Using natural or artificial light is not always a binary option; Usually, you’ll want the two to complement each other to create a more balanced overall photo. If you want to make your lighting skills even more versatile, check out this great video tutorial that will show you how to combine ambient light with flash for portraiture.
Coming to you from Westcott Lighting, this great video tutorial will show you how to combine ambient light and flash in a portrait photo. Learning how to balance these two will give you much more creative flexibility, as it allows you to capture stunning cases of natural light and enhance it to create a more compelling overall image, and / or more balanced. For example, if you want to take a dramatic sunset portrait, you will have to expose the sky so as not to blow out the sky, but in doing so you will be bringing your subject deep into the shadows. Adding a little flash to properly expose them allows you to create a balanced image that would otherwise not be possible. Watch the video above for the full summary.
If you really want to dive into the light for portraiture, be sure to check out our many premium tutorials in Store Fstoppers.
