The Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light from Small Flashes

Good Bad Light

I ALMOST ALWAYS PREACH the gospel of getting your flash off your camera. Moving that light source even a few inches off the lens axis can often improve the quality of your light. Subtle moves can make huge differences in the look of the photo.

So whaddya do when the crowd is gone, the game is over, the ballpark lights are off, and you have no light stands and only one flash—and holding the flash at arm’s length at this type of distance from your subject will have zero effect?

Straight flash it. Leave that puppy on the hot shoe and blast away. I come out of newspapers and magazines, and the ethic there is some picture, ...