When and How I use FLASH in my photos.

In today's episode, I'll share how I use speedlights and strobes in my portrait, wedding, and event reception photography. We will go over some of the modifiers and settings I rely on.
I'm working on courses. Sign up below if you'd like to know when they will launch!
omargonzalezph...
Gear mentioned in this video:
(coming soon)
Is this your first time here? Hi, I'm Omar Gonzalez, a professional portrait and event photographer in the NYC/NJ area. On this channel, we discuss cameras, lenses, and techniques to improve our photography.
My business:
www.omargonzalezphotography.com
Social Follow/Contact me
Instagram: ogonzilla
ogonzilla
Get 1500 free AI Photo edits from Imagen AI: imagen-ai.com/...
***********************************************************************
*Purchases using the affiliate links above help maintain the channel at no cost to you, so thank YOU!
KZbin Gear
This one filmed ON: bhpho.to/47lUXRf
Mic: bhpho.to/44ensOj
Light: bhpho.to/3evKjhO
Tube lights: bhpho.to/3WkwB42
***********************************************************************
Current Nikon Gear
Main camera bhpho.to/45nKHHC
Backup camera bhpho.to/46v14Cf
Workhorse lens bhpho.to/4b2ldkr
Superwide of choice bhpho.to/3QEK0DO
Nikon Z Wide prime bhpho.to/4b2lhRd
Fun cheap 16mm prime: bhpho.to/4b2T3pm
My nifty 50 bhpho.to/3yUUY1R
My sporty 40 bhpho.to/477l7WN
My favorite portrait lens bhpho.to/4bbTluo
My 2nd favorite portrait lens bhpho.to/3VnTe94
My tele for travel/ceremonies bhpho.to/3Ru0iQa
My old wildlife lens bhpho.to/3z2VU4o
My Sigma lenses
28mm bhpho.to/3VmUtVT
50mm bhpho.to/4c6zBJW
Sony Video Gear
Main video camera bhpho.to/47lUXRf
Small secondary camera bhpho.to/3RcqnCE
20mm lens bhpho.to/441AuPH
Tamron 1 bhpho.to/4cmT0FW
Tamron 2 bhpho.to/3XplrPp
DJI Pocket 3 bhpho.to/3PgEQxd
Microphones
Main bhpho.to/44ensOj
Vlog bhpho.to/43Z9qQv
Wireless bhpho.to/3XmXeco
Video lights
Main bhpho.to/3Vjo2rs
Tubes bhpho.to/3WkwB42

[@dpfreedman]

By a show of hands, who would love to be a fly on the wall at one of these events watching Omar do his thing? I sure would!

[@Augnos]

Super excited to see you’re lighting courses, because your photos have some of the nicest lighting I’ve seen on KZbin for events, and it’s not even close.

[@ogonzilla]

Awesome, thank you!

[@jeremytheoneofdestiny8691]

You sir are a master of light!

[@jpdj2715]

Great lesson, Omar. Sometimes when we teach we look for words or a metaphor with what we explain. The hair-light we add (1) to suggest more depth (a photo being a 2D representation of a 3D subject) and (2) to isolate the subject better from the background (we also call the light a contour light here, but this is basically the same). Your shot at 10-:48 beautifully illustrates this - and also shows that a contour-light is not just for a subject in black against a black background.

[@randallherreraNyc]

I look forward to all your videos, but especially the ones about lighting (events in particular), those are my favorite as this is where I struggle the most, probably due to not enough practice, but thats beside the point. keep them coming Omar!

[@sli8462]

I would love a video on balancing aperture, shutter, and flash at low light events. I'm sure you've also setup various shooting banks to jump to throughout the events. It's easy for stills where you can control your models, their position, the position of the light, and take your time with setup of your picture controls, as well as flash power... But at events, where there is often low light, how are you working with your flash and picture controls? You began to touch on it in this video, but I'd love of video dedicated to setups at events. Your pictures of those events are always outstanding, especially in dynamic settings with colorful changing lights, strobes, etc

[@eZaY47]

Same. I would like to know how professionals do this with all manual setup, becaus with TTL enabled it is not that hard. However, when in full manual, I first setup my camera and lens settings on what I woul like to see - aperture and shutter speed. Only then I experiment with flash power and/or change ISO to get somewhat correct exposure. It also depends how far are the subjects or the ceiling for bouncing the light. I guess I woukd like to "experiment" less and get the right settings quicker, but maybe that comes with experience.

[@sli8462]

@@eZaY47 same here

[@oc2phish07]

Thanks Omar, and thanks too for your Nikon Zf bracketing enquiry earlier today. 👍

[@FranciscoAlvarezTV]

Omar, Godox announced the Mark II version of the AD200 Pro. I’m preordering, homeskillet!

[@watchwithME87]

No pun intended... when I watch you, can't help but see Jokoy. Both brilliant men ✌️👊

[@davidgarb9035]

Hi Omar Learning to use Nikon Auto ISO with flash in different modes such as M or Aputure Priority -specifically for low light situations such as events or outdoor evening- if you could touch on that, it would be great! Keep them videos coming!

[@Hindsight101]

I want to learn flash photography. Very interested in how you make a person pop like you have in this video. Thank you

[@MartinV.]

Great Video!!

[@AbrahamMusalem]

I’m about to shoot a wedding using a flash for the first time and this helped a ton! Also nice Rolex 🔥

[@aroncontinuousconversation]

Color matching with flashes and available light.

[@dlands1]

Great video as usual Omar! For the receptions/dancing do you always place ocf just on either side of the DJ/stage? How do you determine how hight to set them and what angle to point them?

[@jacky2152]

It is cool to learn the situations and use this video as a reference later. But can you make some videos on how to find the proper power level and the flash distance for say... Kill the colour cast?

[@paigeofstylez]

Portrait and product photography

[@photorox]

Hey Omar, Great video as usual. Can't wait to see your courses. Did you get on Amazon that bar for hanging the pictures you have on the wall behind your desk ? Thanks, Rox

[@ogonzilla]

Ikea

[@Teddy-ne3gd]

Very good, thank you.

[@Artshreddersoon]

I’m going to say you made this video because I recently asked you to make this tutorial and you can’t convince me otherwise 😂😂😂

[@chessboxing4271]

Do you have a video or are you planning one on how you use flash for your family and travel pictures?

[@ilanhoward]

Would be nice to see a more basic lighting video from you :-)

[@cesarm8811]

I am hobbyist photographer and most of my photography is done while traveling (vacations), family events and chasing the grandkids. I current own the Nikon Z50 (great travel camera), and use the built in flash mainly for fill when photography people outdoor. Also I own the Godox TT350, should I be using this flash instead of the built in flash?

[@vaphie]

Grazie.

[@yay478]

A question I have a lot with flashes (I shoot a lot outdoors and in studios) is related to light positioning where and how to put them....

[@benoittissier58]

I would like to shoot outdoor sports with flash and I'm wondering if the AD 600 pro II can deliver a few shots in burst mode (6 or 10 FPS) with HSS and 1/4 or 1/8 power.

[@craigcarlson4022]

Well, you have a second career option in food photography if you get tired of people/portraits. Made me so hungry!

[@GhiKopera]

I am first. Just like the flash

[@thenexthobby]

Just off the top of my head, I'm thinking people need to "know how to see light," meaning, show up to a venue or a scene and be able to describe the existing light. You're not holding a camera, you're not setting up lights. You're LOOKING around. Problem solving is related to artistic goals, but here's the thing: Beginners do not know what they want, do not know why something might look better. Exercise activities based around recipes are a good way to start. Recreate this look, then change it and see what happens. Share your results with the class lol.

