One light or two? Skating on thin ice with Robin Cousins.

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One thing can be found in most photographers’ work areas – whether professional or amateur – is a bit of kit that we bought thinking that we would use them but never did. It’s not just a boys with toys thing and a common mistake is in the area of lighting – too many lights, too many ways of shaping the light (called modifiers) cables, triggers and so the list goes on. Ok, so you’re skating on thin ice if you think one light will get you of every situation – but I’ve just completed a shopping list for delegates on my last off-camera flash training session and here’s a few notes about using one light as much as possible before buying another one, and the comments are linked to the images below. If you’re thinking of having some 1-2-1 training do get in touch – or the next set of half-and day sessions are in May.

1. 2 light setup : one for the background and one for Robin Cousins. For a good ISO, the dark interior made the necessary

2. Same lights but backlight feathered to catch the side of the face

3. 1 light as the sun is providing the backlight and a single off camera gun, shoot through brolly to camera right does the fill-in.

4. Same as for (3) above

5/6. Single flash illuminating room shadow after background reading taken from window.

7. Single light in dark area after background light metered.

8. Single light as fill with sun creating the backlight and highlights.

9. 2 lights – sandwich lighting.

10. Single light coming from same direction as natural light but making it “travel” further

11. 2 lights – camer right and very, very gentle feathered light from background

12. Backlight and key light, camera right