This is the second of your video and I'm really amazed of what I've been learning again within minutes. Thank you so much, I'll soon start experimenting on my own now I changed from my old and rather simple Metz gear + OLY flash control (German flash manufacturer which doesn't exist anymore) to Godox and x-remote. But one question: You wanted to avoid sharp catch lights but what would you use if you'd want them? Would an LED light on top of the camera be ok?
So many budding photographers sooner or later buy some studio gear, try to get some action going, and end up putting their kit on eBay, for a pittance. Often because they struggled to get a decent image. These tutorials of yours are pure gold, Sean. Accessible, kind and incredibly practical. Wish I'd seen this 10yrs ago when I was struggling to figure it all out! 🙏👍
These videos are so important. I'm an absolute kit junkie but these bring me right back to earth - they make me want to sell all the expensive things I've bought over the last few years and focus on what's really important - a few simple things and the light you have. Plus it makes such a difference when travelling to a shoot (or a friend's house!). Bravo, and more tutorials, please!
I thoroughly enjoy these kinds of videos, as I'm on a budget myself. It's nice to see work produced with affordable equipment. Thank you for all that you do Sean.
It's unbelievable how well and at the same time comprehensible you describe the topic. If we were in a school, it would be an honor to be in your class. The contribution to white balance from a few months ago was also extremely valuable. Thank you.
Its not about the cost of the kit or a fancy modifier, its about knowing how light works and using whats available to get the results you're looking for, thats what I appreciate about your videos Sean, another great message and brilliant portraits, as always
Sean, I've always liked your channel for your "enlightening & thought provoking" videos, as they are so different to the norm on RUclips. These educational & and how-to videos are also so helpful, and you impart your knowledge and the skills in such an easy to understand manner. "Thank you so much." I really appreciate the time and effort you put into your channel and I always look forward to a new release. Cheers.
Thanks so much Sean for this one and the one on using a single speedlight. After triggering remotely i walked round to see what was on the camera screen and wow, I’d cracked it at last. Yep more tutorials please Sean. You have a brilliant natural accesible teaching skill.
Yes please, more tutorial videos. The way you talk is crystal clear even to someone like me who is from Italy, and the way you explain also which alternatives there are and why you don't use them is super useful.
Love using speed lights in two soft boxes, one snoot and a beauty dish and add a reflector, you can create just about any lowlight or high light image. biggest problem I have is getting the light right for people who wear spectacles, its time consuming but I get there. I have to say you are very good at explaining how to create images.
I've learned a lot from the first one speedlight video! For my first shoot of a friend back then, I've watched that over an over again. I really love those low key portraits. Maybe I'll scale up with one speedlight set, having seen this video. The extra light at1/16 is my favorite. With just a hint of extra light it does give the image something special. Thanks for all you do!
Sean, the first video that I watched from your channel was the one you reference at the beginning of this video - about taking portraits with an inexpensive speed light. That was about 4-5 years ago if I recall. Have enjoyed every video ever since. Thank you
I've been following you for a few years. This video really teach me what I can do with the two Speedlights I have on hand. (After switching system from Sony to Fuji, I ended with two lights 865S and 865F.) I was just thinking about getting a trigger to sync the two lights when this video debut. Divine timing!! 🎉
Great video. Thanks for posting. This is very informative and useful content. It is beneficial to learn that there is a use for smaller speed lites in (a bit) larger soft boxes for this intended/desired outcome. To date, I have been hesitant to use some soft boxes with what I have for light, but I have been focussed on the thinking more about the key light considerations. I feel that you could even underline that a combination of light + light modifier that would be underpowered for a key light is actually what is working here - saves money too, if the less powerful speed lite is cheaper. Cheers from Canada
Thank you for the video! At the moment, I don't take a lot of portraits (just some of the family using natural light), but I'm more and more interested in going towards a more "professional" approach. This will definitely help me get started. Personally, at least in this case, I prefer the additional light at 1/64 or perhaps even a stop lighter. It's not as dark as without but still not too light to potentially draw too much attention to the clothing instead of the person.
