Canon® Speedlite System Digital Field Guide, 2nd Edition

Chapter 6. Everyday Applications of Your Speedlites

The first five chapters of this book dealt with introducing you to the operational modes of your Speedlites, choosing Custom Functions, firing them wirelessly, and setting them up for different shooting situations. I discussed the principles of flash photography, how to set up channels and groups for wireless flash work, and some ideas on building a portable, wireless flash studio-lighting kit.

This final chapter applies those techniques to situations you'll often find in the real world. These are locations and situations you need to make work in terms of lighting to get the shot you've conceived in your mind's eye. I discuss some of the common problems encountered in each of these shooting genres and some practical advice for solving them and going beyond the ordinary in your flash photography.

Damien Wiggins takes a break while tending his home garden in the early evening. The camera was set to a tungsten white balance, producing the deep blues of the background. Two Speedlites lit the scene, one for the subject, and one for the background. The main flash was gelled with two Color Temperature Orange (CTO) gels, one to match the flash to tungsten and one more to warm up the light. Exposure: ISO 500, f/2.8, 1/80 second with an EF 100mm f/2.8L USM lens.

Action and Sports Photography

Today's digital photographers are well poised to offer ...