Shooting Portraits with One Speedlight
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- Опубліковано 1 чер 2024
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I think the assumption is that to get into shooting portraits with strobes, it's going to be a very expensive and technical pursuit. But in my experience you can actually achieve some great images with very little gear. In this video I share how you can create dramatic portraits using only one speedlight and a cheap modifier.
Share this video on if you found it helpful.
#portrait #strobe #speedlight
Some of you have pointed out that I mentioned changing exposure with shutter speed, and the fact there is a rough rule that aperture controls your flash exposure, and shutter speed controls your ambient exposure. This is technically correct, but not absolute, and often varies when using the longer flash durations of HSS with different shutter speeds, as well as the fact that aperture obviously increases both your ambient and flash exposure to some extent, so you still need to be careful when following this rule (for those who don't understand the rule I will get into it in future videos, especially an upcoming video on mixing strobe and ambient light). What I should have said to be more accurate in this demo is that I was trying to balance the exposure and using the shutter speed to make sure that no ambient light influenced the exposure in the shot, and then using the flash power to get the correct exposure for the portrait. Those settings ended up being ISO 100, F2.8... then 1/200 meant that I had no ambient light in the shot, and I then turned the flash power up to 1/16 power for a correct exposure from the flash only. I hope that clears things up.
straight rad content. unlike other photography channels. sir, i salute you.
Sean Tucker Hi Sean
I’m new to strobes and have been practicing the past few weeks. I initially heard on KelbyOne(I think it was!) to set up the camera with ISO100, f8, 1/125 and work with the lighting from there adjusting as you go. As you mention you shot these pics at f2.8, so for me to do the same is it just a matter of the same principle, set the aperture then work the lighting power around this setting?
Indoors there is no need to use HSS? Just put your flash power down. When you have ambient light in the image HSS can be used to control that when shooting with wider apertures that don't let you keep inside synch speed.
Indoors shooting like that HSS is just a waste of flash power. You can shoot wide apertures with low flash power - No need for HSS that will kill your batteries
or a 3 or 4 stop neutral will control the ambient, then you 'dose' the subject with flash.Depends how bright the day is. ;-)
I often crank up my Flashpoint 600's (Basically a rebranded Godox at Adorama) to 1/4000 or even 1/8000 to bring the overall watt seconds down so I can shoot at 1.4 or 1.8 when in studio. It's a lot faster than tweaking your trigger settings.
Finally, a youtube photography video that is to the point and not ego driven like everyone else on here.
Not like Tony and Chelsea
@@Fabianwew You find T/C ego driven?
@@gewglesux A bit. They talk very snobby.
@@Fabianwew Ok.... I was curious... thanks for the reply.
Well said. My exact thought.
Finally someone who isn't spending a small fortune on equipment and sees the value of the craft and not the stuff. Thank you so much, I've learnt so much.
Brilliantly paced, no blatent product placement, no pretense, informative with seemingly a genuine desire to encourage resourceful affordable creative photography.
This is probably going to be the most helpful photography video I've _ever_ watched, I bet it's going to save me so much money in the future, _and_ actually get me doing portraits rather than thinking that I'll never have the gear to do it!
My god man! In twenty-two minutes you just covered every lesson I learned in the 16-week portrait photography class I took last semester. This is the first video I’ve seen of yours, and I cannot wait to see what else you’ve done. I’ve happily subscribed and turned notifications on. 😀
The one about Light and Shadow is a spiritual awakening of the deepest levels of your soul. Honestly!! He made me tear up after the 14:32 mark. I've experienced much loss in my lifetime and in just a few minutes he put it all into a totally new perspective. I have a new focus on my passion of photography.
UA-cam university makes college look like a waste of time and money, well, when you're dealing with a hobby that thousands of people are involved it. It's easy to find free knowledge. I redirect anyone who says they want to "go to school for photography" (LOL) to here.
Can anybody explain how his lcd screen seems to be bright but it should be black during shooting with flash?
