Im often saying Im a natural light photographer. I take a pictures outside in beautiful locations: parks, beaches, reserves, rocks etc. Also use gorgeous window light at lifestyle family / newborn / baby / couples sessions.
I love to watch light, I love to use light, I love to play with light (detract, side, back light which looks just amazing, believe me!).
But there are some situations when light just doesn't works how you want it, how you imagine it in your head. Maybe not enough to light your subject, or opposite - overpower and making a lot of hot spots on the face, or it sampled light. At this cases the best option is a flash, especially off-camera flash.
I love to use flash to bounce light in the room where there is not enough light (clients houses, newborn sessions, wedding receptions, family formals), or where needs to fill with light, or even overpower the sun.
What an amazing result you can get just before the sunset with off camera flash to show beautiful background full of colours and also give some light on the faces (couple, family, maternity, kids, portraits etc.). Here some example from my last couples session on the beach. I will show you natural light picture and picture with using off-camera flash. See the difference in feelings, different effects and looks what you want to archive. Its works just great when you want to give the variety in the gallery and put so different but so beautiful pictures at the same moment of time. Flash give you a big power to have choice and apply your vision on the capturing moments:
Main tips with using flash:
1. know your synchronise speed (for not get a black stripe across the image)
2. put it closer to the subject (to get nice light)
3. control flash power manually
4. use the manual mode in the camera to control aperture and shutter speed.
5. and practice! :)
You can also put flash in TTL automatic mode but its not I've you much ability to control the flash.
Good luck with your shooting! Just take a camera, equipment and go with the flow! :)
Talk to you soon!
Contact me if you have any question info@levienphotography.com!