Flash Photography and Artificial Lighting for Beginners
A course by Zony MayaPhotographer
A course by Zony Maya, Photographer
Learn low-cost lighting techniques for indoor photography
Lighting is the key to good photography, and Zony Maya, a photographer with more than 20 years of experience, has made it his expertise. His work has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, New York Magazine and Vanity Fair, as well as exhibitions at the Guggenheim Museum in New York and the Foto Museo Cuatro Caminos in Mexico. He is also an ambassador for Canon, which has used his photos for their content and events.
In this online course, he teaches you how to see photography in a different light. Learn the fundamentals of lighting with a handheld flash and some tricks to set up your own low-cost studio using household items. Discover techniques to light any situation and take photos that shine.
If you'd also like to learn how to shoot with natural light, Zony shows you how to capture dazzling portraits with sunlight in his course Lighting with Natural Light for Beginners.
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 14 downloads
How do we perceive light?
4 minutes, 30 seconds
What is hard light and diffuse light?
6 minutes, 23 seconds
The 7 types of lighting
11 minutes, 56 seconds
What is Flash and how does it work?
7 minutes, 15 seconds
How does the flash flash?
20 minutes, 46 seconds
How to control the flash?
17 minutes, 7 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin by getting to Zony Maya, who tells you about his career, his passion for photography, and influences that inspire his work.
Dive into the world of light and learn how it behaves. Discover the difference between continuous light and a flash, as well as what constitutes hard and diffused light.
Continue by looking at the seven types of basic lighting that every photographer should know and why each is useful.
Next, Zony explains what flash is, how it works, and the different types out there. He also shares professional tips for working with a flash and even how to combine it with continuous light.
Move on to the shoot and see how to transform your home into a photography studio using household items such as fruit, kitchen utensils, and stationery. Learn about bounces, diffusers and flags, as well as how to create your own.
To wrap up, Zony demonstrates how to light an object by combining a flash with natural light to capture a high-quality photo.
What is this course's project?
Take a flash photograph of a person or object, exploring your creativity with different modifiers and accessories.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to learn how to shoot flash photography.
Requirements and materials
To take this course, you just need an SLR or DSLR camera with manual mode, and a handheld flash.
Reviews
- 4 months ago
Excellent course with lots of knowledge & simple steps
- 4 months ago
Estoy recién empezando el curso. Pero va interesante.
- 5 months ago
Corso davvero interessante, spiegato passo passo bene e con i tempi giusti. Grazie
- 5 months ago
Como siempre un disfrute con las aportaciones, me ayuda mucho a ahorrar tiempo
- 8 months ago
SUPERRRRR!!!
He received a FONCA grant and a Fulbright-García Robles Scholarship as well as a master's degree in photography, video, and media from the School of Visual Arts New York. His work has been exhibited at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Manifesta 11 European Biennial of Contemporary Art in Switzerland, and the XIII Bienal de Fotografía at the Centro de la Imagen in Mexico.
He has collaborated with brands such as Nestlé, Bimbo, Puma, GNP, and Palacio de Hierro, along with publications such as National Geographic, New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, Glamour, and Gatopardo. He currently shares his knowledge through workshops and conferences in different countries across America, Asia, and the Middle East. He is also an ambassador for Canon and founder of the Maya-Barrón Scholarship.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
The light
- How do we perceive light?
- What is hard light and diffuse light?
- The 7 types of lighting
- U3
The flash
- What is Flash and how does it work?
- How does the flash flash?
- How to control the flash?
- How light loses intensity
- How do I combine the flash with the continuous light?
- U4
Modifiers
- The rebounds
- The diffusers
- The flags
- How to create colored lights
- BONUS: How to illuminate an object with flash
- FP
Final project
- Lighting with handheld flash for beginners
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
You’ll master lighting with both flash and continuous light, learn composition techniques, how to use diffusers, control shadows and contrast, and apply these skills to portraits, concerts, album covers, and studio photography.
This is an intermediate-level course, perfect for those with basic photography knowledge who want to deepen their understanding of lighting and flash techniques in various settings.
You’ll need a camera with a flash hot shoe, a portable or studio flash, diffusers, and optionally remote triggers and light modifiers. Basic camera handling skills are recommended.
You’ll learn how to use flash to control the direction, intensity, and quality of light, create mood, soften wrinkles, and highlight details in portraits, both in studio and outdoor settings.
Yes, the course covers how to blend natural light with flash to achieve balanced exposures, create creative effects, and adapt lighting to different photographic styles and situations.
Yes, you’ll learn specific techniques for lighting live musicians, managing flash on stage, and handling light in low-contrast and changing conditions.
The course teaches you to use diffusers, flags, and reflectors to create soft shadows, reduce contrast, and shape light for the desired effect on portraits and objects.