[@o.aldenproductions.9858]

My flashes fash only work at home, refuse to work outdoors, I'll check them , good to go , put a person before my lens nothing happens. 😅 .they have lithium batteries the recycling time shouldn't be the issue I'm not asking it for a full power !!! 🧿⚔️💣I'm cursed!!! Aaarrgggg

[@QuicknStraight]

I made conscious decision to keep using natural light. Almost never use a flash, even after 40+ years of photography.

[@Isaac-wq9eu]

Too much information in one video. Love it, but I am new and actually only use “natural light” 😂.. Now I feel so far behind haha

[@L.Spencer]

I'm in my second lighting class and feel so far behind. We use only the studio lighting on campus, but I'm pretty lost with portable lighting.

[@brandonpierce]

Your flash class sounds very interesting. I’ll be watching for it.

[@InstructorWest]

The hardest thing to learn about flash is the menu systems and various controls that these devices have. If you have a light meter and go full manual, not a problem. But the interfaces on flash units, even those from a single brand, are inconsistent and confusing. You don't want to limit your course by only exploring one system, but ideally that's exactly what you'd do to really help photographers. Godox, being inexpensive and not camera-brand-exclusive, could be a good choice.

[@jasonbodden8816]

Well, almost all courses use one ecosystem of lights because it's much less daunting a task to use various brands. It would be quite foolish to try to appease everyone as photographers use various brands. There's Godox, Profoto, Broncolor, FJ Westcott and others. Photographers are expected to use all of them in a single course? You have to find out how to work YOUR specific lights and then learn the lighting techniques available to you in the course. It's not the photographer's responsibility to teach EVERYONE how to maneuver their particular lights' menus, only to teach actual lighting techniques. It's already enough work putting together a lighting course, but to also try to use several brands and teach how to navigate them on top of everything else is just nonsense. It's about the lighting techniques, not the specific lights you have (which YOU have to find out how to operate on your own, whether it's reading the manual or looking at videos).

[@dogsbyfire]

Dude! You’re a great teacher. Thanks!

[@sampiyu2760]

Omar, could you please tell me what sort of lenses or focal lengths you're using to capture those peak moments in the dance floor?

[@MarcusSortijas]

Thanks to your videos, I’ve gotten pretty comfortable with on-camera flash indoors for events. I’m used to low-light environments. However, I recently shot an outdoor pool party at a hotel in bright sunlight and was out of my element lol. I used the FlashBender and got enough usable shots. However, I think I pushed my flash too hard because it only fired about half the time. The flash couldn’t recycle fast enough to keep up with my shooting. Had to look up my settings. Aperture: f5 Shutter speed: 1/200 ISO: 100, 200 Flash power: TTL, +2 flash exposure compensation. I probably should have increased my ISO so the flash didn’t have to be as bright. Then it would have recycled faster. Excited about the flash course! Your teaching has already helped me so much.

[@divinevideo]

Amazing work ! 👍I'm sure your course will be interesting

[@donho6523]

I would like to see more about how you freeze action with flash. Excellent Video!

[@szeinner]

Great video man, would love to learn more about shutter drag with flash. Thanks

[@raymart86]

Love your photography! Thx for sharing such great tips!

[@TravisPacheco1]

Great video. Any time a photographer explicity markets themselves as a "natural light photographer", I know it means they don't know how to use flash.

[@we.sch.7591]

Great work - and always fun to watch! I'd be keen on having a glimpse into your "Hot Shoe Diaries", Omar McNally!

[@lionheart4424]

Would love to learn about indoors portrait lighting aka studio porttait stuff.

[@EricHoefler]

I’m always hesitant to buy online courses from internet folks, but I’m very excited to hear that you’re building courses and can’t wait to see what you’re going to share! I still feel my weakest area is using flash in “fast moving” situations. If I’m doing a studio shoot where I can set my lights just so, dial in the balance, etc., I feel confident. I’m less OK with on-location shoots that require flash, but that’s mainly just reminding myself to slow down. But for events, where I have much less control and much less time, that’s when I feel fumbly and unsure. I can tell that you do a lot of work in those situations, and you do it well with flash, so I’d really love to see how you handle those in real time or a breakdown of what you do when. But whatever you make, I’ll be looking forward to seeing it. You’re still my favorite “camera KZbin” person to watch!