Love the dark moody portraits. One light is the way (and sometimes a reflector). Love the simple tutorial videos. Please make more. Id love to see the editing and retouching process too. And also black n white portraits
I discovered your channel by this kind of video, and as the time passes, definitely want to dips into deeper. And also is because your philosophy of life and your work that resonates with me so I’m keeping following you ❤ I’m an intimacy person, so it’s quite hard for me to find a subject to photographe, would you share some more of your experiences and advice? I’ve watched some of videos about taking pictures of strangers on the street, but any way else? Thanks 🙏
Hi Sean, thanks a lot for this video. Let me assume something... When adding the second flash, it influences the brightness caused by the first one. It can be seen when comparing the no second flash and second flash at higher power pictures. To maintain the brightness of the "flash 1 areas", it might be useful to decrease the power of the first flash by the amount the second one gets increased. E.g. 1 at 1/2 and 2 at 1/32 - have to change to 1/4 and 1/16. Stumble stones might be, that the directions of light are different and the distance (inverse square law). Greetings, Markus
Sean, great video. Always enjoy how you help explain with budget gear to get the job done. Would love to see if you have a new technique on your editing process in comparison to your old video with Photoshop. Again, thanks for doing this video.
Hi Sean. Greetings from Albany, NY. This was an extremely helpful video, thank you for sharing your knowledge. I would like to see more video's on this subject. Just picked up your book The meaning in the making, I'm enjoying it very much. Be well sir.
Thank you Sean, this was a good mini tutorial. I typically shoot musicians on location and for the formal headshot work I use two speedlights, 1 key and 1 rim. But you have me thinking now that perhaps I have ignored the 'key' role that fill has to play and that my reflectors are indeed just a little too weak to do the job justice. If considering a future video, I would have liked to have seen the impact of fill light on something like the Rembrandt look. Because your sample shots here show different head tilt positions in relation to the key light, only image 2 is very 'Rembrandtesque', and I wonder if the fill light continues to dilute that look too much, or if there is methods to assist with fill but not at the expense of harming the shadow formation (perhaps a different fill position etc). I think you should consider a paid course like how Phil Sharp did with his portrait session on Domestika. Thanks again.
Nice, You just show my favorite dramatic portrait light setup for painterly portraits. :D Many of my shots were made with small beauty dish and big soft fill light on the same direction of light.
Yeah, thanks this video did help me a lot because I kind of „forgot“ to use HS and reduce the shutter speed thus not getting the dark background I wanted… Great Job!
Me personally I prefer two speedlights. To lift up the shadows to give me a bit wiggle room with post-processing. For your reference photos, I will choose 1/8 power on the second speedlight. That will be sweet spot. From 1/4 it started becoming too milky for me. However, great video Sean! I always love these informative videos for yours
Thank you for such a good tutorial. I love all your videos, but I do find the ones where you talk about light and retouching super helpful, so I’m always very grateful when you post. Hope you are keeping well!
Great video Sean. I rarely take pictures of people, but I have used your tips to good effect, at least I think so, on still life subjects. Thank you for all these ideas.
It’s a great approach for photographers looking to elevate their work with simple, cost-effective tools. I am horrible at portraits... maybe I will give them another go.
I've been working on taking portraits of wild animals in their natural habitat using a dslr, a couple speedlights hung on trees, and a remote sensor that triggers the camera+flashes when something walks by it. It's my own photo studio that I leave in the woods 24/7. Deciding where to place the speedlights and how to set their power is always a challenge, though, so this was very helpful. I'd be curious what advice you have about incorporating a third or possibly fourth speedlight to serve as rim light or background light. I always look forward to your videos, Sean! Best wishes
This has been brilliant 👏, been looking at sony flashes all day. Have been using nikon z6ii up till now and sony a7iv for video but dying to try this kind of photography with the sony 😀. Many thanks for your knowledge and inspiration 😊
Love your videos, I learn so much from them, Your original shooting portraits with one speedlight video, got me to buy an inexpensive kit, and it really elevated my portraits of my kids, and family. So thank you for that. I do also love when you try to recreate a famous portrait. Curious about how far you could take it with more and more lights, when do the you hit the point of diminishing returns? Could be interesting. Thanks again for such great videos, full of knowledge and insight.
