Flash

Lighting

Metering Flash: Understanding TTL vs Manual

Every external flash operates in one of two modes: TTL (Through The Lens) automatic metering, or manual power control. Understanding when each mode is appropriate, and how to meter effectively in both, eliminates the most common flash exposure problems. How TTL Works TTL metering fires a pre-flash, an extremely brief burst of light, milliseconds before the actual exposure. The camera’s meter reads the light reflected from this pre-flash through the lens, calculates the flash power needed for correct exposure, and sets the main flash output accordingly.

February 28, 2026

Technique

High-Speed Sync Flash: When and Why You Need It

High-Speed Sync (HSS) lets you use flash at shutter speeds faster than your camera’s native sync speed — typically above 1/200s or 1/250s. This seemingly technical feature solves a very practical problem that every outdoor portrait photographer encounters: balancing flash with bright ambient light while maintaining shallow depth of field. The Sync Speed Problem Your camera’s sync speed is the fastest shutter speed at which the entire sensor is exposed simultaneously.

February 11, 2026

Lighting

Flash Photography: Stop Apologizing and Start Mastering Your Speedlight

I’m tired of hearing photographers apologize for using flash. “I wish I had natural light,” they say, as if flash is some kind of failure. It isn’t. Flash is a tool that, when used correctly, gives you absolute control over your subject’s appearance. Most people just use it wrong. The problem isn’t flash itself—it’s that photographers treat it like an afterthought. They slap a speedlight on their camera’s hot shoe, aim it forward, and wonder why their subjects look washed out and one-dimensional.

January 31, 2026