[@jillschindel2832]

I adore my AD200pro. I could definitely see picking up a second or third just to see what I could do with them!

[@L.Spencer]

How do you know how much power your flash needs to emit? Do light meters help with that, is there a scale or chart, or is it mostly experience? I just have a small on-camera speedlight and a cord that I can take it off about a foot. I'd like to start thinking about purchasing lighting, but have no clue where to start. I'm making a list: a flashbender, an umbrella w/stand, maybe a Godox AD200.

[@kevinsim1514]

Hi Omar, I fall under the second scenario: run & gun and unable to bounce flash. I use the Godox V1 and the SR whatcamacallit bag of magnetic modifiers, and the Godox X2T remote. Old school off camera with the flash in my hand. Could you give a course on that use case?

[@kathealy60]

I cannot wait for your lighting course! What would I want to learn? Um, everything since I have one flash that I have used on my camera only a handful of times with varying results. I would not even know what questions to ask or topics to request because I really don’t know much at all about any of it - speed lights, on camera/off camera - when would a speed light NOT work versus only when those bigger flash units would be better etc.

[@gilberthuph]

Thanks Omar, excellent video. How do you set your white balance for consistent results when using flash?

[@oggierphotography]

well be happy to learn with a course. I want to become good in flash photography and understand how it works. Best settings for on Camera flash inside, Events, Weddings etc. and off Camera. the Settings i need to Set first and after that all the things i have to do with the Flash =) Thanks for your awesome Videos =)

[@danc2700]

My 2 biggest struggles are: 1) How to make outdoor portraits with flash look natural 2) Where to position lights in a big wedding venue.

[@pepper6253]

I have never used a flash never ever , lol. I don't think i will too much magic lol . Love your photos really engaging with your clients everyone looks happy and having a good time.

[@bananaman-zd4lq]

I bought a couple of different flashes but the color is very cool so I find it hard to work with because I never know which flash gel to use to balance with other light. I think the color on both flashes are different, maybe because one has been used more, and I when I try to combine them with daylight, they don't blend perfectly. Also, it seems like at least one of them has a green/magenta color shift when shooting rapidly so one shot is more green and the next is more magenta. I generally find that every time I feel like using flash, I spend way too much time trying to figure out where to put it, which power to use, what gel to put on it, which modifier to put on it, and what to do when the model and I are moving around the room so the distance from the flash is changing. It all just seems like too much to figure out so I either rely on continuous lighting from a couple of godox sl-60s or I use sunlight.

[@scottw5791]

haha Maplewood village making an appearance

[@GhOSzT_29]

how many photos can be saved in 64gb thx newbie

[@renarsdradeika8657]

I was wondering, how much worse the photos would be, if you were using Fuji?🤔

[@brianode11]

I feel like I was always chasing new gear, until I learned about light & lighting.

[@pygmyowl]

Wait, you use flash in B'nai mitzvah rehearsals? Do you just set up a stand by the bema?

[@elac70]

Would love to see a video from kind of a beginners perspective and how to set up the exposures with flash.

[@i18nGuy]

very nice catalog of flash uses and tactics.

[@pizzologsanto4171]

Thanks . . Love Your Videos !

[@MrWiseinheart]

Dude man those photos are real nice 👍👍

[@kennethnielsen3864]

Thanks for sharing.

[@Vilmantas_A]

I vote for flash class.

[@lanana03]

Flash!!!

[@markyteo]

So useful!

[@timothylevi]

I last saw one of your videos back when you started using the xt20. Man, you’ve improved a lot as a creator! So nice to see.

