Simon Stafford’s Nikon Speedlight Flash

Photography Workshop (2012)

Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London, W1T 6DX

Saturday, May 19th 2012

2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Nikon’s Creative Lighting System (CLS) offers level of flexibility and control that provides a huge range of creative possibilities for both on-camera and off-camera flash for studio and portable on-location lighting. Simon will share his in-depth knowledge of the CLS and 30 years of photographic experience, so that you can achieve professional looking results easily and swiftly using a minimum of equipment.

Following his highly successful series of Nikon Speedlight seminars, Simon has developed this entirely new workshop. The emphasis is focused very much on the practical application of tools and techniques, plus it will include an opportunity for delegates to practice applying settings their own Nikon camera and flash unit(s). Please note attendance of Simon’s earlier flash seminar is not a prerequisite of this workshop.

Simon will lead you through a variety of lighting set ups for portrait and still-life subjects using live demonstrations, so you will be able to observe first-hand how to improve your lighting techniques. Starting with a single Nikon Speedlight, he will show you how to set up, position, and control it to achieve well-crafted lighting effects that complement your subjects, before moving on to show you how you can introduce additional Speedlights, and other lighting control accessories to expand your lighting repertoire.

Booking:

The cost of the event will be £155, with a special price of £95 if you are a subscriber to Nikon Owner magazine; if you are not currently a subscriber, you are welcome to join or re-join at the same time as booking this workshop in order to receive a £60 discount. The price includes mid-afternoon refreshments. There is a maximum of just 12 places; this limit is imposed strictly to ensure everyone attending fully benefits from the workshop. To reserve a place please email your full name, Nikon Owner user-name if available and daytime telephone number to Gillian Greenwood:
gillian.greenwood@graysofwestminster.co.uk
It is vital that you send an email rather than telephone and due to the very limited number of places available please reply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. (Please note attendance of one of Simon’s previous seminars is not a prerequisite of this training session.)

Agenda

Session 1: Understanding flash lighting and your Nikon Speedlight

Understanding a tool is essential if it is to be used effectively! In this session Simon will cover the basics of flash before moving on to take a closer look at the features and functions of Nikon Speedlights, and how these integrate with Nikon D-SLR cameras. Please bring a camera/lens and Speedlight, so you can follow principles and settings, as Simon works through various topics.

• Flash lighting – an overview of how it works
• Nikon flash mode options and what they do
• Understand how your camera’s TTL metering for ambient light interacts with flash exposure settings
• Learn how to control and adjust flash output level
• Nikon flash sync options and what they do
• Understand the Auto FP High–Speed sync mode
• Discover how to mix light from your flash with ambient light for more balanced, natural lighting effects
• Find out how to use the FV Lock feature for accurate and consistent flash exposures
• Learn how to adjust the zoom head of your Speedlight to refine its light output

Session 2: Working with one Speedlight

Working with a single on-camera flash does not have to be a recipe for harsh, unflattering and uncompromising lighting! Regardless of whether you use flash indoors, or outdoors in daylight, the simplest and most effective way to improve lighting with an on-camera Speedlight is to control the quality and direction of the light. Moving to the next stage, by taking the flash off the camera, enables you to direct the light at will, thereby increasing your lighting options considerably. In this session Simon will demonstrate how to:

• Set up your camera and flash for the fill-flash technique
• Use the bounced flash technique
• Modify the quality of the light from a Speedlight with simple accessories
• Take the flash off the camera while maintaining full TTL flash exposure control, using a cable connection

During this session you will have the opportunity to take some sample pictures for your own reference.

Session 3: Working with two or more Speedlights

Using a single flash offers plenty of opportunities but adding a second Speedlight will increase options and elevate the lighting possibilities to a greater level. The capabilities of the Nikon Advanced Wireless Lighting (AWL) system make working with two, or more flash units highly practical, and a very real alternative to using dedicated studio lighting. Simon will provide an easy to follow overview of the AWL, and how to use its component parts, followed by live photography demonstration to show its capabilities. In this session you will learn how to:

• Configure and control Speedlights as part of a wireless lighting set-up
• Work with the AWL for effective and efficient flash photography from the camera position
• Establish a simple lighting set up quickly and easily using the minimum of equipment
• Understand where and how to position a flash unit as a key (main) light, fill-light, or effect light
• Use lighting ratios for creative off–camera lighting on both your subject and background
• Use light-modifying accessories to improve the colour, direction and quality of the lighting

Delegates’ Comments:

“Thank you for your very instructive and intuitive session… it was very ‘illuminating’ both in its content and your very ‘hands-on’ delivery.” TG

“I found the session extremely useful – possibly the best ever – and excellent value! I would certainly recommend it to friends and colleagues.” MA

“Where Simon scores for me is not so much in the area of ‘how-to’ but in the ‘why’ things operate in the way they do… in short a seriously excellent day.” JB

“It was a very enjoyable afternoon, thank you. It was pitched at just the right level for me. You covered a very complex subject in a logical and simple way, you obviously put a lot of effort into preparation.” G P-E

“I very much enjoyed the seminar and your professionalism and depth of knowledge.” WW

About Nikon Owner

Standard Annual Subscription – current price £59 (shortly to increase in price)

• 1-year Subscription to Nikon Owner + 3-yr warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
• Nikon Owner magazine, a superb, glossy full-colour 60-page quarterly magazine that is 100% Nikon. Each issue delivers benchmark technical reviews of the very latest Nikon equipment, thought-provoking interviews and articles with world-class images
• Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
• Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
• 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
• 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
• Special trips and events
• Discounts on events and training sessions
• 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK

Gold Subscription – special price £349 (normal price £450)

• 4-year subscription to Nikon Owner
• 5-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
• 2-year warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
• Gold Priority waiting list for all new Nikon releases (top of the waiting list)
• A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
• Special offers to Gold subscribers throughout the period of subscription
• A signed copy of Heather Angel’s Wild Kew while stocks last.
• A Grays of Westminster umbrella (in store only) or a Simon Stafford Nikon Magic Lantern Guide of your choice
• Nikon Owner quarterly magazine as above
• Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website which includes forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events’ page and use of a photo gallery
• Gold subscription card
• Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
• 15% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster (this month only)
• Special trips and events
• Substantial discounts on training sessions organised by Grays of Westminster, including Mike Maloney’s Workshops , Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro
• Training Sessions, Michael Eleftheriades’ panoramic and colour-calibration seminars and Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses
  10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK