's going toe rock now before we begin there's something that's very important for everybody to understand it's a really important and that is there are a lot of different kinds of cameras there's mike on there's cannon there's sony theirs and the list goes on and on and on all of those different cameras and flashes in those different units they treat their flashes a little bit differently? Not a lot. All the principals and things that we talked about today, of how the exposure is made and all that stuff it's the same, but how these guys talk to each other? They're flashes and cameras. There are a lot of different variations on how that happens. And so that's. Why? If you have emanuel and I say, hey, we're going to talk about how to turn on your curtains sink uh, it might not be exactly the same as I'm showing you, so you can flip there and know that ok, we're curtain sink does this and here's how I turned it on with my visitar flash one of that thing is so they're not created equal either, and so you can have a cannon for thirty e x flash and a cannon five eighty x to flash, and they are not the same. They have different abilities and features and power and things like that, so we're not saying that a nikon and a cannon one is better than the other. What I'm saying is that a cannon and a cannon one could be better than the other, so they're not all of the same, they're all created equal, so don't let that be a stumbling block as we go through this course just understand that. There are differences between different flashes and things, and I will do my best to talk to those without I mean, if we went through every single flashing camera combination, it would take us weeks to go through that, so we're not going to be doing that. What we're gonna be doing is we're going to stick with my canon camera cannon because that makes up ninety percent of the market, and so people that don't have those, please don't be angry, we have to go to what most people have, and we're going to shoot with both nikon and canon cameras and flashes, and so and we have a bunch, and I know you guys brought a bunch of, well, ok, now all cameras are not created equal that's also a big difference. And so for example, if you have a cannon d syria's camera one d s um, or the one defects, those really expensive high end cameras, they have capabilities that no other candid cameras have, and the same is true of, like the nikon d for does some things with its on camera flash that the rest of the night cons don't do so some of the things that we talk about you can do with some cameras, but not others, so, again, just be cognizant of the fact that there are a lot of different variables here so that's it okay now we also I said this already consult your user manual if needed self we're going to start with this big question and that is this what is the issue we're trying to solve with her flash what's the problem what does that thing and so people that are online in the chat room start timing in so what's the problem you're trying to solve with your flash and so you guys want to go to you? What is the thing that you're having difficulties with and you're trying to figure it out josh tell me something that you're like ok, I'm in a situation I'm trying to solve this what is it again with the ambient really just kind of, you know, mixing up and either getting more dramatic light when the lights all the same wherever you are solving the shadow problem yes and kim, you're trying to do what I've just got to get a better since the controls I mean usually I can get it to go bright and that's fine, but controlling the amount of light um but fundamentally what what we need what is that thing that one thing that we need kenya has somebody from online? Yes, we've got all sorts of folks coming in and let's see, I tl qatari says I'm trying to fix dull boring photos and we see somebody saying about adding drama drama boring photos mixing light controlling things it all boils down to what I'm trying to trick you into one thing that this everything boils down to one thing what we're really trying to do is solve this issue light it all boils down to that light so we're trying to do something specific so let me tell you mark's version of the solution and that is this we want to use an external flash something that's extra let the little guy that pops up okay an extra flash to add an appropriate amount so not too bright not to not bright was that dim gonna have it just right just the appropriate amount of flattering light okay we wanted to be flattering we don't want to be nasty light the cast shadows who want to come from the side and look nasty we wanted to be the appropriate amount of flattering light and we want to add that to the scene while still capturing the available light also known as ambulance it to the best of our ability that's what we're trying to do kate now these three things that are in yellow are big chunks of what we're gonna be talking about this weekend we're going to talk about how to get the appropriate amount of light that's the control stuff that kim was talking about what you were talking about how do we do that how do we make sure we get just the right amount, so it's not overpowering. How do we get flattering light? How do we add drama, right? How do we do that? We get somebody and separate them from the background and make them look a little bit more dramatic, how he had kicked her life, sort of get that flash off her camera, and then how do we get the available light toe look nice now? What I'd like to do is I like to either make my on camera off camera flash. Ah, and a nice scene. I like to be sort of transparent where you don't know that it's there, it just looks good or the opposite. Like to make it look like it's. Like we know we sculpt this light.

Ratings and Reviews

Gary Hook
 

Mark's wealth of knowledge combined with his engaging and 'fun', experimental approach to teaching is a winner. I learned a great deal but what truly reinforces the learning is that he actually shows what he is talking about. He gets a question and quickly sets up the practical demo for the answer. Brilliant. Given that this session took place some time ago ( but by no means diminishishes the tremendous learning value) the lessons and knowledge are based techniques that will stand the test of time; however, if I was advising Mark on his teaching techniques, the main are a of 'focus' would be to be more effective with his demonstrations. He holds the back of the camera up, makes his point quickly and then moves on, just as the video is locking on. Great idea to talk about what button you are pushing, but when your fingers are obscuring the 'learning point' it diminishes the effectiveness of the demo. Overall great course which I will watch parts again and highly recommend it. Thank you PS Give both Kelsey and John and huge hug as they are all-stars making things happen!

Alexander Svishchenkov
 

Great! I'm so thankful to you, CreativeLive, for providing this great opportunity to learn an important subject of photography - Speedlights - from the professional Mark Wallace. He is such a good teacher and explains everything in real-life situations and on slides. As he fires his flash, I instantly see the resulting photo on my screen, so this is theory combined with practice. I'm in fact watching you from Belarus, and it's midnight, so I'm fighting with sleep, but I can't get myself away from the screen. this is my 1st CL experience. I'm very grateful for running a rewatch of the previous Day the following morning, so I woke up and saw what I'd missed. And it's totally free! Thank you so much for a true first-class education!

Aussie David
 

Truly a fabulous class. Mark has such a gift for taking a complex subject and making it so understandable and fun at the same time. Mark is easily one of the best instructors out there. Highly highly highly recommend this class.

Student Work

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