There are lots of people who like and prefer a natural light look over flash, but sometimes the conditions outside may not cooperate with you to produce great results. Sometimes you have to grab a flash, here’s a few ways you can get a more natural look when you do.
You can’t always reschedule a shoot if the weather isn’t optimal for your lighting, or there could be other reasons why you will need to add a flash to light your subjects. If you are looking to get a more natural look when using flash, in this video photographer Vanessa Joy shares two ways she achieves that look with a strobe. The first method really depends on your location as that does limit this option.
I love the soft light a large umbrella gives, it’s one of my favorite modifiers. However, it’s not one of the easiest modifiers to take outside… so be careful. On a windy day, it can easily turn into a sail so make sure you have one or more people standing by it to help secure it if the wind decides to pick up.
What are some other methods or modifiers you use to get a less “flashy” look when taking portraits? Let us know in the comments and share your examples! Has anyone else used a large umbrella outdoors before, how did that work?