@@Wakodaf You just set it up in camera options to show the frame, not actual exposure. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to frame and focus :)
Filip F ok! Thank you
The "How to fold a backdrop" part. Absolutely priceless :)
This was the best part of it. I've had backdrops I just left open for a day or two after walking away from the frustration of trying to fold it
@@chrissnyder4439 try weeks!!!
19:00 time stamp
Sean, you have no idea how overwhelmed I am after watching your series of videos (shadows, highlights and manual mode). I am overwhelming relieved to see that it is possible to take portraits without having expensive gear. Thank you so much, you are a blessed soul sharing so many secrets that photographers normally hoard. It is a hobby for me and I am not doing anything commercial.
I am cracking away on the Pentax K50 I have and have started saving to buy a full frame camera.
Thank you so much for all the time you invest in spreading this knowledge to people like us. As you put it, I was one amongst the many who think that expensive gear = good photographs. I was able to apply your principles and get a good shot from my mobile phone. I am sure I can get many more once I start applying your teachings to the gear I have. I have started writing down your points like I used to do in school. So simple to follow and learn from your videos.
May you live long and strong Sean.
Now, your UA-cam feed streams on my laptop instead of Netflix; whenever I have time away from work.
Thanks my friend. Good luck.
This is my script too - a complete set-up that can be transported by bus without raising eyebrows, or in my case by bicycle. Apart from anything else, it's a good discipline to avoid unnecessary complexity. Nice video!
Finally a photographer who is in depth without talking down to you with expensive gear. Flash Photography on a simple budget. Thanks!!
Photo magazines and photo websites have been discussing portable strobe techniques for over 20 years.
@@photorockbar471 are they talking about cheap gear?
@@dronedude4185 all types of gear.
People like this guy have saved me tons of money cuz I've considered getting 600$ cameras to replace my D3100. People like this guy show me that I can do just as much with my D3100 was a beginner with a Z7 II.
‘A lot of people who declare themselves natural light only photographers but who are actually just afraid of using strobe”. That’s me all over. Fucking terrified. Thank you so much for this video... it was so incredibly helpful, like all of your videos.
Same here. Took me forever to get that thing to even fire. Once I did with a softbox my images were great.
Boom -- me to a T
Bought the background, soft lighter, speed light and trigger he showed in this video, immediately my portraits improved. Loved and love this video
im in this picture and i DONT like it!
Hahaha, great comment!! When I started (over 20 years ago) I just jumped in and tried everything my wallet could afford... I practiced on friends and figured I could always delete pics and sell the equipment if I wanted. I ended up with some amazing photos and and learned along the way.
This video is AWESOME and I can't wait to use these techniques!
Well that’s probably the most direct, to the point, high information filled UA-cam instructional video I have seen . What an absolutely delightful experience. Guess I’ll be up for awhile exploring your other content Thank you so much for all the work that you put into this.
I’ve seen this videos several times in my photography career. It got me inspired lots of times from different types of angle view, portrait, flash gear, lighting style. Today when I see it again, I think it’s a fantastic video for beginner photographes. Everything is well thought in the explanation. The only drawback to put a small softbox in a small space for portrait ,it is the ratio on the left and right face when it’s side lighted or rambrandt lighted, since the light is so closed to the face, the light falls off very quickly, therefore, one side of the face is so much brighter than another side. For sure it can be adjusted in post production , but it’s just a remark I’ve got. Again really great video, thanks for sharing !
I'm a pro portrait photographer and this is the best film I've seen! well done.
14:53 OOOOH! So THATS how you "cancel out" ambient light in a room using a strobe! Wow.. that little beginner tip, just sets off all kinds of photography epiphanies for me lol! Thanks Sean.
17:46 And for good heavens, how could you miss that priceless smile?
Aside from the video being incredibly useful, I'm very glad that now I'll stop looking like a muppet.
I really enjoy an instructor that talks to you instead of at you. Practical to the core. The simple addition of 24mm over lets say 125mm setting on the flash let me see flash zoom so much easier.
@@westyavro Agreed, especially since as a beginner, I have avoided flash for the same reasons but now I'm going to replace my continuous lights with flash, I might even replace my houses lightbulbs with flash.
