Gear
SUMMARY
Photographer Jiggie Alejandrino presents a method for shooting portraits in bright outdoor light with a single speedlight and a 120cm umbrella. Instead of using the umbrella as a fill, it's positioned to block the harsh ambient sun, with the speedlight then acting as the primary soft light source. This technique avoids high-speed sync and its associated power loss, yielding natural-looking results. Alejandrino also mentions using two speedlights to prevent overheating and covers post-processing workflows in Photoshop and Capture One.
TAKEAWAYS
Use a speedlight and 120cm umbrella to block harsh midday sun for portraits.
Position the umbrella to shade the subject, making the speedlight the main light source.
This method avoids high-speed sync, preserving flash power and creating soft light.
Alternating between two speedlights can prevent overheating during long shoots.