Shooting with a strobe is not limited to studio work. In fact, many portrait photographers do it when shooting outdoors, especially when the lighting is mixed or tricky. However, if you’re new to working with strobes, one of the things you have to learn is how much power to set based on your outdoor lighting conditions.
In the video above, Jay P. Morgan of The Slanted Lens shares three tips for working with this setup. He uses a strobe with a softbox, a light meter with a strobe setting and a flash trigger to demonstrate these tips. The goal is to balance out the strobe light with the sunlight and the aperture of your choice.
With enough practice, you will eventually get to know your equipment well. This way, you’ll be able to come up with a good guess of the strobe settings you need to dial in, even without using a light meter. It will save you some time and allow you to get consistent results each time.
Got a tip or two for using strobes during outdoor shoots? Share them with us in the comments below. Or, join the Photofocus Community if you haven’t yet so you can start a discussion in our Portrait Photography group!
