The Basics of Outdoor Flash Photography
Using flash outdoors requires more variables to be considered in order to get a good shot. You cannot illuminate the entire landscape with a flash, and you cannot control any natural light sources, so you need to pay attention to what you can control.
In this video from the Koldunov brothers, we will learn some of the basics of outdoor flash photography. First, when illuminating an object in the dark, shutter speed becomes less important; the flash is the main light source and comes on instantly, regardless of the exposure time. While you lose this controlling factor, using a flash or other external flash unit allows you to control the flash output.
The brothers continue to explore various variables that affect the shot. Since the flash may be unable to light the entire background, exposure is important, especially if you want to lighten or darken the landscape. But if you want your subject to be brighter, you can increase the flash output (and of course, you can also change the aperture and ISO). As with all photography, experimenting when you first start using an external flash will help you figure out how to get the shot you want.
Outdoor photography with flash. Episode 1: Basic Settings. | Brothers Koldunov