1 Light Portraits w/ the Godox AD200 | Is it Enough?

I took out a single Godox AD200 for some professional outdoor portraits of an actress here in San Antonio, TX. Can you get professional images with a single light? Check out the video and see for yourself!
Check out more of my work here:
- Instagram: / ryan_l_imagery
- Website: www.ryanlimagery.com
Video filmed on the Sony A7iii and the 85mm f1.4 G Master
& The Sony A7iii with the 35mm f1.4 G Master
BTS Video filmed on the GoPro Hero 8 Black
Model can be found here: / takiahtheactress

[@wens6574]

I love this, because of SOOC that you show to us. Some youtubers out there just show the editing result.

[@milindkulkarni9156]

What I liked is the outdoor locations, your shooting techniques and above all the output photos that you show SOOC AND EDITED, that is appreciable.

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks for watching

[@savemarinwood6678]

The skin tones on the model are lovely. I had doubts in the opening video shot of the model but your photos really pulled the beauty out of her. Good work. Lovely model.

[@justcallmesando]

That Phottix softbox 🔥🔥🔥

[@LaMontDeSal]

This was hott Ryan. Took some awesome photos and I liked the BTS at the end

[@LuisCruz-yg6rs]

Nice guitar 🎸 intro. The photos straight out of cameras look really good. Thank you for sharing the video.

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks for taking the time to watch. Much appreciated

[@DutchAussieProductions]

Thanks for the video, Ryan. Excellent photos with a lovely model. You have a new subscriber. Have a nice day.

[@RyanLImagery]

Thank for taking the time to watch and I appreciate the Sub. I'll try to have new content out asap

[@andreak4280]

🙌🏼 nice images!! and editing as well, not too much off the raw vers!👌🏼beautifully done both photog & model!

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks for watching

[@Patanisha]

Very cool work and playin!

[@keithbarrett4630]

Your model, has a gorgeous smile! Love the production quality. The 200 has always impressed me with its level of versatility. (I own 2) and I think most photographers don't give it enough credit. Without a softbox, you can use Godox's accessory kit with barn doors, grids, diffusor etc... or any of the Magmod products work on it as well. Best bang for the buck for sure...

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks for watching. I don't use the accessories that come with it very often due to having so many softboxes, but I definitely want to get more 200's for my corporate photography work. I only have 1 200 and then I have various speedlights.

[@keithbarrett4630]

@@RyanLImagery I shoot my 200's into soft boxes but do check out some of the Magmod kit for gels, snoot and grids etc. - work perfectly with the 200.

[@marcuswithacam]

I own one AD200 and the price/light along with the versatility is really unmatched by any of my other flashes. I also own some Magmod modifiers that I bought for my speedlights but I never even considered those for my AD200. Seems like the perfect match though and I'll really appreciate the tip! Thanks! 👍

[@RyanLImagery]

@@marcuswithacam The magmog system is great with the 200's. I have 4 gel holders, numerous grids, 2 magspheres, the mag beam, and the snoot. When doing studio work it makes it so fast and easy to change up the scene for a completely different feel

[@coleshill_production]

Literally thinking of buying this as I type

[@Mav540i]

Some good work. I like the shot at 6:42 the most. All were on point though. Looking forward to more. You got yourself a new subscriber!

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks for the sub, I really appreciate it

[@proimagerah]

These images are great!

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks for taking the time to watch.

[@Shag]

Amazing Video Brotha, Amazing!!!!

[@RyanLImagery]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@davidjones8070]

I also agree with the others..great quality format with examples. No cheesy over the top bs. Very professional and there isn’t a huge difference when you show the before and after edits. Leave the skill to the camera and make small tweaks to finish. Very nice!

[@takoflame4948]

u dont like the dubstep and 50x slow mo shots

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks for taking the time to watch

[@patriciahall6040]

This is a very helpful video!! I would love to have the links to the modifier and bracket mount, stand, etc. I purchased 3 of the ad200's at a local pawn shop, decently priced. I didn't know what exactly I was buying at the time but I just knew it had to be a good product bc it said Godox. I am fairly new to photography. And I have been studying using these flashes, and what I need to take some indoor photos. Hope to hear back from you!! Thanks for the video!!

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks for watching. I would recommend this soft box for the lights: www.adorama.com/glsbez36octa.html Here is a link to the brackets: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1353389-REG/godox_ad_b2_ad200_dual_power_flash.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=CjwKCAiAwc-dBhA7EiwAxPRylC2i-MnhANvH4dwvzyMPZ3i2QNOnMIW6Wu5Tr84tvSWqa8_fpVGXKBoCclEQAvD_BwE I’d also recommend this dual light Godoy bracket to use two AD200’s at once and increase your light output: www.adorama.com/fplfevtwin.html Just remember anything you see branded as Flashpoint is the same exact thing ad Godox, they all work together.

[@richardmalmberg7722]

Great shots and model! Check out the godox ad-s7 for portability 18” softbox. Good for head shots.

[@michaelwilliams8955]

Good Job! Beautiful Model.

[@RyanLImagery]

thanks for watching

[@dudedavid522]

That's the craziest A roll I've seen, did you stick with the theme of 200 (mm) for it?