Hello Sean, it’s been a while since I commented but I’m still with you. I’m blessed by all your work. As I’ve previously mentioned, your mission is different. That said, I’m very interested in how you shoot B-roll (using the same level of specificity you did in this video). For example, your opening B-roll in your video: “How I Approach Buying Cameras”. I cannot convey how many times I’ve watched that B-roll. Thanks my brother…peace and hope. 💯
Hi Sean, thank you so much for the amazing content you create, you are the best when it comes to photography channels. Please do more of this Portrait Lighting tutorials 🙏 I want to shoot an environmental portrait of a woman in her house with a soft even light. I want the subject to be the focus of the image but also to lighten up the environment as the house she lives in is part of my subject. The house is quite dark so I was thinking of using speed lights, how would you recommend to light this kind of scene?
lovely images and beautiful wife - good stuff all around. Those little TT350 flashes are great. I have one on each of my Nikon Z cameras and use them on the camera outside for TTL daylight balanced HSS fill-flash for all of my gigs. I use them with the eneloop rechargeable AA batteries and they last longer than the big battery in my Godox V1.
Thanks much Sean. I love your style and this is exactly the look I’m striving for in portrait photography. Can you tell me why you are using HSS and such a high shutter speed? Would you not get the same results with your camera’s native synch speed? I’m guessing you want to keep your aperture wide open?
Your original speedlight video was how I discovered your channel so I vote for more tutorials
The same
+1❤
This is the second of your video and I'm really amazed of what I've been learning again within minutes. Thank you so much, I'll soon start experimenting on my own now I changed from my old and rather simple Metz gear + OLY flash control (German flash manufacturer which doesn't exist anymore) to Godox and x-remote. But one question: You wanted to avoid sharp catch lights but what would you use if you'd want them? Would an LED light on top of the camera be ok?
So many budding photographers sooner or later buy some studio gear, try to get some action going, and end up putting their kit on eBay, for a pittance. Often because they struggled to get a decent image.
These tutorials of yours are pure gold, Sean. Accessible, kind and incredibly practical. Wish I'd seen this 10yrs ago when I was struggling to figure it all out! 🙏👍
These videos are so important. I'm an absolute kit junkie but these bring me right back to earth - they make me want to sell all the expensive things I've bought over the last few years and focus on what's really important - a few simple things and the light you have. Plus it makes such a difference when travelling to a shoot (or a friend's house!). Bravo, and more tutorials, please!
Ay ay Sir, fullfully agree - just like me! Very impressive video. Greets
I also love the dark, moody, chiaroscuro look. The eye is instantly drawn to the subject and stays there.
I thoroughly enjoy these kinds of videos, as I'm on a budget myself. It's nice to see work produced with affordable equipment. Thank you for all that you do Sean.
Yes, please more of those Tutorials
I really like the rich shadow look, that you have in your images.
It's unbelievable how well and at the same time comprehensible you describe the topic. If we were in a school, it would be an honor to be in your class. The contribution to white balance from a few months ago was also extremely valuable. Thank you.
Thanks mate. That's a lovely thing to say.
Personally I love the single light as it is moody and that’s how I like to see portraits. Another great video Sean. Thank you.
More of thses please Sean, I love the way you explain and blow out the general misconceptions within photography. Thank you.
Its not about the cost of the kit or a fancy modifier, its about knowing how light works and using whats available to get the results you're looking for, thats what I appreciate about your videos Sean, another great message and brilliant portraits, as always
Sean, I've always liked your channel for your "enlightening & thought provoking" videos, as they are so different to the norm on RUclips.
These educational & and how-to videos are also so helpful, and you impart your knowledge and the skills in such an easy to understand manner.
