I recently spent 3 days in the Lake district with a group of amazing photographers. We spent the time sharing ideas and knowledge and ‘playing’ with new techniques, including some funky flash. Now for my avid followers you will know that I have always preferred natural light to flash and studio lights, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like to have a play with it now and again, and I really enjoyed trying some new off camera flash techniques and colour flash.

We started off by taking some portraits in an old mill yard, where you might think the backgrounds would be off putting, or odd, but as you can see there are plenty of opportunities in all locations to get some great portraits.

Moving around the village of Staveley, we found some great stone walls and autumn colours.

 

Then it was onto the funky flash, in the rain. The first shot shows that even in pretty miserable conditions you can get some cool shots and make those less desirable weather conditions work with you in the creative process.

 

Some more natural looking flash in the iron shed.

Whilst in the iron shed, we lit the door with some coloured flash and it looks pretty cool, considering it looks pretty awful in the daylight, all bent, rusty and wonky, this gives it quite a dramatic feel.

 

A plain wall suddenly provides a fabulous studio background.

I had a great time and have come away armed with a whole host of new ideas to try out this winter, rain no longer stops play!