The holidays may be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still get some use out of all your holiday trimmings. If you received any presents wrapped in colored cellophane this year (or if you happen to have a little extra cellophane kicking around the house) then you can create some neat and inexpensive gels for lighting.

Photography comes from a composite Greek word, which when translated means to ‘write with light’. That being the case, it could be said that there is no greater pen than the humble flashgun.

Often, the most effective use of your flashgun is off-camera. In other words, the flash is not sitting on the camera’s hotshoe, but is physically disconnected.

Shelton Muller discusses the principles once used by all photographers to determine flash exposure…

These days, flash photography has been made so easy with TTL flash technologies that mean photographers don’t need to think at all.

Most cameras these days have built in flash. Even the more upmarket digital SLRs sport a small pop up flash. They also have a hot shoe for flash. However, as well know, this kind of flash photography can often yield boring and unnatural lighting results.

Shelton Muller explains the techniques and technicalities that make flash photography easier and more creative.