Best tip in the video, I was a muppet for sure folding those things back up, lol
@@CountSorinsRealm Actually burst out laughing there, lol.
@@CheeseColeslaw Yes Sir, thank you Sir!
Fantastic. My phobic anxiety about having a go with studio lighting swept away in one unpretentious video. Clarity of presentation is 10/10. Thank goodness the flow is not interrupted by adverts.
It's always nice when a video is exactly 22 mins and 22 seconds. Look at all those numbers in a row.
Genius genius genius. Straight to the point without suggesting fancy expensive gear. Great job
This is, by far, my favorite UA-cam video. I return to it every now and then before a portrait session. Simplicity is king.
The shot at 17:25 is perfection.
This is about the best photography tutorial I've seen on YT. None of that "first get yourself three Profoto heads and" nonsense. Now if only I could find a more affordable radio trigger for my Canon Speedlite...
UA-cam algorithm is really bad, as I watched literally every photographer channel in English and German for the last 5 years. And I spend thousends of Euros for gear and stuff in the meantime.... Found your video and channel today and you nailed it in 22 mins, even showing how to fold the background! A masterpiece! Thank you Sean!!!🙏
Showing how to fold the backdrop is enough to deserve a “like” 😆 I remember it took a while for me to learn to fold a 120cm reflector.
Sean I have to say, I really really love your no nonsense style to photography and the way you make your videos and how you so easily get the points across that are important without drowning them in technobable. I'm an amateur wildlife photographer who's trying to learn to use speedlights etc and yes I'll admit I was avoiding them because its so much easier with just natural light etc. Kudos to you and keep on making videos exactly like this!
Only one word for this tuturial. Brilliant. Thank you for sharing your skill and enthusiasm.
My mind is completely blown. Now I have no excuse to not do studio portraits (my excuse was that I didn't have a studio space). All I need now is a spedlight, diffusion box and backdrop👌🏼
'How to fold the backdrop' was worth the price of admission ;-) Thanks for the consistently excellent content, Sean. I come because I am a novice and need the technical help but I stay for the life lessons. Keep them coming! Grace and peace as you enter 2021.
I think this is probably one of the more useful videos on youtube, considering you can build this setup on a budget. Recently got a TT600 flash and X1T-C trigger and this video will allow me to spend maybe 50-100GBP more to build something that is so cheap that it is even doable for those just experimenting.
AT last a video for someone who doesn't have 10 grands worth of kit. Very informative and inspirational.
Thanks Sean!
In 2016, I watched a similar video on the use of lights and as if by magic, my images went from flat, lifeless ones, to OMG ones! I don't use anything fancy; a D7000, a Neewer (manual) flash and cheap Chinese flash trigger(s - I always carry a back up!), and home made modifiers, absolutely transforms simple photo's of flowers and landscapes (exposing for the sky, and using the flash to light some plants in the foreground) has my girlfriend saying it looks like a magazine photo! But really! Using a flash for us, now is essential rather than a novelty.
When we shoot portraits out of doors, the subject holds the flash set to 1/16th power. The shooter composes the shot; fill the frame, expose for the speedlight (160th sec., f9) - if it needs adjusting, just do it! There's nothing to be afraid of!
Product photography is a breeze! We use reflectors to fill in the very dark shadows.
But the icing on the cake has to be Headshots! My daughter's old room was transformed into a studio, I bought 2 softboxes, another flash, etc, and a backdrop! Job done! Simplicity is overstating it!
We shoot in Manual mode & RAW format, and develop the files into monochrome!
You don't need to spend a fortune to transform your images. Your most powerful asset is your imagination! And let failure be your kindest master! Failing in itself is not a problem; failing to learn from failure is!
Now there's no turning back! LIGHT IT UP!
A Great Vid, Sean! Keep up the good work and good luck everyone!
Ilonka and Daz x
This should be required viewing for anyone starting out...all you need to know in 22 minutes. Solid. Nice job Sean.
This is probably the most useful and straight forward tutorial on flash portrait photography.
