Video
an introduction to flash is an important place to start as most photographers online have no idea how and why to use flash meaning that they simply buy a flash point it as a subject at full power and shoot away without ever changing settings or anything, commonly this pops up a large amount on the questions I receive on a day to day, everything from what flash settings to use indoor or outdoor.
idea for videos will be to create tutorial style content where you could point photographers to when they have specific questions, giving them practical examples and details on gear to use, light positioning and things like that
an introduction can include things like :
-
Understanding the Basics
a. Briefly explain the concept of flash photography and its benefits.
b. Introduce the essential equipment to get started flash unit, diffuser, and triggers.
c. Discuss the importance of understanding exposure settings, such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO -
On-Camera Flash Techniques
a. Demonstrate how to use the flash in TTL (Through-The-Lens) mode.
b. Explore different flash modes: automatic, manual, and high-speed sync.
c. Discuss the significance of bounce flash and how to achieve natural-looking results.
d. Show examples of on-camera fill flash for portraits and outdoor photography. -
Off-Camera Flash Setups
a. Explain the advantages of off-camera flash and how to trigger it wirelessly.
b. Demonstrate various off-camera flash setups, such as using a light stand and umbrella.
c. Discuss lighting modifiers like softboxes, reflectors, and grids for shaping the light.
d. Provide tips on positioning the off-camera flash for different subjects and scenes. -
Creative Flash Techniques
a. Explore high-speed flash photography for freezing fast-moving subjects.
b. Showcase the use of gels to add color and create a mood in your images.
c. Experiment with slow sync flash for capturing dynamic scenes with motion blur.
d. Introduce the concept of rear curtain sync and its impact on long-exposure shots. -
Troubleshooting and Tips
a. Address common issues like why your trigger will not fire your flash.
b. Offer tips on balancing ambient light with flash to create a natural-looking image.
c. Discuss techniques for avoiding overexposure and maintaining flash-to-subject distance.
d. Share insights on post-processing techniques to enhance your flash-lit images.
Streaming
for the streaming or live parts, maybe doing a live flash setup and editing session with Q and A parts would be a good way to move as it provides practical examples as well gives viewers the chance to ask questions. As example here is the breakdown of creating dramatic portraits using flash stream.
1: Understanding Dramatic Lighting in Portraits
- Discuss the importance of lighting in creating dramatic portraits.
- Explore different lighting patterns, such as Rembrandt, split lighting, and butterfly lighting.
- Explain how flash can be used to enhance and shape the lighting for a dramatic effect.
- Answer viewers’ questions related to dramatic lighting techniques in portrait photography.
2: Choosing the Right Flash Equipment
- Discuss the recommended flash equipment for creating dramatic portraits.
- Explore different flash modifiers like softboxes, beauty dishes, and grids.
- Demonstrate the use of light stands and reflectors to control the direction and intensity of light.
- Provide tips on selecting the appropriate flash power and settings for different portrait scenarios.
3: Setting Up the Scene
- Discuss the importance of selecting a suitable background and props for dramatic portraits.
- Demonstrate how to position and pose the subject to complement the intended mood.
- Show examples of portrait compositions that enhance the dramatic effect.
- Encourage viewers to share their own portrait setups and seek feedback.
4: Flash Techniques for Dramatic Portraits
- Demonstrate how to create a striking rim light effect to separate the subject from the background.
- Showcase techniques for using fill flash to balance ambient light and create depth.
- Explore the use of gels to add color and enhance the mood of the portraits.
- Discuss the concept of low-key and high-key lighting for creating dramatic contrast.
- Encourage viewers to share their own flash-lit dramatic portraits for discussion in the next live stream idea.
5: Q&A and Feedback
- Address common challenges and questions related to creating dramatic portraits with flash.
- Provide troubleshooting tips for achieving desired lighting effects.
- Offer feedback and suggestions for improving viewers’ portrait photographs.
- Engage in a live Q&A session to provide personalized guidance and advice.
