Flash photography (Thinking process and settings)

Flash photography

Photographing live performance with a privilege to use flash :D

Some of you seen my latest post ISTwood live @underground.cafe and if any of you wondered how the photos were taken, settings and thinking process behind it feel free to continue reading.

First equipment used:

• Canon R6
• Canon 85mm 1.8
• Canon 35mm 2.0
• Canon 50mm 1.8
• Yongnuo YN560-IV Speedlite
• Yongnuo RF-603C II Wireless Flash Trigger

As i mentioned several times i really like this white fabric as a background for the stage. There is small space behind it and a white wall. If any of you used or seen how Flash photography works, a lot of time light modifiers are used (umbrellas, soft boxes, beauty dish...). There is a lot of science on how light behaves but short thing is smaller the light source - sharper shadows, bigger source - softer shadows.

Flash is a small light source but putting it behind the white fabric i got a big light source. That white background could be a great modifier but it has one problem, you can't move it around. So when ever you change the angle you will get different look.

As all the music equipment was on stage i decided to not complicated things with with stands and just ask the keyboard player to put the flash on the ground behind that door on the left. Having it on the stand, higher of the ground would have it's benefits but i just decided to go with what i had.

Settings:

First thing i set up was Shutter speed to 1/200. Going over 1/200 would give me black parts of the image as Yongnuo YN560-IV don't have High Speed Sync option.

Then as both lenses can go to Aperture f/2.2 i decided to go with that as it will give me some subject separation on both lenses and i don't have to set the flash to max to get more light.

ISO was the parameter i was moving around as needed.

First closest to the flash. I knew i will blow up the background as there is to much light, but i went for it trying to get a bit of wrap light and not just get a silhouette. I like the look of the keyboard here.

As i moved i got a totally different look. I could have gone with a smaller ISO as i did burn some of the side of his face. I overcompensated because i wanted some light on the other cheek and i was not sure how much can i pull from the camera in post processing because i did not shoot a lot of flash photography with it yet.

The bass player was probably hardest as flash was almost directly behind him so it was hard to get front illuminated right. I was mostly waiting for him to turn his bass to me so i get some light on it. Went whit higher ISO as he is a bit further from the light source.

From this side i get semi decent light on the face but the bass is just in the dark.

Drummer was also a bit tricky because of his position and because the flash was low. Drummers are also usually hard to capture as most of the time you need to snipe through people and equipment on the stage.

Guitarist/Singer is probably in the best position for this light setup (would be even better if i had the light higher) but the stand in front of him was a bit of the problem.

I managed to get this one from different position and pretty close to him.

But the look i like the most in this setup is the look of the audience. I got the ISO a bit higher as they are further from the light source. But the cool thing is that they are illuminated with a big light source as the whole white background is bouncing light on them.

Photography Basics: Learn Manual Mode (tutorial, Part 1)
Photography Basics: Learn Manual Mode, Shutter speed (tutorial, Part 2)
Photography Basics: Learn Manual Mode, Aperture and ISO (tutorial, Part 3)
Photography Basics: Learn Manual Mode - Thinking process (Tutorial Part 4)