I like your candor about photography Sean. I already like you BEFORE this video even started because of your sincere approach to your portrait photography with one point lighting. Keep it up good colleague.
I spent a good amount of money after watching this video as an amatuear.... I had a Nikon D3400, but then I found out it didn't do HSS, so I upgraded to a (used) D7500 with three different lenses. I've got a HSS trigger and flash, can't wait till the camera is delivered.
This is such an excellent presentation, on so many different levels. I've always been impressed with your communication skills and speaking style. Your organization of topics and explanation of what you're doing and why is very easily understandable without skipping crucial bits of information. I'm always excited to see when you've put out another video...always thoughtful and informative. Thank you so much. Jon
CostaMesaPhotography do you understand why he is using HSS? I thought that was a significant gap. Otherwise - yes, he does a great job at presenting! (Just a little long winded sometimes/always in his intros)
@@bthemedia My sense was that he covered this fairly well, but based on your comment I went back and looked again. At about the 13 minute mark he mentions HSS and 1) the importance of making sure you have a flash that supports HSS, and 2) explains that HSS allows you to use shutter speeds above sync speed. To your point, he doesn't really explain WHY you might use a shutter speed that fast. Again at about the 14-1/2 minute mark he demonstrates that he wants to cut out all ambient light and only light his subject with the flash....he shows that with the flash off, his exposure produces a black frame...classic HSS, but again to your point, he doesn't explicitly say that to achieve that you might need to raise your shutter speed above the sync speed, but with an HSS-capable flash, you have the freedom to do that without worry. And of course he didn't mention the downside of HSS (and there are few), and that is that it eats up the batteries quite a bit faster. It's a downslide, but it's not a reason you'd avoid HSS...you use HSS because you have to (i.e. when you're trying to achieve a particular result which requires fast shutter speeds...cutting ambient light, freezing motion, etc...).
I still put Sean Tucker's video as very high on my list of must-watch, and must-subscribe channels.
bwvids yes, it’s so that he can go to any shutter speed without worrying about flash sync times as he explained.
I think many people on forums talking about "pro" photography and "pro" gear need to be shown this video.
Newly retired type of photographer here. It's going alright outdoors, shooting birds and bif, but indoors and strobe lights that's not (yet) my cup of tea until this video. I'm going to try setting things up the way you did. I just would love finding a video explaining step by step the setup of a speed light. I regret not having started photography when I was young, I find out things every day and I'm getting obsessed with it. Also these Sony cameras can be equipped with very old analogue lenses, witch gives me a whole other new world to discover. I love young people like yourself, trying to explain all this stuff and keeping it on a low budget. Loved the part where you advices an old model Canon 5d mark ll, more young people should listen to that kind of advice. Keep it coming, you have a new (old) follower. Thanks a lot.
Putting the cheaper suggestions at the end of the video instead of just saying "and you can get cheaper stuff" is really appreciated. This video is great and I'm going to add it to my favorites so I can reference it again. Definitely going to check out your other work
So refreshing to watch a video by someone who knows their stuff and is able to put across the info in a concise, clear understandable fashion. Great video.
Dear Sean! I’m thankful for you and for UA-cam that have afforded me such a chance to learn! The world needs more photographers like you. I’m very impressed with the simplicity and humility of your presentation that hits at the heart of making beautiful portraits! I can’t compliment you enough! Thank you a lot!
A breath of fresh air. Such a change when someone sets out to simplify the subject with no "showing off". Superb!
the photo at 21:31, stunning.
Fantastic, thanks for walking us through and demystifying the strobe. I find your videos very helpful.
Amazing work Sean, you're an inspiration! Thanks for sharing your valuable experiences and skills!
If you only take away one thing from this video, it'll be how to fold up those bloody portable backgrounds! I've just had one delivered today, and spent 10 minutes trying to get it folded. I even managed to hurt myself with it in a very sensitive area... But I remembered you'd demonstrated this a while ago, and hey-presto! 10 seconds after reminding myself through your video the background was away! Brilliant!
Finally a studio photography video that isn’t about fashion super models. Respect man. P.S. she is beautiful, and you made her even more so
The best speedlight tutorial out there. Thank you, Sean!
