Learn Your Canon Flash System

Learn techniques for creating beautiful portraits with the flash on your camera, expanding from the basics of how the flash works.

Learn how ttl through-the-lens metering adjusts flash for diffusers and bounce, with max and min power, using 430, 580, and 600 flashes to maximize reach and exposure.

learn why overhead flash lighting is the worst for people and how bouncing off the ceiling can be avoided; explore diffusers and techniques to improve wedding reception lighting.

Explain diffusers and light modifiers to soften a light source, compare bounce cards and a light sphere, share practical examples, and demonstrate how to shoot and evaluate the results.

Compare Canon flash diffusers and light modifiers, showing direct flash drawbacks, bounce cards, ceiling bounces, and soft light spheres for achieving flattering, even illumination.

Learn how to create flat, broad, and short lighting patterns with the Canon flash system, using two lights and wall bounce to shape the facial plane.

Explore broad, flat, and short lighting by bouncing a flash off a white wall to shape the face, using TTL and settings, plus a black neoprene flag to prevent glare.

Explore how zooming the flash head and off-camera lighting create spotlight effects for cool results, using Gary Phong techniques and practical flash setups.

Explore how zoom and grid spotlight affect lighting in the Canon flash system, showing a spotlight at 200mm and prep for off-camera flash.

master fill flash for outdoor backlit scenes by taking a meter reading and setting a manual exposure, then use the flash with diffusers to achieve a natural look.

Learn to use fill flash to balance a backlit foreground with the background, using TTL metering and the Gary Phong light sphere diffuser.

Master off-camera flash techniques using a TTL cord, wireless radio slaves, and manual setups with Nanos and Canon systems, plus a guest demonstration from Radio Poppers.

Explore how ttl balances multiple Canon flashes, when to switch to manual, and how the old system differs from the 600 series with ratios and power output.

Set up Canon flash channels and groups to control which flashes fire and when. Assign flashes to groups A, B, and C for consistent multi-flash setups and avoid confusion.

Learn how to get your flash off camera using a TTL cord, the built-in infrared system with line-of-sight limits, wireless radio poppers, and manual nanos triggers.

Enable high speed sync with a speedlight to shoot at any shutter speed, but expect slight underexposure at higher speeds and use exposure compensation.

Take a meter reading and underexpose to create a deep blue background with white clouds, then illuminate the subject with TTL flash for a spotlight effect.

Learn to shoot with high speed sync and ttl with Canon flash, balancing fast shutter speeds and exposure compensation to achieve shallow depth of field.

Learn how to take your Canon flash off the camera wirelessly, explore multiple wireless methods, and hear expert tips from Laura of Radio Poppers.

Learn how to overcome line-of-sight limits of the Canon flash with the Radio Popper radio bridge, enabling reliable firing regardless of position or lighting, even when intervening blockers.

Explore the canon flash system with the 580ex2 and 430ex, showing that the 580ex2 can act as a master, while the 430ex is slave-only.

Explore master-slave flash control for Canon flash systems, using the camera's built-in controller to trigger external flashes, noting infrared operation and how to set up a radio trigger and grouping.

Learn to designate the 580ex as master or slave using the zoom button and scroll wheel, set master channel 1, and toggle fill flash on or off.

Switch the flash to slave mode for off-camera use; on camera, it cannot be a master flash. Hold the zoom button to enter slave mode and set channel 1.

Power on the Canon flash system and Radio Popper receiver, set one of 16 channels, adjust the lcd brightness, enable or disable feedback mode, and reset to defaults.

Learn to connect Radio Popper to Canon flashes by mounting the transmitter, aligning the receiver with the flash sensor, and using foam to block ambient light for reliable slave operation.

Explain how the Canon flash system uses sensors, aligning the front window with the back optical sensor, securing the receiver with the mounting bracket, and emphasizing line-of-sight.

Shoot with Canon flash system using radio poppers to trigger flash units, achieving TTL or manual exposure for portrait lighting in various setups.

Explore using the 600 system with radio poppers for stronger, less interference control, switch to optical mode for backward compatibility with Canon speedlite models, and plan in-car rear-seat shots.

Master manual flash with Canon's system using Radio Popper Nano triggers, embracing line of sight control for reliable outdoor and studio setups.

Explore nanos with the Canon flash system, including a hot shoe adapter and a quarter-inch-20 mount. Learn to attach studio strobes or manual flashes quickly.

set the flash to manual mode, adjust power with the set button and scroll wheel, and use master and slave; attach nano, select a channel, and test fire.

