Macro lighting: The SECRET to better flash photography (Tutorial with settings, tips and more)
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- Опубліковано 21 лип 2024
- In this week's macro photography tutorial I show my top tips and tricks for using flash off camera and how it creates a totally different look to your images. I show how I take my flash off camera, including using shoe cords and wireless triggers, as well as the settings I use both on the camera and on the flash.
Finally, I explain how the power of your flash will be affected by the distance to your subject or when using modifiers like softboxes, bounce cards or MagMog modifiers.
This video is an overview of getting up to speed with off-camera flash, but there are a lot of other details that play a part in it. I encourage you to give it a try and experiment as there's no right or wrong way to use flash -- it's simply down to personal preference in the look you want to achieve and for me, this is what I enjoy.
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My gear includes (affiliate links):
Canon EOS R5: amzn.to/3Yn4inM
Canon RF 100mm 2.8 macro: amzn.to/3YsATZt
Canon 35mm macro: amzn.to/3Qz4wGR
Godox AD200 Pro flash: amzn.to/3DLArvP
Godox AD100 Pro flash: amzn.to/3OK0utA
Collapsible softbox for flash: amzn.to/3DKFT29
Godox X-Pro C trigger: amzn.to/3OMvnOn
Zhiyun Fiveray M40 LED: amzn.to/3DRjwbb
Gitzo Carbon Fiber tripod: amzn.to/3Yn7fou
OWC CF Express card: amzn.to/44Xix5s
Peak Design Slide camera strap: amzn.to/3OKvslt
MagMod MagSphere starter kit: amzn.to/3DMgcyo
Nya-Evo Fjord 36 backpack: www.nya-evo.com/products/fjor...
Off-camera flash shoe cord: amzn.to/3PwKU43
Wireless flash triggers for any flash: amzn.to/3PwLvCP
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#photography #tutorial #macro
Excellent, well-organized, and well-illustrated presentation with clear examples. Nicely done.
Thank you so much, that's really kind to say!
Godox is a system Im very happy with! I have the Godox trigger with 4 lights. Usually i never go above 3. using 1 for main light, 1 for fill-light og 1 for the background. Wheb shooting outside, i seldom use more then 2, most likely just 1. Im also a big fan of different sizes og softboxes, as it gives more suttle shadows. But dont be afraid to experiment! Great video!
Thank you Andrew, you are absolutely right. using my flash with macro photography was a game changer. Like everything in life, it requires practice, practice and practice. But that is part of the fun being out in nature and creating the perfect picture.
After finding your channel last year and having always been daunted by flash photography, I got my first decent macro fungi shots last Autumn. Now that the mushrooms are just starting to appear in Epping Forest, I look forward to many a happy hour on my knees in the leaf mould and hopefully more decent photos. Thanks Andrew.
I also use the Godox system, with an X pro trigger (for Canon) and a pair of TT350 mini flash units. Your viewers might be interested to know that you can, in fact, use Godox wireless triggers with non-Godox flash units. I use a Godox X1C wireless trigger to control my Canon Speedlite with the Godox trigger. Works great, just a little added bulk and weight.
Excellent content, thanks Andrew. Subscribed 👍
Another excellent video Andrew
Great video Andrew keep up the good work
Thank you so much for this helpful video! I am just starting with flash and looking at different options to trigger my SB-50DX. I'm looking forward to the light modifier video you teased!
Thanks for watching, I'm glad it was helpful!
Hi, Andrew.
Thank you for this educational video.
I also use Godox speed lights with the same Godox camera flash trigger. Awesome tools.
Greetings from the Netherlands,
Antoine.
Interesting and helpful as usual. Thank you Andrew.
Thanks for watching, John, much appreciated!
Very helpful Thank you
Thanks Andrew, time to have a walk in the woods
If you're shooting with a multi-flash setup, you likely only need one of your flashes to support the wireless system you have connected to your camera. You can set the other to Slave mode (I haven't seen a modern flash without this) and it will flash when it detects another flash going off. You can't do anything fancy like High Speed Sync or ETTL like that, but it's very reliable in manual!
As with other comments I am just starting out on flash photography for macro. I bought a used speed light with high speed sync and strobe capabilities to aid depth of field etc. Only problem there is no hand book! 😡 so I may be some time getting decent results. Thank you Andrew for a great video.
Sounds like a great place to start and to figure out how your system works. You'll quickly find you improve once you nail the basics of operation. Good luck!
Thanks! Really want to hear more about your theory and process shaping light. You are a master painter of shadows.
"Painter of shadows" may be the best thing I've heard someone say about my photography! Thank you!
@@AndrewLanxonPhotography so since 'photography' means 'light drawing', then 'shadow drawing' would be 'umbragraphy'!
Thanks for another great video. Question- Isn’t the idea of ETTL that the camera shortens or lengthens the flash duration based on when it determines correct exposure has been reached? This would negate distance making a difference until maximum and minimum power is reached. Thanks again.
