AMBIENT LIGHT

The key to successful flash photography is carefully balancing the output of the flash with the existing ambient light. By ambient light, I don’t necessarily mean natural outdoor light.

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The low, cool-colored ambient light of a summer’s evening was underexposed so just the sky registered. The main light on the subject, the model, and the bike was cast by flashes. A tungsten white balance makes the sky go very blue, and the main light on the model is gelled with a CTO to provide a natural skin tone. Two more lights—one to light the bike and one to provide a rim-light on the model—were ungelled so look blue-tinged. Nikon D3X; 70mm focal ...

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