TTL vs Manual Flash for Nature Photography

Flash for nature photography can be a confusing subject. One big question is when to use TTL and when to use Manual flash. That's a tough choice for the nature photographer, and the right answer depends on the situation. I take you through a few studio exercises (pandemic, after all!) so that you feel more comfortable deciding which type of flash to use the next time you head out in the field. As I always say, learning flash will make you a better student of natural light!
Sorry for a little quirk in the uploading. Part of the video didn't scale right with KZbin for some reason. So, I deleted it, corrected it, and then uploaded it again so it looked right for you.
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📽VIDEO SECTIONS
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0:00 Intro
1:53 Does TTL flash give consistent exposures?
4:32 TTL flash exposure compensation demo
7:12 TTL vs. manual when changing camera settings
10:17 TTL vs. manual when changing flash to subject distance
13:45 TTL vs. manual off-camera flash
16:35 When to use manual flash
18:37 Outro
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Want to learn more about flash? Check out my most recent e-book!
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Basic Flash Functions for Nature Photography
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TTL Flash 3 Nerdy Questions
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deepgreenphotography
gregbascophotography
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⚖DISCLAIMERS
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I am a participant in the DxO, Topaz Labs, B & H Photo Video, and Amazon affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. You pay the same, and I earn a little commission to fund these video efforts 😀
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The content of this video and my opinions were not reviewed or paid for by any outside persons.

[@susanb6789]

You're such a clear and generous teacher. I still treasure the time that my father and I spent photographing with you.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Thanks so much, Susan!

[@huubdegroot]

Perfect! Thank you soo much!!!! 🙂

[@1dayanki2]

I've just entered the flash world and your videos are just great, listening to you makes everything so much easier. Thank you.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Great to hear!

[@conraddickinson]

DEFINATELY get his flash e-book. Prior to his book I read lots of different stuff from other people and just got confused. Greg made it simple and straight forward and applicable to real life nature situations. Thankyou.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Thanks so much, Conrad. I really appreciate your kind feedback :-)

[@jiripavel6627]

Thanks a lot Greg. I found your video accidently and very happy for its illustrative explanation you presented there, many thanks again you have one additional subscriber from this moment on. Jirka

[@deepgreenphotography]

Thanks so much, Jirka!

[@davidowle3772]

This has been immensely helpful. Thank you.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Thanks so much, David. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Cheers, Greg

[@markwiemels]

Wow. What a great video, this really needs to reach more people, so helpful.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Thanks, Mark. I totally agree! 😅 Cheers, Greg

[@mclarenCR]

Your videos rock, Greg!! Thanks !

[@deepgreenphotography]

Thanks so much, Daniel!

[@3diamondlil]

Fantastic Tutorial. I learned so much. Thank you. I'm now a subscriber!

[@deepgreenphotography]

That's great, Lillian. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for subscribing!

[@ericdawson3222]

I’m happy to discover you via Jared Lloyd’s Journal of Wildlife Photography. I can think of countless times when flash would have been valuable to me, particularly for forest birds or reptiles and amphibians, yet I’ve never explored this option at all. I look forward to exploring your site and your flash ebook.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Great, Eric. I'm glad you're enjoying the content here. Cheers, Greg

[@PabloGEFoto]

Very nice video Greg. It complements your ebook very well. And your audio sounds great now.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Thanks, Pablo. I have been working on different audio solutions so thanks for the confirmation that it's working well :-)

[@relaxedcurious]

Jesus mercy, what an awesome video! Thanks very much.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the positive feedback. Cheers, Greg

[@davidpowell3755]

Great job Greg. Looking forward to the next edition. I'm passing the link to all of our camera club members. Stay safe.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Awesome, thanks so much, David. I hope all's well with you!

[@josephbraun7798]

Great job at explaining the difference between TTL and Manuel. 💯

[@deepgreenphotography]

Thanks, Joseph!

[@bassplayer60]

thank you for all the information. You have cleared up a bunch of questions I had. Thank you so much

[@deepgreenphotography]

Glad it was helpful!

[@theboytheycalljonny1]

Great info well executed. Thanks!

[@deepgreenphotography]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Kentsj]

Great job with this video it motivated me to buy your Flash ebook. A suggestion, explain the affect that the various camera metering modes have on TTL.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Thanks, Kent. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I actually have already recorded scenes for a future video on metering modes and TTL plus a few more advanced topics :-)

[@Kentsj]

@@deepgreenphotography Anxiously waiting!!

[@Kentsj]

Confirming two assumptions I have made from watching your videos and reading your Flash ebook. One, your camera is in manual mode? Two, you spot meter the background when setting exposure? A third bonus assumption is that the flash exposure compensation on the camera and the flash yield the same result. Thanks for your help. An old guy starting out. All The Best

[@deepgreenphotography]

Hi, Kent. Ha ha, you're never too old to start flashing! Thanks for purchasing my e-book. I hope you're enjoying it. The assumptions you made are correct. Nonetheless, on number 1, I should point out that you certainly don't need to be in manual mode, though I do prefer it for precision. And on number 2, I do use spot metering but, if you're using a telephoto lens any metering mode will work. The important thing is to ensure that you're metering an area of consistent tone. I sometimes manually defocus my lens so that I can meter say just a blurred wash of green. On number 3, it is my understanding that setting the same flash exposure compensation value on the flash or through the body should indeed yield the same result. Best, Greg

