Light Techniques
How To Tone Down The Flash In Wedding Photography
If you are thinking of doing photographing a wedding, then you will most likely be faced with having to use your flash. The flash is great but many enthusiast photographers can feel apprehensive about it because it can overexpose light areas, wash out colour and create an uncomfortable shadow from our subjects.
The trick with the flash- especially in wedding photography is to use diffused flash. Use as little direct flash as you possibly can. Out doors its better to use the already accessible sunlight and the flash for a flash fill effect. Using flash fill will usually reduce the shadows and contrast, giving you a softer, more even light.
The best way to capture indoor wedding shots is to make the photo look like no obvious flash has been used to start with.
Directional flash- bounced from wall at close angle
Indirect flash- bounced from wall at 6 meters
A handy trick you can use is to shoot an indoor shot of the bride at around F.4 and point the flash behind you (make sure there is a wall directly behind you) and bounce the flash from the wall onto the bride. You’ll notice no shadow from the flash at all.
If you use flash compensation you’ll find it makes a great difference. You’ll also find that if the flash is a subtle fill-flash, you can then use flash compensation that is dialled down.
Handy Flash Photography Tips
If the flash is your only source of light you may have to start with 0 EV compensation. the lighter toned face, and white dress and the backlighting will influence your flash exposure. So you can dial up more flash exposure.
If you have no ceiling to bounce flash off, then get creative, use a wall, a mirror, a door with a shiny surface, glass panels etc. Let your eyes wander around the room for other smooth or shiny, or pale surfaces that can have light bounced from it.
And don’t forget to look for a larger surface. A pale wall or door, or even glass panelling is good because by using a larger area you are making your light softer and it will give you a diffused look on your subject.
By making your light source larger than just the area of the flash, you’re making your light softer. And this is exactly the reason why we bounce flash.
And this doesn’t mean indoors only. Use flash fill outside, but you again bounce off walls if you think there might be too many dark spots of shadows.
This picture here has a couple of light sources. The first is the sun. You can see the sun falling on the top of the bride and grooms heads. You can see there is another light source that lights up their faces nicely. This is a flash bounce from a white wall to give a flask fill effect. This bouncing outdoors gives a softening effect which matches the theme of romance and gentleness.
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Happy shooting,
Article by...
Amy Renfrey
Digital Photographer, Digital Photography Teacher & Author
