BTS: Natural With a Hint of Fill

I hate the phrase “natural light photographer”.

As a photographer, isn’t it our responsibility to recognize and manipulate all forms of light? I always thought so. I am by no means great with a flash, but at the same time I refuse to be afraid of it! Like anything else, practice makes progress.

My friend Gabriel was able to capture this image of me playing with flash at a recent studio session. That big thing next to me is my secret weapon. The Rapid Box Switch system by Westcott has made flash far less intimidating than it used to be. It allows me to use my speed light as a BIG SOFT light source, perfect for portraits. The set up time is so quick, I waste no time actually shooting.

I feel like the biggest keys to balancing flash and natural light are matching your color temperatures (for me this means adding a warm gel to my flash) and keeping the flash power as minimal as possible to avoid overexposure.