Any pro photographers who never use flash at all?

5 years 6 months ago #610535 by Nathan D
Are there any professional photographers that just never use a flash at all for portraits and weddings?  I know there are a number of natural light photographers, however are any of these professionals?  


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5 years 6 months ago - 5 years 6 months ago #610585 by effron
Probably a few, but why would serious pros limit themselves?

Why so serious?
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5 years 6 months ago #610588 by Nikon Shooter
I know a few, they have more an attitude than artistic intent.

Flash is not to be taken away from my tool kit for sure.

Light is free… capturing it is not!
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5 years 6 months ago #610626 by Street Shark
While I try not to use my flash all the time, when needed to get proper lighting, yes, I'll use mine.  


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5 years 6 months ago #610670 by KCook

effron wrote: Probably a few, but why would serious pros limit themselves?

Agreed.  Unless they are cranky and just don't want to deal with flash.  Photography is an art.  And oddballs can be found in any art.

Kelly

Canon 50D, Olympus PL2
kellycook.zenfolio.com/

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5 years 6 months ago #610679 by fmw
I never was a wedding photographer nor a portrait photographer.  I was a commercial photographer who often enough made portraits for clients.  I'm not a fan of traditional portraits much preferring environmental portraits.  When I did executive portraits for commercial clients I normally shot the people doing what they normally do where they normally do it.  Never used flash for that.  In some venues I set up a reflector or two.

I once shot scoreboard portraits for a baseball team and I used bounce flash for that.  I sometimes had to shoot events and sometimes used flash for that.  If I had to shoot a traditional portrait I would have the subject come to the studio where I used standard studio flash units and light modifiers.  I tried to avoid traditional portraits like the plague.  I would bet less than 10% of the thousands of portraits I did used any artificial lighting at all.


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5 years 6 months ago #610795 by Neil Dulay
I think most photographers are going to use it if they need it.  I don't know a single photographer that won't use a flash (if they have one) when the shot calls for it. 


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5 years 6 months ago #611041 by Foxy Girl
In my little bubble, I don't know a single photographer who won't use a flash when needed.


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5 years 6 months ago - 5 years 6 months ago #611069 by Troponin
There is a photographer on YouTube that is a professional that doesn’t. In fact, that’s what she is known for. If you watch her, she loves using big windows when she’s indoors. (I’ll edit this when I find her name)

Think about those limitations, but also think about the creativity one has to have if you are forced to use only one type of lighting.   

Then you have folks like Manny Ortiz that have mastered flash so much he never uses ambient lighting alone. 

These two got together on a shoot and forced the other to use the opposite of their style and they both came to the same conclusion; you can become more well rounded if you are flexible and able to switch when needed. Think of it as supplemental to your main style


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