[@gentlejimmy973]

Come on that guitar intro was lit,it really caught my attention.Nice one man

[@RyanLImagery]

Appreciate it!

[@Blakepurcell14]

Great stuff bro glad to see another texas photog on here I’m down in corpus. My a1 is having trouble triggering the ad200 any tips

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks! Without being there to trouble shoot the situation, I would recommend making sure the wireless trigger is pressed fully into the hot shoe. Sometimes the battery not being fully charged on the trigger can also affect the signal, and being too close to the light itself while using the trigger for some reason keeps it from firing. I believe the trigger itself also has firmware updates that can be applied. With the A1 still being a fairly new Sony that could have something to do with it. Check the Godox website to see the latest firmware and try to confirm if the trigger itself and the A1 are both updated. I hope this helps.

[@mwasdidancestar5844]

Bingo! 💯

[@LHazle]

Beautiful images & model. I've been on the fence on the AD200 wondering the same thing - is it enough? You've convinced me - your images prove it's enough. Thanks :D

[@RyanLImagery]

I'm glad this could help. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to watch the channel.

[@Mikeonabus]

Thank you

[@adambomb8841]

Would have been nice to know what your flash settings were for your pics

[@carlosfernandez722]

Thanks for the video and inspiration, just one question, did you use ND filter? I am going to shoot some day light portraits but i need the background to look dark yo focus on the subject, i got a Sony a6500, minimun ISO 100...

[@RyanLImagery]

In this case I did not use an ND filter. I used High Speed Sync with a fast shutter speed to lower the ambient exposure before adding flash

[@patrickb4321]

Very nice! I am curious, on what power settings did you have the AD200 to get that much light from it in daytime?

[@RyanLImagery]

Many times it was full power because I wanted to shoot at f 1.8 and keep the ambient down with a fast shutter speed.

[@andrewperez9281]

Loved them pictures brother. I started learning a few months ago and I'm thinking of buying one of these. Now question: the high shutter speed was because you were shooting in broad day light right? You wanted to control ambient light and focus more in your subject, or there is another reason for that? It would have been awesome to see the AD200 configuration on the screen just like the Camara and Lense settings you showed at the bottom.

[@RyanLImagery]

Unfortunately I don't have metadata baked into the photos for flash power. I change it in many different situations and don't remember what it was later on. But during this session I can say that it is usually on the higher end, especially with using just a 200 watt strobe outdoors in daytime.

[@timrosenthal46]

Fantastic ! Great location, lighting technique and of course a stunning model as well. Beautiful images.

[@RyanLImagery]

Thank you so much

[@adrianhydephotography]

Almost at the 1000 subscribers nice videos

[@vortexfreddy]

Great video!

[@RyanLImagery]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@MartinV.]

Great Video

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks for watching

[@user-lx9yy2hr7l]

Hey, can you recommend a nice tripod for godox ad 200 in windy weather? Yours seems to be good, just decided to buy ad200 and there are so many tripods, hard to decide which one is good. Ad 200 seems to be not light.

[@RyanLImagery]

Any sturdy light stand will do in most cases, but for windy days you need some sand bags to weight it down. The first time you lose some gear to the wind it will hurt your soul. You can find them on Amazon

[@electronicfellows2113]

are you shooting aperture priority? or manual. just wondering how you decide on the shutter speed

[@RyanLImagery]

I'm shooting in Manual mode. I start with the ISO and keep it low as possible depending on the ambient light, then choose the f-stop I want, usually wide open for portraits at f1.4 or f1.8, then select my shutter speed based on how bright I want the background to be. I tend to darken down the ambient and background by shooting a faster shutter speed, then add flash to my subjects to help them "pop" out in the frame and make the viewers eye really drawn to them. This works especially well if you have unwanted objects in the background or a distracting background.

[@djxuppavic]

Thanks

[@castielvargastv7931]

I use speedlights, if one is not enough i use two which is as bright as an ad 200 or even three. There is a speedlight holder that can take up to 4 speedlights. Thre speedlights are cheaper than one ad200

[@RyanLImagery]

I used to have the bracket for 3 speedlights as well. But it became cumbersome and took longer to setup, plus I had to hope all 3 fired every time to achieve the light output I desired.

[@keinoflo]

Almost at 1000 🎉

[@RyanLImagery]

It's been a long road, but almost there

[@magicprinting]

Nice Vid. Beautiful model and fantastic results, But.......If this is about the Godox AD200, you didnt tell us what the setting were on the flash at the end of the video.

[@RyanLImagery]

With this flash and the style of outdoor portraits I take it is usually a high power setting, but however the metadata doesn't save what the flash power was per shot. It's difficult to remember those exact settings when editing the video later on.

[@zacx6970]

So in conclusion it’s powerful enough for a bright but with a little bit of shades environment right? I wonder how it will perform during harsh afternoon sunlight? Cause I am thinking of buying this light for my portrait sessions.

[@RyanLImagery]

It can definitely be used in harsh sunlight when placed very close to the subject. Of course large modifiers with multiple layers of diffusion will make it more difficult to use while over powering the sun, but I would say it's possible.