Andrew, thanks for this amazing video and channel. Looking for a new angle on woodland macro and using flash into the mix an exciting new possibility for me. Will see how far I can get with my Speedlite 550EX, Canon's top-of-the-range flash for a time (1998 - 2004), bought (vgc) a year ago for £50.
Very good explanation with examples. I am newbie to Macro photography and right now I don't have any external flash. I am just using on camera popup flash. Would you please make on video about using on camera popup flash?
Good explanation! Thanks.
Thanks for watching, have a great day!
The cord idea is a game-changer for me. I have manual flashes and use some cheapie wireless triggers (which are a hassle) and my flashes are collecting dust because it’s so frustrating. Thanks for another informative video, Andrew!
The cord is just so convenient. As long as you're only using your flash at arm's length anyway which for most macro we probably are (though I used cords for wedding photography when I wanted to get flash direction for quick portraits, like I did in the examples here). The wireless triggers were annoying and frequently just dropped connections and wouldn't fire. The cord cost a tenth of the price and never let me down.
Brilliant video.
Thank you, Jean!
The timing of this video is such a helpful coincidence. The photographer at the store agreed with your recommendation from another video, so with not even ten hours using my AD200 Pro, I’m getting results I’m very happy with. If you have mosquitoes where you are you might understand what I mean when I say that your tip about what flash output intensities can work to what effect will save me at least twenty mosquito bites (the unit of measure for experimentation). Thanks for so much great info!
That is good timing! And good purchase on ad200. It's such a good all round flash. I use mine indoors and outdoors and it's so versatile. Good luck experimenting with it and I hope you keep the mosquitos at bay!
Welcome to south Florida - you'll feel at home here.
I did switch over to the AD100pro and X2T-N and it's SO much better than PWs and speedlights. Just so much more convenient.
I do not miss the days of having to get PWs to sync!
Brilliant
I went down the path of applying studio lighting principals to macro recently and was really pleased with the results. I started looking at macro flash diffusers etc, then stopped and thought "can I get a good result without buying more stuff"
I ended up trying my Godox v860iii flash off camera with a "flash bender" to diffuse the light. (I bought the flash bender for events but avoid it unless I can't use bounce flash). I was more than happy. Recently I've taken out the AD200. It's great, but I might go back to the v860 for size and weight. It's nice to be able to recompose and move the light position.
That's exactly it - studio principals. And I think it does give a much more crafted, studio aesthetic rather than just throwing light everywhere. And absolutely it's something you can do without more stuff, it's a fun process of figuring out how to make the best use of what you have without adding all the extras. Even the examples I took in this video were just basic bare bulb flashes but the look of the images were totally changed just by moving that light a little bit. Those flash benders will be great fun to experiment with!
+1 for your t-shirt 😀
Thank you. I have a couple of flashes and a flash trigger, but it's so intimidating that I never use anything but natural light or the rare stand-alone always on light. I appreciate your approach and thoughtful reasoning and explanations. Maybe I will experiment this winter (inside first) before trying in the spring outside. ☮️💟
I'm glad it was helpful! I definitely recommend spending some time experimenting at home with it. It seems intimidating at first but you'll quickly learn how it works and you'll get great shots when you take it out in spring. Good luck!
@@AndrewLanxonPhotography Thank you!!
Andrew, which do you take into the field more often the Godox 100 or 200 and why? Do they both have batteries for off camera flash? Thanks Great Video! Keep them coming.
Nice video🎉.
Another key element in a flash photography , is the zoom. It can really affect the quality ( soft/hard) of light depending on the size of the subject .
Absolutely, it can make a huge difference, if your flash has one built in!
Thanks for the video. However, I’m noticing that when I use my godox 680v II with Canon R6, I cannot change to lower shutter speed like 1/2000, 1/4000 for example when shooting in windy weather! In ETTL, M
You need a diffuser for the on camera flash, at least that is what I use
nice tips
Thanks, and thanks for watching!
Off camera flash is great for dramatic/sculptural lighting, but when you are trying to track & photograph a 2-3mm jumping spider - yeah nah, that doesnt work, hence why we use flash diffusers. Different tools for different situations. Good video btw..
100%, it's not a solution for ALL macro (and I'm hoping I didn't give that impression!) there are definitely plenty of reasons why on camera with a diffuser would be better.
Perfect ! Is it true. I'm on it.
Good luck with your images!
question if I may Andrew. The table top tripod you use - does it come with a ball head or did you have to buy it separate? - Thinking of getting one as sometimes a full tripod next to the table isn't versatile enough/feels too clumsy
No, it's a basic manfrotto tripod (from a gimbal I think) and I've put on a Three Legged Thing head from a spare tripod. You can get a setup like this for little money on Amazon, especially if you don't need the ball head to take much weight.
its a nikon z7 - and a 100mm macro so likely similar to the canon with the 100mm - thanks for the info. Looked at the platypod but it seemed a bit OTT@@AndrewLanxonPhotography
Andrew, you are so stinking cute that it hurts to look at you. 🙂
Haha, high praise indeed, thanks for watching!