Lighting Off Camera Flash

A Speedlite Flash film that takes you beyond the basics, as Mark Cleghorn demonstrates how he uses simple techniques with a speedlite in portraiture.

The zoom option on a speedlite is so often ignored by photographers, but the creative effect once used is never forgotten and for off camera flash enthusiasts its an essential skill to learn. In this film Mark demonstrates how to create different shapes with the speedlite for very powerfull off camera flash portraits.

Film includes - Setting up Canon 580EXII Zoom option and adding Honl Honeycomb grids

also used are the Pocket Wizard Radio Triggers

Speedlite Flash Bascs

Quick intro to a Speedlite - features the Canon 580EXII

The film shows you how to use the basic dials and accessories.

In this film Mark Cleghorn sets out to unravel the basics of using multiple speedlites and the Automatic Ratio feature using a simple mug shot in a set.

Using 1 Speedlite is simple, using 2 is OK but when combing 3 and 4 in an image, as in this film, things could get a little more complicated.

Mark first of all goes into the basics of setting up a Canon 580EXII and an older 580EX to combine and use together in the shoot, then adding a third speedlite to start to use the Ratio feature.

This Technical film on speedlites is easy to follow as Mark takes you step by step through each stage.

Part 3 of 3

In this last part of shooting with speedlite film you see Mark Cleghorn adding in fill light to the subject with on camera flash to complete the picture, whilst changing power settings to control the depth of shadow to highlight. Finally you see him switch between using a small Lastolite HiLite as a background to suddenly becoming a window of light source.

Includes - adding gell for colour, Hikey on location, coloured backgrounds and a re- cap on the 3 films

Ring Flash and fashion photography go hand in hand , but now that the Ray Flash which is a ring flash adapter for a speedlite , now this lighting technique is no longer a secret and has been adopted by thousands of photographers in recent years due to its affordability.

Mark shows how it works, even how to put it all together as well as discussing speedlite settings for guaranteed results each time against a variety of backgrounds.

Part 2 of 3

In this film Mark Cleghorn talks about were and why to position a flash as well as the setting up of the unit to guarantee results each time. In this part you get to see how he uses glass in the room to diffuse the RAW flash, as well as different techniques of diffusing the flash including a umbrella and a reflector, finally you see mark adding a blue gell to the scene to dramatically change the image, a perfect use of off camera speedlite flash.

Includes - Setting up the speedlite and Metering, diffusing through a brolly , using a glass wall to soften yet sharpen the light on the scene, adding gel for colour.

Quick Tips
Setting up a Canon Speedlite Flash to be used in Ratio modes

Featured Flash Canon 580EXII

Shooting around the city scape of Cardiff, this film in one of the four parts of a Location Location session with one of Mark Cleghorn's Real life Bride & Grooms. An underpass of a motorway is the choice for this location stop, which is a perfect shelter from rain but a nightmare for wind as you will see. The images you see him shoot in his Real and Raw way, in other words there is no Photoshop seen here as these are images literally out of the can, or at least the camera.

This film demonstrates how Mark uses a variety of lens choice from a 12mm to a 200mm all to produce different images, the long lens to crush the background focus the super wide to distort. You get to see also how the variety is achieved through different camera angles, as well as the power of a reflector even on a windy day. The end of the film also sees his quantum flash units out of the bag to compensate for the over hang of the motorway, pushing himself, kit and his assistant to the limit as he shoots over and over again great images and all in a time restraint.

Part 1 of 3

In this film Mark Cleghorn talks about the variety of accessories he uses with a speedlite flash and how to set-up it all up, including how to soften the light with an umbrella or softbox as well as gels, cables how to support the units on location.

Includes - Setting up the lights ,Metering for the ambient,Positioning the Speedlite Flash, Posing, using different channels to set different power and using a HiLite.