Nice practical explanation of terms like Rembrandt, split lighting, and feathering. Too many instructional videos don’t explain those terms.
This is a great video from a really lovely guy. I had the pleasure of meeting Sean when he gave a lecture at my photographic society in Edinburgh last year. If you ever have the chance to hear Sean speak then go. Not only is he a very talented photographer but he’s also a very kind and compassionate human being.
I now have 2 x speedlights and some light boxes and some umbrellas. The quality is so awesome 👍👊💪 Highly recommend people "take the plunge " into strobe portraits
I really appreciate showing how to dismantle the backdrop. I’ve been that assistant before that struggled to fold it up and eventually needed help 🤦♂️😂
You are the best teacher on UA-cam 🙌🏽. Thank you!
So many helpful nuggets of information presented logically, concisely, and in a practical setting. I must spend time looking at the rest of your content! Thank you for sharing this information the way you did, and keep up the great content! We'll be watching!
I cannot explain how thankful I am for these videos.
Thank you, Sean. I appreciate your videos and insight greatly.
such a good instructor. clear and to the point
Comment you made about having a black exposure to check for ambient light, THAT WAS GREAT!!! Genius
Wow. The best 22 minutes I've spent in a while. (And great pix, too!) Thank You!
When you mentioned how to fold that collapsible backdrop, it brought back a few memories of battles i had with those things in the beginning. If somebody would have filmed me the first day i got one, it would have been a comedy movie. To be honest i think the backdrop won those battles. In any chase, good content as always!
Who needs a course when you got Sean...Excellent video, to the tiniest details, love it!
Folding the background: The 3rd attempt: I didn't succeed after two attempts. Than looking your video the 3rd time again I got the background folded. I would have been lost without your video! Many thanks, dear Sean. Regards again from Hamburg
I've been looking for flash lesson video like this for so long..
Incredible work. Very valuable and practical too. Thanks!
Love how you get to the point and pack tons of info into 20 minutes. Thanks.
You re awesome man, you re so inspiring and ego free. You re a blessing 😊
This is probably the best photography video I've ever watched. Thank you!
Superbly explained, to the point! 10/10!
This is one of the best photography videos I have ever seen. The simplicity of the explanation makes it easy to understand.
You are my favorite UA-camr now crazy how these videos are free, your tutorials feel expensive
I probably watched this 20 times and i still love this video. Someone can do a lot with speedlight and its nice that you dont need much money to get quality. If you want rimlight to get a different look you just buy a second light and it wont break the bank. I recently did a shooting in the woods, it was not dark it was daylight but my speedlight was quite enough to turn the background dark. If you dont shoot in bright sun a speedlight can take you far if you dont use high speed sync which cuts your power in half or a third if you use high shutter speeds
What a treasure trove of helpful information and teaching. Thank you Sean for sharing this so freely with us!
Sean, this is really is very genuine, hearty, and feeling me you’re on my side
Absolutely brilliant teaching!
Fascinating. I thought we needed a grid to get this kind of shadowing. Whole new world.
Excellent instruction, Sean! Thanks so much. You teach quickly and well, and I like your portraits too.
Honest, unpretentious, and your results are excellent. Thank you!
One of the coolest videos on photography I’ve seen. And trust me, I’ve seen plenty!
I can't believe the quality information on this channel. Thank you for the good lessons keep it up!
Amazing Sean!!!!! Thanks 🙏 for sharing
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, so helpful!
love the shot at 17:25
Well done Mr. Tucker!
BEST TIPS EVER! This is well worth watching and has helped me immensely!
Another great video Sean. Really liked that you took us through it from the beginning to the end, as well as talk about the min. gear required. I've got a Godox for my APS-C Sony, may have to give this a go!
It was so refreshing to see a video explaining what i wanted to know without overloading my brain.
Many thanks, I look forward to trying this.
😎😎😎
Thanks Sean,
I have always been of the opinion that with the right lens length and aperture, along with the correct shutter speed, the need for massive amounts of lighting is superfluous and nothing more than showing off.
