Skip to main content
Tech Radar TechRadar the technology experts
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
  • Phones
  • Computing
  • TVs
  • AI
  • Streaming
  • Health
  • Audio
  • VPN
  • More
    • Cameras
    • Home
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Opinion
    • How to
    • Versus
    • Deals
    • Coupons
    • Best
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Memorial Day
  • Computex
  • Google I/O
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • Best laptop
  • ChatGPT
  • Best VPN
  • NYT Wordle today

Recommended reading

Shooting with a Samsung Galaxy Ultra smartphone
Photography I shot and edited this photo with my Samsung Galaxy Ultra and Adobe Lightroom Mobile – here's how you can get pro results with just your phone
Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 lead image
Instant Cameras The best instant camera 2025: top retro prints from Polaroid, Instax and more
Canon EOS R10 cover image
Cameras The best camera for beginners 2025: top picks for photo and video novices
A female photographer holds the Polaroid Flip instant camera up to her face
Instant Cameras I tested the affordable Polaroid Flip for over a week – its unique design and signature prints impress
A hand holding a phone showing a photo of a musician being edited in the Photoshop for iPhone app
Websites & Apps I'm a Photoshop pro – here are 5 things I love about the new iPhone app and 3 things I don’t
An image of the iPhone 16 Pro Max Camera Control
iPhone I finally found a use for Camera Control on my iPhone 16 Pro Max, but in the weirdest way possible
All-black Fujifilm GFX100RF rangefinder-style camera on a wooden table
Compact Cameras This unique Fujifilm GFX100RF feature is changing the way I see photos, and I wish my camera had it
  1. Cameras

How to master off-camera flash

How-to
By Jason Parnell-Brookes published 4 July 2016

Free your flash

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Step by step: Take your flash off-camera

Step by step: Take your flash off-camera

When we get started in photography, we all buy the essentials: a camera body, a standard zoom lens, and maybe a tripod. Then we start snapping away and learning about the camera.

But (in our opinion) 90% of photography is not about finding the right subject, or even getting the composition spot on, it's actually learning about the light – its quality, position, intensity and color.

As photographers, we don't have to wait for the light to be right, or make the best of what we've got, we can take control of it. Most of us have a flashgun lying around, but never use it.

We're going to change that, so dust yours off, buy some cheap wireless flash triggers and put your flashgun to work. This issue we'll start with simply taking it off-camera. We'll show you how to set your flashgun up, get it firing and balance its power with your camera settings for a stunning portrait. You don't need any fancy equipment.

A kit lens such as the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 will be fine for this, as it's the light that makes the shot. We've used a maximum aperture of f/5.6, so you can see that super-wide aperture isn't essential for taking great photos. And there are no light meters here – we're going guerrilla-style to use our off-camera flash in the simplest way possible.

Quick tip: You can do this indoors or outdoors, so have a play in a variety of locations. If you find yourself outside on a sunny day, put the sun behind your model's shoulder and use your flashgun to fill the model with light from the front.

  • Top tips for shooting with external flash
Page 1 of 8
Page 1 of 8
Step 1. Fit your triggers

Step 1. Fit your triggers

Attach your wireless triggers to your camera and flash. We picked up some Neewer triggers for just £10 ($20). The transmitter sits on your camera's hotshoe and sends a signal when the shutter is activated. The receiver sits under the flash and triggers it when it receives the signal.

  • Best wireless flash trigger: 6 top models tested and rated
Page 2 of 8
Page 2 of 8
Step 2. Prepare for manual

Step 2. Prepare for manual

It's manual flash only with most low-cost triggers, including ours – TTL is not supported. TTL (through the lens) is when the camera 'talks' to the flash and sets the power based on the camera settings. Manual just means you have to adjust the flash power yourself.

Page 3 of 8
Page 3 of 8
Step 3. Use a stand

Step 3. Use a stand

Put your flashgun on a light stand. You can get a cheap one, like our König KN-LS10, online for £10 ($20). If you don't have a stand, place it on a nearby surface – but this isn't ideal, as it will limit the height and position at which you're able to place your flash. A stand is more flexible.

Page 4 of 8
Page 4 of 8
Step 4. Get set up

Step 4. Get set up

Get your model into position, then set up your DSLR. To start, set it to 1/200 sec, f/5.6, and ISO200. (1/200 sec is our flash sync speed, and f/5.6 is our lens's widest aperture.) Put your flash to the side of your model at head height, three feet away, set to half power, then take a shot.

