How to create fall sunset portraits with a single bare flash

3 weeks ago 23

Sunset is one of the best times to do a fall portrait session. The golden light makes the gorgeous foliage even more stunning for a dramatic backdrop. Still, if the weather is not on your side on the day of your shoot, there’s a trick you can pull up your sleeve for fall sunset portraits. All you need is a bare flash.

In the video above, Canada-based portrait photographer Irene Rudnyk shared her tips for creating a fall sunset effect. For this, she used a Godox AD100Pro Pocket Flash, a compact speedlight powered by a removable lithium-ion battery, attached to a small tripod.

To create the golden hour look, she added the orange gel that came with the kit. However, she also noted that the time of the day is important for this to work. When the ambient light is too bright, the effect from the flash won’t be visible. So, it’s best to shoot during the blue hour which happens just after sunset.

Lastly, Rudnyk also gave some great tips for the placement of the flash to achieve different fall sunset looks. As always, experiment as much as you can, especially since you only have a short window of opportunity during the golden hour.

Do you have other tips for fall sunset portraits? Drop them in the comments below!

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Posted on October 24, 2024

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Joy is a film photographer, writer, and visual storyteller based in Manila, Philippines. She is drawn to conceptual portraits and surreal imagery, which she also strives to flesh out in her own work. Her photos have been featured on Flickr and several independent film photography blogs and magazines.

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