"Thank you so much."
I really appreciate the time and effort you put into your channel and I always look forward to a new release. Cheers.
That's very kind, thanks my friend.
Thanks so much Sean for this one and the one on using a single speedlight. After triggering remotely i walked round to see what was on the camera screen and wow, I’d cracked it at last. Yep more tutorials please Sean. You have a brilliant natural accesible teaching skill.
Very clear commentary. Many thanks.
Please! Your tutorials on street and portraits shaped my style and made me try beyond! So please keep going with this stuff!
Yes please, more tutorial videos. The way you talk is crystal clear even to someone like me who is from Italy, and the way you explain also which alternatives there are and why you don't use them is super useful.
Love these vids. Your first speedlight video got me interested in portrait photography.
That's great to hear.
I just want to say I really appreciate your videos. Learning so much from your tutorials.
Love using speed lights in two soft boxes, one snoot and a beauty dish and add a reflector, you can create just about any lowlight or high light image. biggest problem I have is getting the light right for people who wear spectacles, its time consuming but I get there. I have to say you are very good at explaining how to create images.
Really liked this little tutorial, Sean. Would like to see more, please!
a great video on how to light in studio. love the finished work and the edits are beautiful.
I've learned a lot from the first one speedlight video! For my first shoot of a friend back then, I've watched that over an over again. I really love those low key portraits. Maybe I'll scale up with one speedlight set, having seen this video. The extra light at1/16 is my favorite. With just a hint of extra light it does give the image something special. Thanks for all you do!
I love these technical videos! Thanks for the information!!
Your videos are such a pleasure to watch! Thank you :)
Always appreciate your content. Keep up the good work Sean👍
Watching this video just gave me a crazy idea on how to set up a studio in my home! Thank you for this amazing content as always!!! ❤
Great tutorial, as usual. Very clear.
Fantastic video, Sean! Thanks for the detailed breakdown. \o/
Sean, the first video that I watched from your channel was the one you reference at the beginning of this video - about taking portraits with an inexpensive speed light. That was about 4-5 years ago if I recall. Have enjoyed every video ever since. Thank you
I've been following you for a few years. This video really teach me what I can do with the two Speedlights I have on hand. (After switching system from Sony to Fuji, I ended with two lights 865S and 865F.) I was just thinking about getting a trigger to sync the two lights when this video debut. Divine timing!! 🎉
Great video. Thanks for posting. This is very informative and useful content. It is beneficial to learn that there is a use for smaller speed lites in (a bit) larger soft boxes for this intended/desired outcome. To date, I have been hesitant to use some soft boxes with what I have for light, but I have been focussed on the thinking more about the key light considerations. I feel that you could even underline that a combination of light + light modifier that would be underpowered for a key light is actually what is working here - saves money too, if the less powerful speed lite is cheaper. Cheers from Canada
Great video, as normal! I found your channel due to your original speedlight video, thank you.
One speedlight my favorite, lovely model.
Thank you for the tutorial. I like that it is straight to the point. More please!
Great video Sean I did find it helpful.
Thank you for the video! At the moment, I don't take a lot of portraits (just some of the family using natural light), but I'm more and more interested in going towards a more "professional" approach. This will definitely help me get started. Personally, at least in this case, I prefer the additional light at 1/64 or perhaps even a stop lighter. It's not as dark as without but still not too light to potentially draw too much attention to the clothing instead of the person.
Love your tutorials as much as your more philosophical videos so please keep them both coming!
Hugely useful video, Sean. Thank you for creating and sharing it.
Sean, you have the vision of an artist--it comes through.. Keep it.
Not really interested in using flash myself. But appreciate the tutorial. Which was really easy to follow. Thanks
Always a pleasure to learn from you. I’m trying dark moody shots a lot I think I might have found my style
I appreciate the videos done in the small space. Gives me hope. I don't have a lot of space to work in.
Love the dark moody portraits. One light is the way (and sometimes a reflector).