  • Flash photography made easy: master it all from pop-up flash to multiple flashguns
Page 5 of 8
Page 5 of 8
Step 5. Try more options

Step 5. Try more options

Next, set the flash five feet from your model, aimed at them, and positioned 45 degrees to one side relative to the camera. It should sit about a foot above the model's head. Keep experimenting – after a few photos we moved our flash 90 degrees camera left to get sidelight.

Page 6 of 8
Page 6 of 8
Step 6. Adjust the light

Step 6. Adjust the light

If your shot is under-exposed, increase the ISO or the flash power – or the opposite if the shot is over-exposed. If you're using an 18-55mm kit lens, you're already at the widest aperture setting. The shutter speed won't make a difference to the flash's intensity, so leave it alone.

Page 7 of 8
Page 7 of 8
Step 7. Find your balance

Step 7. Find your balance

Set your white balance to 'flash' for accurate color reproduction. If you're shooting in RAW you needn't worry about this, as you can change it later, but it's imperative when shooting straight to JPEG because you can't change this after the fact. The shot above is half-Auto, half-Flash.

  • ISO settings in low light: when, and how, to increase your camera's sensitivity
Page 8 of 8
Page 8 of 8
Jason Parnell-Brookes
See more Camera How Tos
Read more
Shooting with a Samsung Galaxy Ultra smartphone
I shot and edited this photo with my Samsung Galaxy Ultra and Adobe Lightroom Mobile – here's how you can get pro results with just your phone
Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 lead image
The best instant camera 2025: top retro prints from Polaroid, Instax and more
Canon EOS R10 cover image
The best camera for beginners 2025: top picks for photo and video novices
A female photographer holds the Polaroid Flip instant camera up to her face
I tested the affordable Polaroid Flip for over a week – its unique design and signature prints impress
A hand holding a phone showing a photo of a musician being edited in the Photoshop for iPhone app
I'm a Photoshop pro – here are 5 things I love about the new iPhone app and 3 things I don’t
An image of the iPhone 16 Pro Max Camera Control
I finally found a use for Camera Control on my iPhone 16 Pro Max, but in the weirdest way possible
Latest in Cameras
Nubia Z70S Ultra smartphone in the retro camera kit case
I’m a photographer, and this Leica-style smartphone is the closest thing I’ve seen to a classic compact with physical controls
Two side by side closeups of the Nikon Z30 mirrorless camera
Nikon's next camera could be a Sony-rivalling video specialist with RED tech
Kiwibit Beako birdfeeder camera in a garden with birds on it
Finally, a bird feeder camera with 4K video, plus it has some handy features for any garden
Canon EOS R50 V camera
I shot video with the affordable Canon EOS R50 V vlogging camera, and it is a solid option for aspiring content creators
Silhouette of a Fujifilm camera, with a small lightspot revealing a film cannister-like window
Fujifilm's half-frame camera is coming next week, and I'm especially excited about one rumored feature
DJI Mavic 4 Pro alongside DJI Air 3S
DJI Mavic 4 Pro vs DJI Air 3S: How much better is DJI’s latest flagship drone?
Latest in How Tos
Laurence Rees Remembers... The Nazis: A Warning From History
How to watch Laurence Rees Remembers... The Nazis: A Warning from History online
Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics and Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks look on during the game during Round Two of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, ahead of Knicks vs Celtics Game 6
How to watch Knicks vs Celtics for free: live stream Game 6 tonight
Eberechi Eze evades the Manchester City players in the build up to the FA Cup final.
Crystal Palace vs Man City live stream: How to watch FA Cup final online and on TV, team news
ockey Jaime Torres celebrates after riding Seize the Grey #6 to win the 149th running of the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes 2025 live stream and TV guide: How to watch 150th edition, runners and riders
Chantelle contacted the police several times but to no avail. She tells her story in "Groomed: A National Scandal"
How to watch Groomed: A National Scandal online from anywhere
Host Will Arnett in a promotional image for LEGO Masters season 5
How to watch LEGO Masters season 5 online and from anywhere
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    Prime Video sounds the death knell for The Bondsman as Kevin Bacon horror show is canceled after one season
  2. 2
    Procolored printers shipped out with malware-ridden drivers for half a year
  3. 3
    5 great free movies to stream on Pluto TV, Plex, Samsung TV Plus and more this week (May 19)
  4. 4
    New report says AirPods Pro 3 won't launch this year, and that a real AirPods Max upgrade is finally on the way
  5. 5
    Apple could soon let iPhone owners use alternative voice assistants to Siri, but you can call up Gemini or ChatGPT right now with this simple hack

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...