Natural Light VS Off Camera Flash
As professional photographers, in a sea of people who call themselves photographers simply because they have picked up a camera and believe they have an “eye” for it, it is VITAL that we discover who we are as artists, and what our style is.
To do that we have to have experience/knowledge in every field… Wedding, babies, animals, families, etc. You will never know your strong suits until you have tried them all and can evaluate your work. You also have to have experience with different lighting sources. Natural light, on camera flash, and off camera flash which has tons of options. Photography is all about the lighting or lack thereof. How will you ever know your style until you have physically tried and/or used these different lighting techniques in your photography?
I am not telling you to go out and buy every single piece of equipment that is out there. I am however telling you to ask and or borrow, find a local store that rents equipment. TRY NEW THINGS. My personal style is a very edgy, colorful, detailed image. 99% of the time I am using off camera flash. I like my subject very well-lit even when the sun is completely out and harsh. I also love amazing skies. I like being in complete control of my shoots, in any location I choose. Having off camera flash allows me to shoot anywhere and anytime of day I wish. When using natural light, almost 10 times out of 10, to get your subject well-lit will means that your sky is completely overblown… in turn being non-existent. If this is your style there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! But is it your style because you have not tried anything else OR is it because you have and you just adore the look? I don’t need to schedule shoots at the photographers “magic hour”, because I am in control, no matter overcast, or full on sun. If I don’t like the shadows being cast from the sun, I can overpower it with off camera flash, or even create my on shadows for the look I want. You can create so many looks with off camera flash and allows for so much experimentation. It is important that whatever you decide, you make it yours!
This particular session though that I am sharing WAS shot with natural light. Sometimes natural light simply fits a client’s style and when these opportunities arise I have fun with it! Natural light can create some beautiful looks and easy to setup. There is an amazing photographer whose name is Craig Lamere… He said it best… “To me, calling yourself a professional photographer does not mean you have to shoot everything. It just means you can.” I want to add that it means you can shoot it anyway as well. This natural light session just FIT the look we were trying to achieve… My point in all of this is… You need to have a style that is unique to yourself. But make sure you have tried everything out there before you decide.
Keep pushing yourself, and trying new things. Always try to learn more and remember that regardless of what your style is it’s always good to switch it up every now and again. Don’t let anything stop you from creating something amazing… regardless of what your shooting or how you’re shooting it! Some of the images below of natural light vs off camera flash so you can see the difference.*
*ocf = Off Camera Flash
Natural Light
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Natural Light
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Natural Light
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