Love the simple tutorial videos. Please make more. Id love to see the editing and retouching process too. And also black n white portraits
I have a whole series on retouching on my channel, including skin, eyes, dodge and burn, backgrounds and BW conversions.
@seantuck I'll look them up. 👍 Thank you
I discovered your channel by this kind of video, and as the time passes, definitely want to dips into deeper. And also is because your philosophy of life and your work that resonates with me so I’m keeping following you ❤
I’m an intimacy person, so it’s quite hard for me to find a subject to photographe, would you share some more of your experiences and advice? I’ve watched some of videos about taking pictures of strangers on the street, but any way else? Thanks 🙏
Hi Sean,
thanks a lot for this video. Let me assume something... When adding the second flash, it influences the brightness caused by the first one. It can be seen when comparing the no second flash and second flash at higher power pictures.
To maintain the brightness of the "flash 1 areas", it might be useful to decrease the power of the first flash by the amount the second one gets increased. E.g. 1 at 1/2 and 2 at 1/32 - have to change to 1/4 and 1/16.
Stumble stones might be, that the directions of light are different and the distance (inverse square law).
Greetings,
Markus
I loved the first speedlight video. It was how I discovered you, actually 😁 Still reference it every now and then.
Love these tutorials. Definitely reduces flash-stress and makes it feel achievable. Huge thanks.
Sean, great video. Always enjoy how you help explain with budget gear to get the job done. Would love to see if you have a new technique on your editing process in comparison to your old video with Photoshop. Again, thanks for doing this video.
Thank you Sean, grateful always....
More please! Thank you for a helpful and well produced video.
Hi Sean. Greetings from Albany, NY. This was an extremely helpful video, thank you for sharing your knowledge. I would like to see more video's on this subject. Just picked up your book The meaning in the making, I'm enjoying it very much. Be well sir.
Thank you Sean, this was a good mini tutorial.
I typically shoot musicians on location and for the formal headshot work I use two speedlights, 1 key and 1 rim. But you have me thinking now that perhaps I have ignored the 'key' role that fill has to play and that my reflectors are indeed just a little too weak to do the job justice.
If considering a future video, I would have liked to have seen the impact of fill light on something like the Rembrandt look. Because your sample shots here show different head tilt positions in relation to the key light, only image 2 is very 'Rembrandtesque', and I wonder if the fill light continues to dilute that look too much, or if there is methods to assist with fill but not at the expense of harming the shadow formation (perhaps a different fill position etc).
I think you should consider a paid course like how Phil Sharp did with his portrait session on Domestika.
Thanks again.
Nice, You just show my favorite dramatic portrait light setup for painterly portraits. :D Many of my shots were made with small beauty dish and big soft fill light on the same direction of light.
Yes, always enjoy tutorials 👍
yes please, more tutorials, also in natural light for that cinematic look.
Yeah, thanks this video did help me a lot because I kind of „forgot“ to use HS and reduce the shutter speed thus not getting the dark background I wanted… Great Job!
Thank you, most enlightening (pardon the pun). Please continue portrait speed light videos. Your techniques are valuable to a beginner like myself.
Me personally I prefer two speedlights. To lift up the shadows to give me a bit wiggle room with post-processing. For your reference photos, I will choose 1/8 power on the second speedlight. That will be sweet spot. From 1/4 it started becoming too milky for me. However, great video Sean! I always love these informative videos for yours
Thank you for such a good tutorial. I love all your videos, but I do find the ones where you talk about light and retouching super helpful, so I’m always very grateful when you post. Hope you are keeping well!
Thanks for your video, as usual. Personnaly, I like very much the 1/16 photo, where we begin to appreciate the hairs but too much. Chris
Thanks for this video, it was very clear and I picked up a few things I hadn’t thought about before. And yes, more please !
This videos are peaces of art. Thank you Sean for your sharing your work ❤
Great video Sean. I rarely take pictures of people, but I have used your tips to good effect, at least I think so, on still life subjects. Thank you for all these ideas.
I remember that video, and i've been using that single speedlight ever since.
