Easy On Camera Flash Portraits | Take and Make Great Photography with Gavin Hoey

There are lots of reasons why attaching a Speedlight to your camera is the best way to work. Maybe you need to work very quickly, perhaps you don’t have access to off-camera flash gear, or possibly there just isn't the space to set up a flash, softbox, and a light stand.

In this video, photographer Gavin Hoey shares some of his top tips for getting studio-quality portraits using just a bare, on-camera flash. The secret is bouncing the light off a ceiling or wall but as Gavin demonstrates, there’s a bit more to it than you might think and plenty of potential pitfalls to avoid. Unexpected shadows and odd color casts are just two of the problems Gavin covers along the way.

Finally, Gavin finds the smallest space to shoot in his already small home studio. Going "undercover" he shoots something that's a little different but also almost impossible to do without on-camera flash!

Timestamps and Chapters
0:00 Intro
1:02 The camera settings
1:38 Direct on-camera flash
2:24 Bounce flash off the ceiling
3:45 The vertical bounce shoot
4:15 Bounce flash off the wall
5:39 Flash off the wall shoot
7:06 Bounce the flash backward
8:20 Backward bounce shoot
8:50 Small space flash shoot
9:48 Summery and Subscribe

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✘ PRODUCTS USED:

Flashpoint Zoom Li-ion R2 TTL On-Camera Flash Speedlight

Olympus E-M1 Mark III

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

#oncameraflash #flashtutorial #adorama

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Model: Chloe Kerley

Take and Make Great Photography with Gavin Hoey

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THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!

[RalfWeyer]

Who else would wrap his model in a rug other than Gavin Hoey 😉? Brilliant idea 😊👍

[rcfalconMkII]

This was awesome! I appreciate that no fancy strobes or soft boxes or other light modifiers were used. This is more in the realm of the person who is new to the hobby/profession on a limited budget. Great as always.

[ErikJMeadows]

This is one of the finest photography tutorials on YouTube.

[FronbondiSkegs]

I swear that I have never learned as much as what I get from watching and listening to your videos. What a great inspiration you are. I've never really been interested in portraits until I watched your video on "Rainy Day " pics in the studio. I was so blown away with the results achieved that my entire perspective and attitude toward portrait photography has now changed forever - hey I'm 50+ :)

[rony.jean.boutousse]

Every beginner photographer needs this little video in their life. This is amazing.

[_devon]

Gavin Hoey produces top tier videos and photos. So much information about the process of making photos explained to a point with no filler.

[jer]

Gavin, What a finish: "The skill of working in a studio is choosing the right tool at the right time for the right job." Thanks for the beautiful lesson.

[adrianwilliams]

Brilliant. One of the best instructional videos for using speed lights I’ve seen.

[DanushaMadusanka]

one of the best on camera flash photography tutorials I ever watched on YouTube. Short and simple, yet detailed. Thanks Gavin.

[MichaelCarroll]

Absolutely Brilliant. The rug idea and results were just amazing.

[jlesterhealthcare]

One of the best on-camera tutorials on youtube... Thanks, Gavin.

[craiglaw]

I must say that Cloi was an excellent model for your demonstration. I’ve learned that professional results are possible without spending thousands. Posting the settings along with the photo helps to keep the whole composition straight in my mind. Your whole presentation was “spot on”!

[andyor]

This guy is really a great ambassador for photography and Adorama....super instruction .... beautiful young lady as well ...have learned a great deal from Gavin Hoey for sure....thank you....

[DanielMG]

Thanks for a great video! Perfect for beginners that need to see not only how to do things right, but also what can go wrong - and how to adjust. Also, showing that you don't need expensive equipment is very comforting and inspiring!

[ShadowlightPhotography]

Taking it back to basics, goes to show what can be achieved with the trusty ole speedlight! Thanks Gav for your no BS tutorials, we'd be lost without you, keep up the great content!

[curtisclement]

Excellent tutorial. I’ve watched tutorials like this before and I thought ho hum something I already know. NOT you taught me one thing that makes a difference!

[roseannachavez]

This is by far the best video for on camera flash. Loved all the examples.

[marcomark]

Gavin, you are one of the greatest instructors of this industry. Thank you!

[sutashiku]

Thank you, dear Gavin. There is a great sincerity in your photos! Chloe is just beautiful.

[dunnymonster]

Wifey walks in just as she see's your model on the floor wrapped in a it not how it looks honestly!" 🤣 Another fabulous tutorial Gavin, informative and of course always entertaining 👍