5 myths debunked by Saint Nicholas

Wednesday 5 December 2018, 15:51 by Michelle Peeters | 7,693 views | 1 comment

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Some photographic truths sound so logical and familiar,
that you have been building on them for years.
A shame, because not all truths are equally true,
even if that sounds a little strange.

Last year, Saint Nicholas also collected 7 photographic myths,
and debunked them with 'true or false'.
This year, the focus is more specific,
with particular attention to flash photography.

1. Flash exposure is confusing.
Natural light feels very familiar,
with it, you will never go wrong in semi-automatic mode.
To calculate the right flash exposure,
you used to have to draw up complicated formulas.
Thanks to automatic functions such as TTL,
your exposure is now set in an instant.
The exposure in all your photos is nicely balanced,
and it is so simple, it is easy to learn.

2. Flash light is harsh and unflattering.
Flash fired directly and from a great distance,
has caused quite a few photographers some misery.

Sharp shadows and overexposed areas ruined your shot,
just like direct sunlight, this destroys your image.
If you want softer light, move your flash closer to your subject,
and bounce your flash light off a ceiling or white wall.

3. Flash light looks too unnatural.
Combining flash light with the ambient light,
is something many photographers do not think about enough.

To achieve a natural and balanced result,
keep your flash exposure compensation ready in small steps.
Adjust your flash light carefully in daylight,
and all your problems with flash in bright light will be gone too.

4. Flashes are weak
Flash photography from more than two metres away,
did not produce particularly good results in the past.

Guide numbers are getting higher and more capable,
so no more light is lost.
Even when reflecting light over a great distance, the flash is not held back,
or when you use a diffuser or other lighting effects.

5. Flash light is only useful when it is dark.
With normal flash light, you can indeed create light when there is none,
but the extra creative possibilities available today are certainly worthwhile.

For example, you can soften the shadows from bright midday sun,
so you can expect professional-looking portraits outdoors.
Thanks to infrared AF assist light, you can keep focusing in the dark,
gain control over where the shadows fall and get all your photo jobs right from now on.

You have of course known the myth about me for a long time!
I am not Spanish, but a Turkish bloke...

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