Understand flash with THE EXPOSURE DIAMOND - how to balance ambient light with flash

[@WillChidlow]

Hey friends! hope you found this video helpful? did you already know about the exposure diamond?

[@TFrank-lf5fg]

This is the best video I’ve seen on learning flash photography

[@WillChidlow]

Wow, thanks! Glad you found it useful 🙏👍😎

[@lindakuo88]

Glad you explained at the end, that you taught it backwards even though the conclusion is the same. I usually set the ambient first, set iso and aperture and then add the flash. Same result as you mentioned, but I appreciate you pointing that out!

[@WillChidlow]

Yes, i thought that needed to be mentioned, should have done it the other way round really. Glad it was still helpful

[@lindakuo88]

Best most comprehensive but easily understood tutorial. I haven’t shot ambient and flash for a long time so forgot. Great video thank you.

[@WillChidlow]

Glad you found it helpful! many thanks for watching and commenting

[@peternewman8537]

Very helpful, thank you,

[@gimbalair]

I so wanted you to adjust the flash power so we could see the background stay the same and the subject exposure change.

[@willemmees5893]

Very instructive and straightforward explanation. I'll be back 🙂

[@WillChidlow]

Fab! thanks for watching

[@Theescottishberserker]

that was spot on man!! Watched a good few videos about it, but they you explained it made more sense than any others.

[@WillChidlow]

Excellent! Glad you found it helpful, happy shooting 👍🙏😎

[@chetphillips1042]

I liked the comment about low shutter speed and camera blur. The flash freezes the action. That was helpful.

[@WillChidlow]

Thanks Chet, glad you got some value, yes, that was a key point in my understanding too

[@RonaldBrown59]

Great information Will, thanks for sharing.

[@WillChidlow]

Glad you found it helpful Ron! 👍🙏😎

[@bartkerswell]

Thanks Will great information 👍👍

[@WillChidlow]

Thanks Bart, glad you found it helpful! 👍🙏😎

[@dhkdf9580]

This is a very well thought out and informing video. Thank you.

[@WillChidlow]

Awesome! glad you liked it! many thanks!

[@yamilkazunzunegui6861]

This video helped me so much with my strobe light. Thank you!

[@WillChidlow]

Glad it helped! Thanks for watching 👍🙏😎

[@frankdecock2735]

Excellent knowledge refreshing video, Will. Thanks !

[@WillChidlow]

Ah thanks!

[@Kamal_Actkins]

Awesome review!

[@WillChidlow]

Thanks Kamal! 👍🙏😎

[@mariemabaach]

Great video ! thanks !!

[@WillChidlow]

You are welcome!

[@calbalu51]

Well said! Cheers

[@WillChidlow]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@oldhollywoodbriar]

So few photographers know how to use their flashes, even at the pro level. The top Hollywood photogs bounce off a piece of paper that they hand hold over the flash when the flash head is pointed up. It only works if you’re close to the subject aka if you’re on the carpet with the actors.

[@harryconte7222]

Very good tutorial. I'm assuming flash and camera set to Manual?

[@WillChidlow]

Thanks Harry! Yes all manual in my examples, however the same principle could be used with camera on manual and flash on TTL using flash compensation to dial in the desired look but generally I find it easier and more controlled to stick with manual all round 🙏👍😎

[@harryconte7222]

@@WillChidlow I use TTL when I'm outdoors and moving. When things are not so static as indoors.

[@WillChidlow]

@harryconte7222 absolutely, that’s my approach also 👍

[@hegemomusick]

Very good 👍

[@WillChidlow]

Thank you! Cheers! 👍🙏😎

[@usernamemykel]

Superb. So how would you macro photograph an insect on a flower using diffused flash? Would you expose for the flower upon which the insect is feeding? They'd be combined, so how would the separation of flower and bug be accomplished, the flower being the "background" and the bug being tghe "subject"? Many thanks!

[@WillChidlow]

Hi, thanks for watching! It’s a bit more complicated for macro photography as the flash becomes a much larger light source. That said, you can still apply this approach however using your example the insect and the flower would both be considered the subject as the flash would hit both and the background of the flower would be the background/ambient light

[@usernamemykel]

@@WillChidlow Will, to just SEE the flower/insect in the live view window, one would have to at least APPROACH a "correct exposure" (as per the exposure meter), to be able to begin to focus on the insect, THEN use flash , but where to begin, "power-wise" with the flash, before the insect flies off to the nearest farmer's market? Isn't it more scientific/calcuable than a "hit or miss" situation? Thank you.

[@willemmees5893]

@@usernamemykel Will is welcome to correct me but wouldn't putting your flash on TTL then and choosing/guesstimating the appropriate shutter speed, aperture and ISO be a safe bet?

[@theavangelist]

flashes all work at a fixed shutter speed. Nikon 125, anything else you fiddle with is either going to drag it or drop it. dunno about the 'diamond' never heard that before - exposure triangle yes

[@WillChidlow]

It’s not fixed Andy, that’s the whole point of the video 👍

[@ronaldopascua8221]

There is something missing in your formula of the exposure diamond. Use not the corners but the sides of the triangle/diamond exposure were iso in the middle line. The missing is Distance of Light source to Subject. It will become a 5 Pillars of Flash Photography. APERTURE, SUTTER SPEED, ISO, FLASH POWER & DISTANCE OF LIGHT (Inverse Square Law of Light).

[@WillChidlow]

Interesting approach but certainly not the exposure diamond approach I am familiar with. thanks for sharing

[@ronaldopascua8221]

@@WillChidlow Distance of the light source to the subject also affects the exposure is it not? The farther it is, less light the camera can gather and harsher shadows. The Closer it is the more light and softer shadows. 😁😁😁 so it is a factor for exposure with flash or and continuous light.