Streaming/video critic and feedback
One thing I am very well known for in the photography community is providing feedback and critic to all photographers all over south africa, it has been my main focus for years now to help photographers grow and get them the correct information as needed, I believe that constructive feedback is crucial for growth and improvement in photography. In this interactive live sessions or video recorded I will cover photos submitted in the previous video or live stream, allowing photographers to submit photos via email or even allow them to submit photos live while streaming, both ways should help drive engagement as well should fit perfectly with the Godox free training that is being provided
1: Guidelines and Image Submissions for live streaming and videos
- Explain the guidelines for submitting photographs during the live stream.
- Discuss the preferred file format, resolution, and other technical aspects.
- Introduce the panel of photographers who will be providing feedback if it will be myself or if other Godox photographers or such will be joining a specific session for feedback.
2: Critique and Feedback Process
- Discuss the importance of critique and constructive feedback in photography.
- Explain the criteria for evaluating and providing feedback on the submitted images.
- Showcase examples of before-and-after images to demonstrate the impact of constructive feedback aka a followup critic to see how people have grown.
- Encourage participants to actively engage and learn from the feedback provided to other photographers.
3: Live Image Critique and Feedback
- Begin the live critique session by selecting and displaying the submitted images.
- Provide a detailed analysis of each image, highlighting its strengths and areas for improvement.
- Discuss composition, lighting, storytelling, technical execution, and other relevant aspects as needed.
- Encourage participants to ask questions and seek clarification on the feedback given.
4: General Tips and Insights
- Share general tips and insights on common areas for improvement in photography.
- Discuss techniques for enhancing composition, creating impact, and capturing emotion.
- Provide guidance on post-processing techniques to enhance the overall image quality.
- Answer viewers’ questions related to photography techniques, styles, or challenges.
5: Q&A and Community Interaction
- Engage in a live Q&A session where viewers can ask questions related to photography.
- Encourage participants to share their experiences, challenges, or successes in photography.
- Discuss resources, courses, and platforms for further learning and improvement like the free training provided by Godox.
- Foster a sense of community by encouraging viewers to interact, share tips, and support each other.
Gear needed
Currently I do have a decent selection of modifiers and things as such as I am already working on a mobile studio setup, this contains the curved reflector from GPB as well the 80×80 Godox softbox kit, along with the AD200 pro as the main light source, as well I have a backdrop stand from GPB and a gray backdrop cloth, this I found to be the most effective small mobile studio setup and built all my stuff around it, for video I simply swap out the 80×80 to the 85 lantern that I have and it works perfectly, extremely cost effective and versatile and easy to scale up when needed. for trigger I have the X2t, and the Xpro mark 1 trigger, might look at buying the Xpro mark 2 trigger as well as it might have some functions in that could be handy
for the content planned this setup should work perfectly, if you have any speed lights or other gear that you would like me to integrate into the setup or as example do a speed light centered video only then I would need to ask for a loan unit or demo unit that I could use for a week or two for creating the content with, I sadly sold my Godox speed lights when I moved over to the strobes, as well I do not currently have any mains powered lights, same would apply to them as well, just pop demo/loan units over my way and I will create the content with them and ship them back again.
if possible could I ask for a Godox branded shirt ? this is to help stay on brand with content being created, I do not mind paying for one or for a couple as I believe it would be important to help stay on brand for the content, you can also simply provide me with the Godox full res logo then I can create a shirt my end as well, ether way works perfectly for myself
if you need to create a discount code, you can simply use Hayman as the discount code, this is the one phrase that just about everyone knows me for and would make for the perfect code, this is optional of course
Thank you
Also huge thank you for the opportunity to be part of the Godox experience, I have always stayed away from aligning myself with brands due to being proud to be independent to help provide unbiased feedback and recommendations, with the recent addition of the free training this aligns perfectly with my personal brand that I have been building for years of helping and giving back to the photography community, having a brand go the extra mile to help the photography com,unity as a whole is something that I admire as well respect.