How to do Splash Photography Without Flash: Tutorial

Flash Photography  •  Photography Tips

When we think of splash photography we immediately think of expensive flashes and triggers. It is unthinkable to shoot splash photography with natural light. Add to that an inexpensive camera and lens, and you have yourself something that seems like a poor man’s creative setup. But will it work? Dustin Dolby from Workphlo elaborates:

Equipment and Lighting

Dolby uses a very inexpensive setup for the shoot: a Nikon D7000 paired with an Opteka 85mm f/1.8 lens. The manual focusing lens is notorious for its soft focusing. Additionally, he uses only natural light coming through a window and some blue paper to add a dash of color to the composition.

Camera Settings

Depending on the lens that you’re using, 1/4000 of a second is a decent shutter speed to work with. Remember, there is no flash and there is no way to use the motion freezing abilities that come with it. Dolby set his ISO to 3200 for this shoot.

Noise Reduction

Noise reduction is an important aspect when you shoot with a very high ISO. Dolby explains a few noise reduction techniques in the video for handling those specks of grain.

Once you’ve taken your photos, you can use layers and blending modes in Photoshop to blend multiple exposures for a clean, practically noise-free image.

Let us know if you try out this technique!