How to get started with flash science

rutt · April 25, 2005

After seeing Shay's wedding shots, I'm thinking there is a volume or library of stuff about using remote flashes that I don't know. Shay, is there a good way to get started? Remote flashes for dummies? Once you threw out all these names of different kinds of lighting, "Rembrandt", etc. I tried to google for a good explanation, but nothing was very useful to me. Is there a science here? Is there a book that is systematic?

Thanks.

Shay Stephens · April 25, 2005

Good news, bad news
I don't have any book recommendations off the top of my head. I have read some books, but nothing stood out as a "lighting bible" if you will. I am prone to say that lighting is something you just learn slowly one step at a time. And I would add that it is vital to actually use lights. So pick up a few and start working with them (at least two lights and a reflector). Even if you don't know what to do with them, having them and mashing around with them will be a good first step.

I am a frequent reader of the dpreview lighting forum. Some good nuggets of info float through from time to time. Also looking at great photos that have amazing lighting and trying to get the same results yourself is a great learning experience. You will probably learn more, and make better mental connections between cause and effect than any book could teach you.

Start now to learn to use a light meter effectively. What it can and can't do for you. When it lies and when it doesn't. It is a lot of info to digest, and it will take time. But you will make rapid and noticeable progress the more you work with lighting and review the results and modify your technique as needed.

And then the other suggestion is to ask questions if you have them. Sometimes that is the quickest way to get over a particular problem that eludes self-solving.

I just picked up a book "Feininger, Light and lighting in photography" from Prentice-Hall and am about to read it. If it is any good, I will definitely post about it.

rutt wrote:

After seeing Shay's wedding shots, I'm thinking there is a volume or library of stuff about using remote flashes that I don't know. Shay, is there a good way to get started? Remote flashes for dummies? Once you threw out all these names of different kinds of lighting, "Rembrandt", etc. I tried to google for a good explanation, but nothing was very useful to me. Is there a science here? Is there a book that is systematic?

Thanks.

How to get started with flash science

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