If the flash is your number one enemy, if you think that this flash thing is not for you, if you think that natural light is enough and you have leftovers, or that the flash is a useless gadget that always burns your photos and doesn't give you more What a dislike, this literary recommendation is for you.
And you will say, but haven't I told you that I hate it? Haven't I told you that I gave up the flash a long time ago? To which I answer: First look through the book, read a couple of chapters and you'll see how it restores your faith. Do you think that not many of us were there, at that moment in life when hearing the word flash and making a face of disgust or sarcasm were action-reaction? I at least assure you that I do ? But since giving up is never an option, I decided to get this book. And he restored my faith, just like that. So I invite you to give it a try, and I almost dare to promise you that you will not regret it.
But first, I would like you to take a look at this complete guide that we have prepared for you on the external flash . If you want more content on lighting in photography, we also have another very complete guide, so you can solve all the doubts that arise when lighting your images.
COMPOSITION AND DESIGN
The book is very well structured visually and theoretically. It is divided into 9 large chapters that in turn have several subdivisions within each one of them, all of them explained clearly and with a very pleasant language.
INTRODUCTION
Before delving into somewhat more technical matters, José Antonio Fernández offers us a brief reflection on why the external flash is advisable. Its versatility compared to heavy studio equipment or the simplicity of the on-camera flash make it a complete complement for any photographer.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Nothing in this book is left to chance or without explanation, so before beginning to delve into the use of flash, it offers us a complete and clarifying topic dedicated to working with the camera's manual mode and other basic aspects that every photographer should know to do it: exposure variables (diaphragm, shutter, or ISO), metering standards (matrix, center-weighted, spot), continuous light, discontinuous light, focal length, multiplication factor, color temperature, and so on.
SOME NOTES ON LIGHT
Here the author proposes us to know some notes about light through five basic questions that we must ask ourselves before taking a photograph:
- Intensity, how much light do I need?
- Quality, how do I want the light to be?
- Coverage, where do I want to illuminate and where not?
- Color, what color do I want the light?
- Direction, where do I want to light from?
START OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT
Step by step we delve into the use of flash, starting with knowing what a flash is and how it works, to how it is synchronized with the camera (maximum synchronization speed, high synchronization speed, second-curtain synchronization...), the angle of coverage, the guide number (NG), and so on. Don't be scared, it's very well explained ?
WORK PROPERLY
In this chapter you will learn to work with the TTL flash mode and get the most out of it by knowing its limitations and advantages, but it will also encourage you to dare with the manual use of the flash (as he himself announces: Manual mode, easier than what you think ), as well as with the measurement with and without a manual photometer, you will learn to bounce the lights, backlights, etc.
SEPARATE THE FLASH FROM THE OPTICAL AXIS OF THE CAMERA
This chapter encourages us to dare to separate the flash from the camera shoe (to generate volume, three-dimensionality and relief), in many cases conserving the automatisms (TTL cables, manual radio transmitters, transmitters and receivers, photosensitive cells, etc.) as well as information on the best supports for the flash (feet, ball joints, clamps, etc.).
MODIFY LIGHT
In this case we will delve into light modifiers, as well as for the quality of light, coverage or color.
SOME INTERESTING LIGHT SCHEMES
If you don't know where to start bouncing lights, where to put the flash, etc., in this chapter the author offers you all the secrets to do it in a simple way and with amazing results (butterfly light, corridor light, American night, outlined, overhead, etc.). You will also be able to learn all the secrets of flash in macro photography, strobe mode, photographing metal or glass, or high-speed photography, among other things.
AMAZING RESULTS
At this point you are ready to plan a photographic session with good results. As an example, the author allows us to accompany him through no less than 24 real photographic sessions where he will explain his tricks, his chosen lighting scheme for each of them, as well as the quality of the chosen light, its coverage, direction or color.
TERMS INDEX
DETAILS
- Number of pages: 256
- Soft cover
- Dimensions: 17x24cm
- Publisher: J De J Editores (FotoRuta Collection)
- Edition: 8th edition (January 2017)
- Price: €23.65
IDEAL FOR…
Anyone who wants to overcome their fear of flash (as the very title of this fantastic book tells us) and who has some notions and practice in manual mode, or at least intends to have them in the near future ? Because, Although there is a good introduction to everything you need to start reading, it is easier to follow it with these well-learned notions, in order to absorb the rest of the information.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
José Antonio Fernández is a profound connoisseur of lighting in photography, and has extensive experience as a teacher since he co-directs La Máquina Estudio and the specialized photography school La Máquina where he regularly teaches courses.
He is also known for the quality of his images, which have won more than 80 international awards in various competitions, including 9 Lux Awards in Professional Photography.
THE BEST
I have already advanced it throughout the article. It's a fantastic book no matter how you look at it, but what I like most about it is that, because of the way it is laid out and explained, you can follow it in a straight line (chapter after chapter) or you can use it as a book of consult for specific topics. In both options, the book is perfectly coherent and you receive complete and meaningful information.
WORST
May your fear of the flash prevent you from giving this masterpiece a chance ?
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
- WITHOUT FEAR OF THE PORTRAIT. Complete guide to lighting and pose direction , by José Antonio Fernández. FotoRuta Collection. J of J Publishers. 2014
- PHOTO BY PHOTO 04, by Jose A Fernández and Rosa I Vazquez. FotoRuta Collection. J of J Publishers. 2011.
CONCLUSIONS
If you want to build your photographic library little by little with good and useful copies, this is an essential book, whether you're just starting out or if you've already mastered light a bit more. It is a very complete and entertaining book, with many examples to make it understandable to anyone, whatever their level and photographic knowledge. Obviously, some will advance faster than others because of it, since some concepts will be obvious to some and new to others. But whatever you are, I daresay that you will find a fantastic reference guide in this book “No fear of flash” ?
Oh, and if my opinion isn't enough, on Amazon you have more than 200 opinions that give it neither more nor less than a 4.6 out of 5. Not bad, huh?
I hope this literary recommendation has been useful to you. If so, please do not hesitate to share it on your favorite social network so that someone else can benefit from it. Thank you and until next time ?
