- Going off-camera Speedlite tips by Daniel Linnet
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Although using the Speedlite on-camera can give you some nice results, the real fun doesn’t really begin until you take the flash off the camera and away from the axis of the lens. Just one Speedlite is all you need to start experimenting with different lighting effects and directions.
Triggering and Controlling
The new 600EX Speedlites have built-in wireless radio capabilities and can be triggered and controlled by the STE-3 Controller unit, which sits in the hot shoe.
Above image - Two Speedlites gelled warm and evenly placed and hidden inside the van. Triggered and adjusted wirelessly using STE-3 Radio Transmitter
Light Shaping
Light shapers for off-camera Speedlites come in multiple forms and sizes making it as versatile, and more portable than the some of the larger studio based flash lighting systems.
Hardly there
Due to their compact size Speedlites can be hidden in a greater number of places within the frame, giving you greater control over where you throw the light.
Get some direction
Mounting the Speedlite on a simple lighting stand, tripod or C-stand enables the flexibility of directional placement.
Above image - Single Speedlite positioned to camera left, just out of the frame. Silver reflector was used on the right to reduce the contrast on the subject.
ETTL or Manual
On or off the camera, your Speedlite retains full ETTL capability for fast accurate on the fly flash exposures, which is great for shooting in rapidly changing lighting conditions or where constant location changes are required. For greater exposure consistency in more controlled lighting scenarios, try switching your Speedlite to manual power control and adjust up or down to match with lens aperture.
Daniel Linnet is a Sydney based commercial, fine art photographer and educator, specialising in portrait, automotive and the environmental photography. A master of photography with the Australian Institute of Professional Photography, Daniel also founded and runs Sydney Photographic Workshops (SPW).
Click here to find out more about SPW and don't forget to check out Daniel’s portfolio.
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