| Although most photojournalistic wedding photography | | | | also create side lighting in rooms with very flat |
| shoots are done using ambient light, there are | | | | illumination and directional effect for simple portraits.ii. |
| situations whereby the lighting situation might not be | | | | Fill-in flash for outdoor shoots |
| ideal to turn out good pictures. That is why judicious | | | | When faced with a strong backlight situation, the |
| use of an external flash plays an important role in | | | | camera's exposure settings will automatically |
| assuring great shots and happy clients. | | | | underexpose the subject to compensate for the |
| A good photojournalist uses the external flash at | | | | bright background. Using a fill-in flash in such situations |
| appropriate moments to complement available | | | | will illuminate the subject, hence preventing them |
| ambient light. With a flash mounted at all times, you | | | | from being underexposed. It can also be especially |
| can address any kind of lighting situation, without | | | | useful for keeping eye sockets from getting too |
| having to scramble for one when the need arises. | | | | dark or to lower the contrast ratio of shadows and |
| Many a time, the use of flash creates a distinction | | | | highlights in direct sun. For best results, you should |
| between getting the shot or not getting it at all. | | | | shoot in A mode, and put your external flash on |
| Therefore, there is no need to be so adamant in | | | | high-speed sync, a function which is available in most |
| insisting that you follow the fad of just using ambient | | | | TTL flashes. This creates a nicely exposed subject |
| light in your photojournalistic wedding photography | | | | and ambient background. When the subject is close, |
| shoots. | | | | and the sky is clear or partly cloudy, you can also |
| These are some examples which make the external | | | | take advantage of high-speed sync and use a fast |
| flash an indispensable asset:i. Indoor shoots | | | | shutter along with negative exposure compensation |
| While many couples opt for a casual outdoor | | | | to darken the background, saturate the blue in the |
| solemnization ceremony, there are some others who | | | | sky and add a little drama to the clouds above. |
| would prefer to have their ceremonies conducted | | | | Darkening the background here allows your subject |
| indoors, such as a hotel ballroom or clubhouse, so | | | | to stand out from the background, instead of |
| that they are not at the mercy of unpredictable | | | | blending in, hence creating more depth in the picture. |
| weather changes. While shooting indoors, it is | | | | Contrary to the use of bounce flash indoors as |
| practically impossible to expect to shoot using | | | | explained above, direct flash rules reign for outdoor |
| ambient light. The use of an external flash here would | | | | shots - no diffusers or modifiers, no bounce. Here it's |
| ensure that your subjects are correctly exposed. | | | | used as either a slight fill to get rid of harsh shadows, |
| To prevent harsh shadows being cast behind your | | | | or to bring the subject in balance with the ambient |
| subjects, you should at all times avoid pointing the | | | | light - usually for strong backlight situations. For fill-in |
| flash directly at them. Try using an omni-bounce or | | | | effects, try using strobes at about -1 to -2 power on |
| bounce card to soften the flash falling on your | | | | your flash.iii. Freezing an action |
| subjects, so as to foster an ambient feel and | | | | As events in a wedding evolve so quickly, there will |
| creating atmosphere while reducing the evidence of | | | | be times you need to freeze an action. Some |
| flash. Flash can be bounced off the ceiling, walls, | | | | examples include a couple dancing and a wedding |
| wedding gown, a guest's white shirt or anything | | | | march-in. While shooting without a flash creates the |
| available that reflects light well. Bouncing softens the | | | | "blurred movements" of an event, shooting with an |
| light source by effectively making the source larger | | | | on-camera flash shows the static action using a |
| and spreading it out in every direction to eliminate | | | | faster shutter speed. |
| hard shadows. Using sideway bounce off a wall can | | | | |