[@ogonzilla]

Thanks for coming back!

[@mjztx]

Nice video. Curious, have you tried the magmod XL? I got one and I like it. Sometimes the light is harsher than I like. I shoot seniors mostly outdoors and I want a quick, easy portable lighting solution and keep going. My shooting style is to get a variety of locations/spots. I don't want to get bogged down toting a giant stand and giant umbrella. I was curious about maybe adding a smaller soft box, maybe a magmod one even.

[@ogonzilla]

Too harsh for my look. Minimum is a collapsible umbrella. Speedlight

[@fabipuello]

Like always relevant, practical, entertaining. Thank you Omar!

[@MichaelSeneschal]

Wondering if you have an assistant when you use more than 1 light..

[@ogonzilla]

no. Just running legs.

[@MichaelSeneschal]

@@ogonzilla So that would be a good topic for a video you’re making (the question you asked at the end of this video). Not necessarily camera or flash settings, but more of a workflow topic. Workflow and how you manage customers while setting up these lights. If it’s an event, how do you deal with people not knocking over the light stand. Etc. All the workflow around using 2 to 3 lights as a single person.

[@the-additional-f-stop]

Hi Omar, I've been shooting for almost 25 years and have somehow evaded using flash extensively all this time. I'm still a "natural light" photographer. However, that may be changing. This is super helpful but if you ever decide to put together this info in a PDF or a pay-per-use video for a few bucks, I'd love to buy it. - p.s. It's Juliette. I changed my handle :) ---oh! I just this second heard you say that you're working on courses. PERFECT! Signing up.

[@MarcoACasco]

Great video, as usual Omar.!!!!.......... For guys like me, who are not pro photographers, and only carry one small camera most of the time, what works really well, is a camera with a built in flash that does a great job when used for fill flash indoors and outdoors....many cameras do a good job in certain situations...but not in "all situations" like my little Fuji X100, any of the X100 series (I am actually using a X100T) can do it, the small built in flash is JUST INCREDIBLE !!!!! it delivers the perfect amount of light in any situation: indoors, outdoors, in al kinds of crazy light conditions ( I learned this from Ken Rockwell, and believe me, he is 100% right !!!). Love your great videos Omar, learn a lot from them, many thanks. !!!!

[@csc-photo]

Watched this twice, so helpful 👏🏻 Re: your new lighting course - I want to see every scenario here, except with camera & light setup details with accompanying how-to demonstrations. Also: how to choose the right modifier, TTL vs Manual, and your go-to most versatile lighting setup, if you had to pick one. And cookies. Throw in some cookies and it's TAKE MY MONEY sir. OH and challenges you asked for: best focus settings and technique for low-light / faster action scenes (dance floor etc.), when to override ambient light vs when to balance ambient with flash, and choosing between HSS and using an ND. Thanks! 🙂

[@riotrob]

More on mixed lighting please. not just over powering with the flash, but matching the ambient with gels.

[@coIorsone]

My AD600 Pro II I bought got delivered yesterday, can't wait to see what this beauty can do! And I really like the style of your video making man, keep it up!

[@lorrimang]

I'm an amateur. One day I suddenly had an epiphany:. I wanted atmosphere. Perfect exposure for the face often destroys atmosphere. I needed natural light and underexposure at lot of the time to get what I wanted. Granted this isn't what a pro portrait photographer is looking for, nor most pro photography. But I have noticed ads often us this and other effects like flare.

[@nattapolmarch]

Thank you so much for teaching me such great things. I'm really grateful.

[@JeffreyHauser]

I always smile when viewing your videos, Omar! Beautiful photos with clear & concise explanations to accompany the examples that you show. Best wishes.😊

[@matthewhintz8102]

Literally just ordered my first flash yesterday. Thank you Omar for all you do to help make others better!

[@Brianmc2134]

Just started getting into flash and these tips were great thanks Omar!

[@henrysara7716]

Thank you, Omar