[@wildcreatures468]

hi...great video..and yes, i have bought teh book...but not read it yet. quick question, when you talk about using manual flash to freeze bats/wings etc you look at duration of 1/10,000; so what shutter speed are you using for that? and what other settings do you use? if you are at 1/64th how can you get enough power to make that light .. and also not have a blur from teh slower shutter speed...thanks

[@deepgreenphotography]

Hi, thanks so much for buying the book. Quickly, when using flash as the only light, it's the duration of the flash (not the camera shutter speed) that determines the actual time that the exposure is happening. Read on, and I promise you'll find the answer :-) Cheers, Greg

[@ZhayynnJamesPhotography]

Hey Greg, greetings from India! Subscribed! Thank you so much for an excellent, in-depth explanation of TTL vs Manual. I intend to use the Godox AD Pro (handheld) with the XPRO-N system for an amphibian and herp macro tour in a few weeks. My questions are: 1. Have you used this combo? If so, how do you find it? 2. For the reasons you mentioned from 14:45 onwards, I intend to use TTL. How would I dial in exposure compensation on the XPRO-N trigger if needed? 3. Have you used a flash snoot for any creative macro images? Looking forward to hearing back from you. Thanks!

[@deepgreenphotography]

Hi, Zhayynn. Thanks so much for commenting, and I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I love the AD 200 Pro and XPro transmitter combo for nature work, macro and otherwise. You can control the TTL output for the flash from the transmitter itself. Just take a look at the flash to see what group (e.g., A, B, C...) it shows and then use the transmitter to set the appropriate group with the mode (e.g., manual, TTL) and values you want. I will use a snoot occasionally but a nice softbox is what will make the biggest positive difference in your macro lighting. Cheers, Greg

[@ZhayynnJamesPhotography]

@@deepgreenphotography Thank you so much for that detailed reply Greg. Much appreciated! 😃

[@deepgreenphotography]

@@ZhayynnJamesPhotography My pleasure. Good luck!

[@janetzinn8674]

Very informative, thanks! One thing you didn't mention is when to use ttl vs ttl-BL ( Balanced fill flash on Nikon flashes.) This is something that confuses me. I have your ebook and while obviously fill flash is extensively covered, that specific mode on the flash isn't.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Hi, Janet. I'm glad you enjoyed the video, and thanks for purchasing my e-book :-) That's a good question. To my understanding TTL-BL on Nikon basically tries to tone down the flash output even more than the true TTL reading in order to better balance the flash with the natural light. Nonetheless, when I shoot Nikon, I prefer not to use TTL-BL so that I can have a truer sense of what is going on with my flash, that is, that -1 FEC is really -1 FEC. I like to stay in control. I've discussed this with a number of Nikon-shooting photographer friends, and they all concur. However, if I want just a tiny kiss of fill-flash and even TTL FEC -3 isn't working, I'll try 3 things. First, I might set FEC via the camera body as well. Since that is additive in Nikon, you can actually get down to -6 FEC. Second, I might try TTL-BL and see if that tones things down. Or third, I might switch over to manual flash and go to a really low flash power. I hope this helps. Cheers, Greg

[@janetzinn8674]

@@deepgreenphotography Thanks Greg this is helpful. I've usually used TTL-BL but never really understood what it was doing. I will move to using TTL for most flash shots and hopefully make use of what I've learned from your excellent ebook and videos.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Great, good luck, Janet!

[@EduardoMenaU]

Muy bueno también. El de Macro, cuándo?

[@deepgreenphotography]

Gracias, Eduardo. Vamos a ver -- apenas tenga tiempo :-) Saludos, Greg

[@qutub-ul-walikhan2459]

can popup flash be use for delay flashing

[@miguelangelpenaestevez375]

Congratulations on your video. I notice that it does not mention a drawback of the TTL: the pre-flashes of the flash usually scare away the birds.

[@deepgreenphotography]

Hi, Miguel. You are correct that at times the pre-flash from the TTL does cause a bird to react. If I find that to be the case, I will switch to manual. Cheers, Greg

[@miguelangelpenaestevez375]

@@deepgreenphotography Hi Greg. Thansk very much.👃

[@willemvanderpost6679]

Dear Greg -I notice that you are using a Godox flash with Nikon. Perhaps you can assist with the following question. I use the Godox X1T and X2T transmitters with the X1R together with my Nikon SB900. Is there any advantage to change the flash to a Godox 685 ? I find that the SB900 is not accurate in TTL. Regards Willem van der Post

[@deepgreenphotography]

Hi, Willem. Thanks very much for your question. It's a good one, and I'll have to admit that I am not sure. I've not used the X1R with Nikon flashes nor have I used the Godox TT 685. I use the Godox V860 II and AD200 in TTL with an XPro transmitters (the newer ones), and they work quite well. If you had a chance to buy a Godox TT685 and test it out, with the option to return if you don't see any improvement, that would be my suggestion. Sorry I couldn't give you a more concrete answer. Best, Greg

[@willemvanderpost6679]

@@deepgreenphotography Thanks Greg - i am now in discussion with Godox SA

[@inmyfreetyme]

Good information. Thanks 4 that. U Now have a NEW Subscriber...ME. And a LIKE. Cheers!

[@deepgreenphotography]

Thanks for the sub!

[@sofiaoropesa]

pepper looks like an apple

[@deepgreenphotography]

Indeed, but just a bit more spicy :-)