[@zacx6970]

@@RyanLImagery Just as I thought, for headshots and half body this light is probably capable. But for whole body shots I think I will need something around AD400-600 . My plan is probably get this and combine with my TT685.

[@RyanLImagery]

@@zacx6970 You can also get 2 AD 200's and the adapter that allows for both to work in tandem as a 400watt light, and of course you can split them up when you don't need that much power as well.

[@esinnejstudio]

I’m trying to better my outdoor ocf style. What settings are best to use on your ocf for outdoor sessions?

[@RyanLImagery]

Sorry for the late reply. So my specific settings are always different depending on the suns location, ambient light, the overall power of my light, etc... But here's some tips that may help with how I set up a shot. I start by deciding what FStop I want to use to control the depth of field in the image. Then I use a low ISO and adjust shutter speed to get the background exposure how I imagined it. Then when I have the BG set, I can add and adjust the power of the light on the subject to make them "POP" and have the eye drawn to them. It's a relatively simple process and depending on how powerful your light is, you may have to adjust your shutter and fstop if you find your light not strong enough to light the subject according to your initial settings. With my AD600 I can shoot at ISO 50, 1/8000 sec at f1.8 or f 1.4 in bright daylight and get a decent exposure on my subject. If you don't have a powerful light, I'd suggest getting an ND filter to darken the frame and be able to stay within your cameras normal sync speed which will allow smaller lights like AD200's or even speedlights to be used in brighter daytime situations. The brighter the ambient is, the more power you will need. The darker the ambient, the less power you will need. I know this is somewhat of a word salad and hope that it helps.

[@esinnejstudio]

@@RyanLImagery This is great stuff. I am def going to practice. I appreciate the tip. Im due for upgraded gear too! This is great and thankkkkkkkkk you :)

[@DJEM210]

Bro! I to am a portrait photographer in San Antonio! Actually gonna be shooting at the pear tomorrow!!

[@RyanLImagery]

That's awesome, glad to see fellow shooters from SA out there getting it done!

[@NessMeister]

Would the round head (H200r) replace that softbox?

[@RyanLImagery]

No it would not replace the softbox. The purpose of the modifier is to increase the size of the light source and provide diffusion which makes the shadows immensely softer, therefore creating a gradation between the highlights and shadows. Without diffusion it would still be a small hard light source, creating harsh shadows. I hope this helps

[@rudyversus]

What’s the name of the mount for the Ad200 please? I would like one I can stick my umbrella.

[@visor_photo]

Godox S-Type

[@patricialegault7410]

Glad I found this video! I don’t know if I missed it in the video if you shot in TTL or not? I find with my speed lights, I’m sure strobes are similar, it’s trial and error until the lighting is right

[@RyanLImagery]

I used manual mode for the strobes, however I do use TTL in certain situations just not typically during portraits.

[@yuhzeetsite]

New subscriber

[@ColorBlindTea]

Can I use two of these with a trigger?

[@RyanLImagery]

Absolutely. I believe you can control up to 5 of these separately with the right trigger.

[@jasonbodden8816]

Great shots. And how beautiful is she! Dang! That smile alone could start wars lol!

[@jayclip80]

I was thinking about getting the ad200 pro but wasn't sure if it strong for night portraits. Great video

[@RyanLImagery]

For night portraits or any situation with low ambient light, less light power is required. So the AD200 may be actually too powerful or just right, but I don't see it not being powerful enough. In many cases I have just used speedlights at night in modifiers to keep the power low enough. I shot many weddings over the years that go long into the night and speedlights were my go to setup.

[@TMIDD]

Dope video. I just used my ad200 on location for a shoot on my channel def is one of the best strobes out there!

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks for watching man, and for sure that 200 is top notch and versatile.

[@fromia1]

What softbox is used?

[@RyanLImagery]

I don't recall the brand, but I believe it was a 24in octabox designed for speedlights. there are various similar modifiers like this that will provide the same results. You can find many of them for affordable prices on Amazon

[@rsmith02]

The side of it says Phottix Easy Up 80.

[@Strravaganza]

If you place the flash closer to the model, the light pattern will be softer.

[@royaltykidstv]

Or you can just up your yellow a bit on LR and play with the orange

[@mroblige1018]

It's enough.. Until you get an ad600bm. Then you know what's real power also thank you for the representation. Her skin tone absorbs light far better

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

Until you get ad1200.....

[@jopberlin]

Hmmmm let me say it this way… you’re pics are as good as you’re model….

[@RyanLImagery]

Thanks for taking the time to watch

[@anantaprajna1654]

Gsg

[@ioss]

rly bad skills adobe ph =/ blure skin

[@djxuppavic]

Hi was just curious on to using the 16-35 f4 sony or any for portraits 🫶🏽

[@RyanLImagery]

You certainly could use that lens. Just remember that anything that reaches towards the camera in wide focal lengths will be greatly exaggerated. Can make legs look longer, or a nose look bigger and face look warped. I've done quite a few shots at 35mm but typically stay away from wider focal lengths. I'd recommend using it with backgrounds that you want to be visible, not something you want to blur out because at f4 much of the frame will be in focus, not just your subject.