Balancing Flash with Bright Skies in Beach Photography

Photographer John Gress demonstrates how to backlight subjects at the beach to avoid harsh shadows and blown-out skies. His method involves setting aperture for depth of field, adjusting shutter speed to control background exposure, and then dialing in flash power. Gress utilizes high-speed sync, often at shutter speeds between 1/6,400 and 1/8,000 of a second, to freeze fast action while preserving sky detail. This technique, combined with matching artificial light to ambient conditions and using compositional elements, helps create well-exposed and visually appealing outdoor portraits.