Flash used to intimidate me. In some ways, it still does. I’m certainly not an expert when it comes to off-camera flash, for example, but you definitely learn how to use on-camera flash pretty quickly when you have to work at receptions!
First of all, I use an external flash. The little pop-up flash that comes with my 7D is good for a quick family photo, but I loathe using it in general. It’s very “flashy” looking, and quite powerful. I use a Canon 580EX II with PowerGenix rechargeable batteries. I always carry at least 3 sets of batteries with me to a wedding because you just never know how much you’ll be using your flash.
I have two flash modifiers of choice: the black foamie thing and the Gary Fong Lightsphere. Below is the Lightsphere:
The Lightsphere is my “easy” flash solution. I point my flash straight up, and attach the Lightsphere. It comes with a detachable dome, which I usually leave on if the ceilings are high. The point of a modifier like this is to diffuse the flash and make it appear softer. It does a pretty good job. The fact is, soft light is better, and the larger the light source, the softer the light. Your photos will still look “flashy” with a Lightsphere. But they’ll look better.
My favorite modifier is the “black foamie thing,” something I picked up from Neil van Niekerk. This is something you might spend $3 on total – you need some black foam from the craft store, and a hair tie.
This modifier is all about bouncing the flash. The black foam acts to “flag” the flash, so no direct light falls on the subject. Indirect light is best for making a subject appear to be lit naturally. The downside is this can be hard to use consistently if you’re moving around a lot. For instance, recently I was shooting a reception and going around various tables to get shots of guests. I was shooting in a tent. The center of the tent was high, and the sides were low. So depending on where I was, and how far away the walls were, my images ended up being rather inconsistent. Additionally, the further away the wall is from your flash, the more power you’re dumping for each image. The color of the walls also have to be considered. White is ideal. If you’re trying to bounce flash off a red wall, your images will be warm.
As for settings, I end up switching between manual and ETTL depending on the situation. If I’m moving a lot, ETTL is the way to go. If I can stay in one spot for awhile, manual is better. In either case, because the flash is illuminating the subject, my settings are usually around f/3.5, 1/60 shutter speed, and 800 ISO. The higher the ISO, the less power your flash is putting out (good for your batteries), and a lower shutter speed means you’re capturing more ambient light in the background.
Hope this helps!
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