If you’re a photographer who despises Off-Camera Flash (OCF), this blog post is for you! I get it. I used to hate it too, and while it’s still not my favorite, it’s essential for elevating your professionalism during wedding receptions after dark. Off-Camera Flash can seem intimidating at first, but it’s a game-changer once you get the hang of it.
OCF requires you to control and understand light in a new way. Unlike natural light, where you can’t control the sun, OCF puts you in charge of everything about the light source: placement, power, height, and direction. It can be overwhelming, but today, I’m sharing tips on how to set up and properly use one off-camera flash during your receptions!
If you’re not using OCF, chances are your reception images look something like this:
- Dark background
- Flat and dull
- Just kinda… blah.
But with just one Off-Camera Flash and some basic flash setting knowledge, you can transform your reception shots to look more like this:
When using Off-Camera Flash, the first thing to recognize is that there’s a system for setting it up!
Here’s one setup I recommend for specialty dances (not party dancing). If you want to hear about my setups for cake-cutting, toasts, and party dancing, check out my YouTube episode!
For the first dance, father/daughter dance, and mother/son dance, here’s what I recommend:
1. Determine Your Background (Your Direction): When setting up my one-OCF setup on the dance floor, I decide what I want in the background. Unlike shooting outdoors, I control where the light source comes from. I usually choose a background free of the DJ and equipment.
2. Place Your Flash 45 Degrees (To Your Right or Left): This is crucial! You don’t want your flash in the background of your shot. Use your OCF to expose the front of your subjects. Your on-camera bounce card will provide some extra light, but the main light source is your OCF placed 45 degrees from you to your couple.
3. Take a Test Shot and Determine Your Settings: This is the tricky part! I explain it in more detail in my YouTube video. Generally, you don’t want too much flash power coming from your OCF. If it’s too powerful, your clients will be overexposed. If you adjust your camera settings to fix the overexposure, the background will become black and dark—not good! I prefer a lower flash power (1/64 is a good starting point) and a higher ISO. This makes the flash hitting the couple softer and allows the background to glow. I also recommend not shooting higher than a 2.8 aperture with this setup.
There’s so much more to share! For more OCF insights and education, check out my 14-minute YouTube video that breaks down everything I’ve shared and more!
In this YouTube video, you’ll find:
- Why OCF matters and the difference it makes in your images
- My simple one-OCF setup that I used when I first started with OCF
- How to use this setup in different scenarios: dances, cake cutting, and toasts
Enjoy, and if you want to watch me shoot a real wedding day for free, click HERE! This is an amazing opportunity to see this flash education in action in a real situation. KJ All Access has been called “A Visual Learner’s DREAM!” Click HERE!
Thanks for reading!