Have you ever wanted to learn how to use a flash with your camera? Join us for Single Off Camera Flash Portrait Workshop on Saturday, February 14, 2026, 8:00 – 10:00 am at the Highlands Ranch Mansion grounds.
Bring your camera and we will supply the equipment. We need to know if you are attending and what brand of camera you have, so please register. We’ll breakout by camera brand.
- Welcome & Scene Setting
- Brief intro + safety overview (uneven ground, stands, foot traffic)
- Why one flash is perfect for large outdoor locations
- Goals for the day:
- Control sunlight
- Create elegant portraits that fit the mansion vibe
- Learn brand-specific flash control
- Overview of breakout groups by camera brand
– Canon
– Nikon
– Sony
– Fuji / Other - Gear for Outdoor Portrait Flash
- Speedlight vs battery strobe (when each makes sense)
- High-Speed Sync (what it is, when you actually need it)
- Radio triggers & reliability outdoors
- Light stands + sandbags (non-negotiable)
- Modifiers that work in wind
- Softbox with diffusion
- Umbrella with caution
- Neutral density filters (optional mention)
- Flash + Sunlight Fundamentals
- Think of the sun as your second light
- Ambient exposure first, flash second
- Three outdoor portrait looks:
- How shutter speed, aperture, and ISO behave outdoors
- Camera Setup by Brand
- Flash menu navigation
- Manual vs TTL for that system
- Enabling HSS
- Recommended starting settings
- Trigger pairing & troubleshooting
- Portrait Lighting for Faces Outdoors
- Placing light relative to sun direction
- 45° key light outdoors
- Light height for flattering faces
- Avoiding raccoon eyes in open shade
- Catchlights in daylight portraits
- Brand-Specific Fine-Tuning
- Dialing in flash exposure compensation
- Switching quickly between TTL ↔ Manual
- Dealing with HSS power loss
- Solving misfires or inconsistent exposures
- Common Outdoor Portrait Flash Problems
- Overpowering the sun too much
- Flat lighting in open shade
- Squinting subjects
- Wind & modifier issues
- Flash not recycling fast enough
- Creative One-Light Challenges
- One location, three looks
- Change mood using:
– Light position only
– Camera angle only
– “Natural light look” challenge using flash - Final Group Portrait
- Shot on mansion steps or lawn
- One off-camera flash
- Behind-the-scenes explanation
- Wrap-Up & Takeaways
- Key outdoor portrait lighting principles
- Practice plan for home
- Brand-specific cheat sheets
- Q&A
Outdoor-specific focus
– Natural fill
– Balanced drama
– Sun-killer / moody
Live demo – Same location: four different looks with one flash
Groups split by camera brand
Each group covers:
Outcome: everyone leaves knowing where the flash controls live on their camera.
Whole group reconvenes
Back into brand groups:
