If you are only interested to see the pictures you will find them below.

Try not to fall over friends this is twice in a week that I am posting, and whilst you steady yourself you also need to know that I am posting these pictures within two days of taking them. Look at me all motivated 🙂

So Hanni suggested, having seen the photos that I took of Yuni, that she would also like her pictures taken. So within a three days, you see how things are rolling now, we were out taking the pictures. This time we made it all the way to the beach, which is literally about three minutes from where I am staying, I know I am also impressed.

The major issues from the last time I attempted sunset flash photography were avoided this time as I remembered not to try and shoot too fast and to put bug spray on my feet and ankles so that whatever it is in the black sand and dirt went hungry. Yeah! The other major difference between this shoot and the last is that this time the sunset was quite spectacular.

Of course, this is still photography so there were new issues to address. The less important challenge is that Hanni isn’t a model and has no aspirations to be a model and in fact is a little camera shy, insisting that she isn’t very photogenic. We overcame that by having a laugh and shouting a bit. The second issue was that the batteries were flat in the second flash, you will notice that I am resisting the urge to call this post “how to shoot great sunset portraits with only one speed light,” I might save that for when I actually know what I am doing 🙂 The third issue is that I inexplicably shot these images as JPEG’s which probably affected the quality of the images once processed. Probably, I don’t know I only have JPEGS, but I am now seriously considering taking both JPEG’s and RAW next time around and comparing what they look like once they have been through Lightroom. You see now, I am actually looking to do extra work. I honestly don’t know how this happened as my camera is always set for RAW, I can only imagine that I must have got excited and changed the setting without realising 😕

So how do we feel about these sunset flash photographs?

Hanni seemed very pleased, she wowed a couple of times as we were taking them and was pleased with the edited versions as well. She helped me select the best ones which are lower down the page if you haven’t found them yet. I am also pretty pleased. If anything it seems to be more difficult shooting with one flash rather than two as there is clearly much less light. So there was a bit of dicking around moving the light around and adjusting the power etc. Also, the effect is quite different as you are obviously only able to light one side of the subject, I think its a bit moodier. Tristan gave me some feedback that he doesn’t like the cold light of the flash against the warm colours of the sunset, which I think is quite valid. The solution to that is to get better with the settings of the flash and invest in some coloured gels to put on the flash to get warmer tones, but I am pretty committed to not buying anymore kit until I get better with what I have. Although I did Google flashes today as it would be good if my second flash had a battery indicator 😕

Overall I am happy that Hanni is happy with the images and that she may agree to go shoot again sometime. I am also happy as always that I got of my arse and took some photos. I am really happy that shooting more regularly, it was only three weeks since I last shot, is making more familiar with the kit and writing it up is helping me to retain more of what I learn. If you haven’t guessed already I am happy 🙂

And I am keen to do more of this. So in the unlikely event that you exist, and you are reading this, and you are based somewhere near Canggu in Bali, AND you fancy standing in front of my camera while I dick around …. hit me up, I would love to take photos of you. 

Please let me know if you have any feedback or tips for me and my outdoor flash photography in the comments.