Exploring Creative Portraits with Off-Camera Flash
This past weekend, Savannah, my buddy Matt, and I spent the day experimenting with creative portraits using off-camera flash. It was an opportunity to push our skills, try new lighting techniques, and, most importantly, have fun bringing ideas to life. Whether you’re a fellow photographer or someone curious about what goes into a photo shoot, we wanted to share a behind-the-scenes look at what we learned and showcase some of our favorite shots from the day.
The Setup
For this shoot, we used the Neewer Vision 4 strobe flash paired with a softbox and a grid, giving us control over how the light shaped our subjects. We also experimented with a second flash—a speedlight—as a hair light or to illuminate the backdrop, adding depth and dimension to the shots.
Throughout the shoot, we rotated roles: one person posing as the model, another adjusting the lights, and the third capturing the photos. This collaborative setup gave us the freedom to explore different ideas and techniques as a team.
The Process
One of the highlights of the day was discovering how the placement and layering of light can completely transform a portrait:
Directional drama: Using the strobe with a grid, we focused the light into tighter, more directional beams, which created moody shadows and added texture to our shots.
Soft and controlled lighting: The softbox helped diffuse the light for a clean, flattering look while maintaining control over the spill onto the background.
Adding depth with the speedlight: Placing the speedlight behind or above the subject as a hair light added separation from the background. Alternatively, we pointed it at the backdrop to subtly illuminate it and bring more depth to the composition.
Experimenting with this combination of tools and techniques was both a challenge and a rewarding experience!
Lessons Learned
Layering light is powerful: Combining multiple light sources opens up endless possibilities for shaping your subject and background.
Modifiers make a difference: Using grids and softboxes allowed us to fine-tune the intensity and spread of the light, helping us achieve a range of different looks.
Creative problem-solving is key: Whether we were adjusting the angle of the light or tweaking power settings, every small change contributed to the final image.