Your video shows there is little need for massive amounts of equipment for great outcomes. But, I do feel the need to argue one of your points before going on... and that is... with a good condition, old school speed light equipment (such as my Sunpak 522 - connected with a remote trigger, because the trigger voltage runs at nearly 190V...) you have enough lighting power, that you can, not only, battle with the noon day overhead sun, but in manual mode and your settings at f16 @ up to 15 feet from your subject,... you can win that battle...! (I love shooting with old school equipment).
But, otherwise, the point is... your portable setup with one speed light is brilliant and I think a lot of these new, "would be - lifestyle photographers" would do well by, not only watching your video, but practicing your techniques for a few weeks, in order to really improve their service to their clients.
I was once on an "engagement announcement" photo shoot and when I set up my tripod mounted speed light (a Vivitar 283 with remote sensor) in with 36 inch soft box , my full frame Pentax K-11 with 55mm prime lens also tripod mounted and my "Joseph's amazing technicolor dreamcoat" backdrop cloth, (a 72"X 96" pouch with seven different colored fabrics sewn inside,) my client thought I had forgotten half of my equipment. when the one hour session was finished and the proofs were delivered, their reaction was disbelief that so much variety, and quality could have been derived from so little equipment! (And, it left that much more time for shooting with the client instead of setting up and breaking down equipment!)
Regards
Bob
When in need for great photography advice
Sean is your guy!
Thank you.
Sean, I really appreciate your clear and thorough explanations of techniques we all need. So very useful, without all the hugely irritating music, posturing and other nonsense so many guys use. Keep up the great work! Subscribed from my first view.
Thanks Sean. Love that you’re keeping the setup simple in this example. Inspired to go do my own
A Very Happy New Year to you Sean. This is a fabulous video & thanks for encouraging to shoot portraits with minimal gear. Absolutely beautiful images. Thanks for showing the setup from scratch.
As someone coming late into photography, I find so much inspiration here on UA-cam. You are one of my favorites for various reasons, number one being your honesty and spiritual approach to the craft. Thanks very much Sean and best of everything to you.
As always you are incredible.
Thumbs up !! Very clear guidance for beginning/intermediate photographers. I was an industrial photographer for over 30 years (mostly medium format and 4X5 view cameras before the digital revolution). This, Sean's explanation of basic camera functions, is the simplest and most accurate I've seen on youtube. Aperture (f stop) regulates the AMOUNT of light that reaches the camera's sensor. Shutter speed regulates the length of TIME that the sensor is exposed to the light. These two factors are determined by the sensitivity of the sensor (the ISO). In days of yore each of the single-sensitivity films was rated in ASA values). In today's digital world..with the ability to regulate the sensitivity of the sensor the photographer has what amounts to near-infinite choice of "films" (all right there in his/her camera...pre-loaded and available for instant use).
I think that it is the variable sensitivity of the sensors that confuse so many new photographers...and many onliners who claim understanding of the variables.
Flash changes this dynamic ... overriding one of the shutter's traditional functions. Flash pumps light through the lens's aperture onto the sensor according to its rated power and the duration of the light burst (usually extremely short). In this sense, flash overrides the shutter's former main function(time determination) while the aperture still retains its depth-of-field co-function, thankfully.
I am still hoping to own a fully manual camera that has only a digital sensor back.
Basic cameras are relatively easy to understand and use. I am given to understand that such a simple device is available..but at the extreme of the price range. I simply refuse to pay so much more for a simpler, easier-to-use device.
To sum-up my comment (at last): I am still confused :)
This is the most honest photography advice I ever seen. Good job.
This video is one of the best tutorials I've ever seen on UA-cam or anywhere else, period. I subscribed and I hope you will make many more photography tutorials explained in such a clear way, using gear that doesn't break the bank. Respect !
Having watched many UA-cam videos on this subject and still not being happy, Sean hits the mark on all levels. Very concise, straight forward and encouraging. Thank you Sean
I m Indian... You are unique + great creator + well human being.... All the best bro...
Perfectly clear video for someone who starts to use speedlight. Tanks very much