Chapter 6: Lighting Concepts and Patterns
Congratulations — you’ve made it to the fun stuff! Now that you have a solid understanding of the technical aspects governing your Speedlite, it’s time to put all that knowledge into practice and start creating great images. You’ve learned how to control your flashes off the camera wirelessly, how to set up and work with masters, slaves, ratios, and groups, and how to dig deep into your Speedlite’s menus. So what’s missing? One word — practice! This is the entire point of the book: to get you out there creating the kind of light you’ve always wanted. In this chapter, I pull it all together by showing you practical applications for your new Speedlite know-how. Combined with details about my recommended gear, example images, and tons of lighting diagrams and behind-the-scenes shots, this chapter is your recipe guide for great lighting. Let’s get cookin’!
In this edgy portrait, two 580EX II Speedlites were placed camera left and fired at a low power setting through a diffusion panel to create a soft quality of light. Exposure: ISO 100, f/4, 1/200 second with an EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM lens.
Concepts of Lighting
Speedlites enable you to produce professional lighting in the studio and on location in a variety of situations, such as environmental portraits, business portraits, weddings, and events. When working on location, you will often ...
