determine which flash, camera, and film combination
produces optimum results.
At night a single on-camera flash produces stark
lighting, and your subject is flatly lit and the background
goes completely black. Close foreground details
become very overexposed, and it is better to exclude
them. Such simple lighting is ideal for action shots; for
example, capturing leaping karate experts in midair at
midnight. Subjects such as these benefit by being
isolated from the background, but you may get more
interesting lighting by using the unit off camera on an
extension cord.
If the necessary flash-to-camera distance is greater
than the length of your extension cord, use the
open-flash method. Do not allow the camera to “see” the
flash unit during the open-flash exposures.
Now that you have a basic knowledge of photo
graphic techniques, it is important that you apply and
practice the basic principles. Each and every time you
pick up a magazine, book, or newspaper or watch TV or
see a movie, you are exposed to various composition and
lighting techniques. Study them and apply them every
time you look through the viewfinder of a camera
Remember, experiment with different camera angles to
create interesting perspectives of your center of interest.
Whether using available light or flash photography,
notice what results the direction, intensity, and type of
light have on your final product. Continual application
and refinement of the principles of composition and
lighting can greatly enhance the quality and aesthetic
value of your photography.
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