It’s a great approach for photographers looking to elevate their work with simple, cost-effective tools. I am horrible at portraits... maybe I will give them another go.
I've been working on taking portraits of wild animals in their natural habitat using a dslr, a couple speedlights hung on trees, and a remote sensor that triggers the camera+flashes when something walks by it. It's my own photo studio that I leave in the woods 24/7. Deciding where to place the speedlights and how to set their power is always a challenge, though, so this was very helpful. I'd be curious what advice you have about incorporating a third or possibly fourth speedlight to serve as rim light or background light. I always look forward to your videos, Sean! Best wishes
Many thanks for your sharing. Really like your works and insight of photography.
You’ve answered so many of my questions in this video - thank you!
This has been brilliant 👏, been looking at sony flashes all day. Have been using nikon z6ii up till now and sony a7iv for video but dying to try this kind of photography with the sony 😀. Many thanks for your knowledge and inspiration 😊
Thanks a lot for this great video. Easy structured and good to understand. 👍👍
Thank you for this video. I'm going to try this.
Love your videos, I learn so much from them, Your original shooting portraits with one speedlight video, got me to buy an inexpensive kit, and it really elevated my portraits of my kids, and family. So thank you for that. I do also love when you try to recreate a famous portrait. Curious about how far you could take it with more and more lights, when do the you hit the point of diminishing returns? Could be interesting.
Thanks again for such great videos, full of knowledge and insight.
Great video, personally I prefer one light to create shadows and add atmosphere to an image - Fab to see how you use two lights
1/16th fill light for the win 🏆
I agree, the best setting
Great content as usual ❤
chiaroscuro and tenebrism for the win
¡Gracias!
Thanks for the support my friend.
Yes, please. More of these videos!
Wonderful explanation thanks
Nicely done, Sean. Keep up the good and inspirational work...
Loved it. Give us more.
Good video, Sean. Thanks!
A vote from me for this invaluable info and insight Sean 👍
Another master class !! Thank you
Another terrific video, thx! Why not use masks in post to highlight darker areas of the subject versus a second speedlight?
I would always rather get it in camera because trying to lift shadows in post can often cause artifacting.
Great video, thanks for the tutorial.
Thank you very much! :)
Super demo, Sean! Bravo.
I’d love it if you did more tutorials.
Always great Sean thanks
Hello Sean, it’s been a while since I commented but I’m still with you. I’m blessed by all your work. As I’ve previously mentioned, your mission is different. That said, I’m very interested in how you shoot B-roll (using the same level of specificity you did in this video). For example, your opening B-roll in your video: “How I Approach Buying Cameras”. I cannot convey how many times I’ve watched that B-roll. Thanks my brother…peace and hope. 💯
Wonderful tutorial!
Hi Sean, thank you so much for the amazing content you create, you are the best when it comes to photography channels. Please do more of this Portrait Lighting tutorials 🙏 I want to shoot an environmental portrait of a woman in her house with a soft even light. I want the subject to be the focus of the image but also to lighten up the environment as the house she lives in is part of my subject. The house is quite dark so I was thinking of using speed lights, how would you recommend to light this kind of scene?
Very helpful, thanks!❤
lovely images and beautiful wife - good stuff all around. Those little TT350 flashes are great. I have one on each of my Nikon Z cameras and use them on the camera outside for TTL daylight balanced HSS fill-flash for all of my gigs. I use them with the eneloop rechargeable AA batteries and they last longer than the big battery in my Godox V1.
Thanks much Sean. I love your style and this is exactly the look I’m striving for in portrait photography. Can you tell me why you are using HSS and such a high shutter speed? Would you not get the same results with your camera’s native synch speed? I’m guessing you want to keep your aperture wide open?
Excellent presentation (as always), but, yes please, more please :)
Thank you Sean, more tutorials please :)
Great tutorial Sean. You are an inspiration. Where can I find the one light tutorial that you mentioned at the beginning of this tutorial?
Yes please to more tutorials.