{"id":73181,"date":"2020-08-27T18:48:35","date_gmt":"2020-08-27T09:48:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fujifilmnxtc.wpenginepowered.com\/stories\/improve-lighting-with-off-camera-flash\/"},"modified":"2024-05-02T02:38:30","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T17:38:30","slug":"advanced-month-8-using-flash-32-off-camera-flash","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-us\/stories\/advanced-month-8-using-flash-32-off-camera-flash\/","title":{"rendered":"Improve Lighting With Off-Camera Flash"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the right gear, off-camera flash is easy to use and can give better-looking pictures than using on-camera flash. In fact, the freedom that off-camera flash gives is where the real benefits of flash photography begin.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve used off-camera flash before, you\u2019ll know its potential and flexibility. It can make lighting look more natural and flattering, because the flash is positioned away from the axis of the lens and, as a result, subjects aren\u2019t so harshly lit. Of course, it also increases opportunities to use more striking creative lighting techniques, different contrast ratios, or the light positioned at different angles. Off-camera light can be bounced, filtered, and modified more easily than hot shoe flash, too, and greater illumination can be used as the flash can be physically larger and use utility power.<\/p>\n

Off-camera flash is also wide in scope \u2013 it could mean the flash is at arm\u2019s length and connected by a physical cord, or hundreds of feet or yards away and activated using a radio signal. But to get working with off-camera flash, you will need some specific equipment \u2013\u00a0basically, a flash and a way of triggering it.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Sync Your Flash<\/h3>\n

First, a connection between the camera and the remote flash must be made. This is called syncing. Aside from activating the flash, syncing may also let you control settings that affect things like the power of the flash and the way in which it activates \u2013 like for example, using first or second curtain sync modes or using a stroboscopic mode. This is usually dependent upon the connection used to sync the flash to the camera, so it\u2019s best to look at the product manuals to determine the depth of the flash\u2019s functionality.<\/p>\n

Traditionally, syncing was accomplished by connecting a physical cord to the sync terminal on a camera. However, this may limit creativity, as well as your ability to shape the light, because you will be limited by the length of the cable connecting the flash to the camera.<\/p>\n

It is also likely that your flash can be activated from an optical or radio signal. You\u2019ll find information on syncing the flashes within the specific product manuals, as well as how to make sure the flashes and wireless commanders communicate properly with the camera as well as each other. Wireless radio communication has become the standard for most flashes because it allows for greater range and control.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re using multiple flashes off-camera, as well as the general channel, you can also define the group. This lets you make alterations to flash power and other settings, specifying one flash at a time, or clusters of them within the overall number.<\/p>\n

Syncing systems should allow you to use TTL metering when working with off-camera flash, and the flash power will respond to the exposure settings you set. But you can also bias the output using flash exposure compensation, or set power manually.<\/p>\n

Most flashes also have a secondary flash mode. In this mode, they can use an optical sensor to pick up flashes from another unit, whereupon they\u2019ll also activate. This is a good backup, and lets you use both older and incompatible flashes with modern systems, but the level of control is purely down to triggering.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"Learn<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Try Different Lighting Setups<\/h3>\n

Working with off-camera flash allows lots of freedom in flash placement, so you have almost unlimited options in how the light on the subject is shaped. In these examples, two flash units were moved around the subject, giving very different effects.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n