Do you need a flash to make better pictures?

I use Flash, natural light... and sometimes both!

But it's obvious I chose flash over natural light Photography when you look at my Instagram feed... But do you need flash to make better pictures?

Disclaimer, the following statements are my personal choices, based on my tastes, my experience and the type of work and art I want to produce. It may not apply to your projects and of course, we all are different, there is no right or wrong way to do things.

There are tons of videos on youtube, talking about how flash makes pictures look more professional, how you have to master flash photography to be a pro photographer, and this debate will never cease for whatever reasons.

I believe this is bullshit, the best light you can get is free and it's out there. So why do I use Flash, why do I love them so much?

For me, this can be summarized in one word... Control!

I shoot on location, with horrible schedules, I sometimes have to work fast, and most importantly I have to work with the light I have. And most of the time (I must be out of luck), my light conditions are horrible.

When working outside, you take the risk of having a flat lifeless light, with no shadows, no contrast... I hate that but what this happens, you have to learn how to deal with it.

Dafné Lugui Barbosa (Toulouse) 5D mark IV 1/200 f2.8 ISO 50 at 70mm

Lynne Hutchison (London) 5D mark IV 1/800 f4.5 ISO 800 at 85mm

And sometimes, the magic happens, the weather can change very quickly and you can work with the light you wanted. You end up making awesome images that can sometimes be impossible to replicate with strobes.

Dafne Lugui Barbosa (Toulouse) 5D mark IV 1/250 f3.5 ISO 125 at 70mm

Check where the sun is, its direction, place your model and check on your model's face the shadows and see how they behave to choose your angle. if you are shooting during midday your light source will be high up in the sky, so be careful, if you want to avoid those dark eye sockets ask your model to slightly raise their chin.

How I handle Natural light – Ballerina BTS video photoshoot

Valentina Pierini (Rome) 5D mark III 1/320 f4.5 ISO 125 at 24mm