There is a common misconception about strobe lighting that might be holding back your images, and it’s an easy one to make. Here is a concise and clear explanation of the problem.
For the most part, great strobe lighting is based on understanding light and understanding composition. However, there is a sea of nuance hiding under all of that. To really master light, you need to master how to control it and bend it to your will. If you are fairly new to this, there are some counter-intuitive truths that may be negatively impacting your final image
One element of strobe lighting that is plainly important is the positioning of the light. Usually, when new photographers think about this, they think about the height and the tilt of the strobe, which is undoubtedly important to flattering light. But, another common mistake — and one Manny Ortiz superb displays here — is the distance of the light from your subject. You might be tricked into thinking that the farther away the strobe, the softer the light. While it’s obvious why someone might think that, it’s unlikely to give you the best light. If you have a softbox or diffuser on your strobe, then moving the light closer to your subject will not only create better-looking light, but it will make your subject look better and the light won’t look harsh. If it does, then you either need to diffuse the light more or to lower its power.
Ortiz goes through some common errors in this video with real clarity to the explanations. What common mistakes do you notice portrait photographers make with their lighting?