Attach a flash-style foot to the Nano using a quarter-inch to hot shoe adapter, enabling mounting on light stands, soft boxes, umbrella stands, or brackets.

Learn how to link the Canon 600 flash units with the transmitter, compare expensive transmitter options, and configure the simple settings for a cheaper, more controllable setup.

Link the 600 and transmitter by pressing the flash button to switch from master to slave, set identical ids, and use auto channel while verifying green linked indicators.

Switch from ratio-based settings to actual power output on the Canon flash system, using on/off controls and menu-driven slave grouping.

Learn to control off-camera Canon flashes via the transmitter, enslaving a slave unit and using Group A, B, or C to adjust exposure, modes (manual, TTL), and output rate wirelessly.

Learn to turn flash heads on or off from the transmitter in group B, enabling quick silhouette or background lighting adjustments and fast setup for outdoor shooting.

Meter ambient and shoot with Canon TTL and high speed sync, linking two flashes, zooming to spotlight the background with a telephoto lens.

Learn to shoot wirelessly with the Canon flash system, using flash as a secondary light to balance sun, darken backgrounds, and explore high speed sync and manual mode.

Switch from TTL to manual, set the flash to full power, and ignore a light meter for a stationary subject to ensure consistent readings with a soft box.

Set up and shoot with nanos using manual flash power, channel matching, and a transmitter, then adjust from full power to a practical quarter power for controlled outdoor light.

Learn to use Canon flash techniques on flowers and other objects, meter scenes, and isolate subjects with zoom to create vibrant, backlit, ttl-lit photos.

Learn your Canon flash system in this intro class, covering wireless setup and how to add multiple groups, including group a and group b. Review practical menu settings.

Explore flash coverage in the Canon system, using manual and auto modes, aperture, and effective range to predict how far the flash will cover, with or without a meter.

Explain feb, flash exposure bracketing, in the fab menu and how to set up two brackets for three exposures—over, under, and on—though the speaker notes they would not use it.

Explore how to customize the Canon flash system, including the zoom button, and learn to set up your flash exactly how you want by following the manual’s custom functions.

Explore the Canon flash system menu, learn exposure lock with the star button, and navigate channels and memory settings, then return to the main menu.

Explains how the Canon flash system controller scans channels to find the strongest signal in auto mode, and how to set manual exposure for groups a, b, and c.

Plan your flash setup before shooting, balance multiple flashes, and use main TTL with manual background lights to achieve consistent exposure and the triangle of light.

Learn how to use a Strobies bracket to mount a flash for on-location lighting, enabling soft boxes, reflectors, and beauty dishes with TTL and wireless control.

Learn to set up master and slave Canon flashes in three groups (A, B, C), balance exposure with ratios, and adjust manual power using zoom and select controls.

Explore the multiday setting on your flash, which controls how many times it fires and how fast, creating a strobe effect; use the manual’s graph to determine a shutter speed.

Take outdoor strobes into action with the 435 ADX and six hundreds, run through varied scenarios with Laura, review settings, and align for the assignment.

Learn to shoot outside with Canon flash by balancing ambient with TTL and a master flash, setting shutter at 1/160s, and using radio triggers for off-camera power.

Master outdoor multi-flash setups by metering the scene and balancing TTL and manual exposure. Use a main flash and a background light to separate the subject and darken the backdrop.

Learn to operate the Canon 600 flash in manual outdoors, set the background flash to full power from the camera, and apply tungsten white balance for a blue look.

Gel your flash with a CTO gel to balance tungsten light with daylight, producing a blue background and perfectly lit subject using an inexpensive strobe kit.

Learn to use a silver beauty dish outdoors for greater flash throw, combining TTL background with manual flash and close proximity to the subject for front hit and fill.

Learn to create a starburst with the Canon flash system by stopping down to f/22, shaping the flash with the aperture, and balancing ISO and shutter speed.

Explore manual with nano for Canon, adjusting power, ISO, and zoom head to shape hard light, while using a radio trigger for reliable outdoor shoot results.

Learn to manipulate light with your speedlight to simulate daylight through windows, using backlighting and external white light setups, including an outside shoot with a soapbox flash.

Demonstrates using a softbox outside with Canon TTL flash, adjusting distance to create a broader, softer light, preventing daylight leakage and achieving a daylight-like portrait at night.

Experiment with multiple flash setups to light flowers, balancing ttl and manual power, and position backlight and below-light to create dramatic, studio-like outdoor flower shots.