There is a time and place for speed lights. Birthday parties, weddings, dimly lit events where the use of flash is acceptable. Concerts and runway fashion events are NOT the place.
There is a reason that flash photography is unacceptable or forbidden, but don’t know when it is and isn’t ok to use it, ASK. Look around and see what the other photographers are doing and put yourself out there and ASK:
• “If you don’t mind, I notice no one is using their speed lights, are they permitted?”
If the answer is:
º “No, flash photography is not allowed, but you can push your ISO and make your adjustments according to your camera and lens combination.”
If the answer is YES, there may be conditions/stipulations that may be:
∞ “You can, but only when shooting the audience/attendants, not the stage area.”
Artist and models don’t like to be blinded Please, don’t use your flash. Performers or models can be distracted by flashes constantly popping into their eyes, rendering temporary blindness and may cause them to fall off the stage or runway – that would be most embarrassing, if not painful to say the least.
So, if you are not well versed in the art of FLASHLESS photography, practice. PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE.
Turn down the lights in an environment that you control and start by putting a single light on your subject and practice shooting with your gear. Then add more lights in various positions related to the position of your subject and then make random adjustments in their position and distance from the subject and make note of your settings and keep in mind the laws of reciprocity: Aperture (f/stop), Shutter Speed (ex:1/60 sec) and ISO (film speed equivalency)
º This isn’t the gospel, so take it at face value and use whatever helpful information that you can derive from the intended message. See the sample image (screenshot) associated that motivated THIS post.
Thank you
kdmorris – photographer
¶ Screenshot image edited in Lightroom 5.7
Philly Fashion Week 02.20.2015