Blog Post - 25032020 - Available Light or Flash Copy.jpg

Available Light or Flash - The age old debate.

May 23, 2020 in Tutorial, Philosophy

It is often written or posted as Natural / Available light VS Flash like they are two things at constant war with each other.

I do not get it. It’s almost as bad and boring as Canon V Nikon.

To say that one is better than the other or debate which is better is silly and a waste of time. They both have a place and in my opinion it’s a good idea to know how to use both.

People in Facebook groups go at it discussing which is best or argue that their arch enemy don’t know what they are doing. Sigh.

Think that flash is the bee’s knees and think you are not doing anything with available light when running flash .. wrong.

Think natural or available light is the only true way to shoot… wrong. Try shooting that window light at 9pm at night.
As a photographer you should have both in your tool kit, why?

Photography Fundamentals - Exposure Part 3 - Aperture

March 09, 2018 in Tutorial

In this next part of the tutorial series and moving on from ISO and Shutter Speed we are going to be looking at aperture and the affect it has on exposure. Some of you may already be aware that aperture not only controls your available light exposure but also your flash exposure (This is true of ISO also) but we are not getting in to flash yet, more on that much later on this blog.

The reason I want you to concentrate on just available light exposure and the fundamental exposure triangle (ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture) is because I want you to get this nailed down before you go learning flash or buying that new camera or lens. Walk before you Run.

Fuji X100 - ISO 640 , F10, 1/30th - Natural Light

Photography Fundamentals - Exposure Part 2 - Shutter Speed

March 07, 2018 in Tutorial

Next up in the Exposure tutorial series is Shutter Speed, which is one of the more creative variables of exposure. I say this because it can be use not only to control the exposure of a photograph but it can help to tell a story by controlling how you capture motion/movement (more on that in later tutorials).

What is Shutter Speed? - Shutter speed is the amount of time that your camera shutter is open for (TV Time Value). The longer the amount of time your shutter is open for the brighter the exposure will become and the shorter the amount of time the darker.