Flash or no flash?
It depends on the event, and it’s a conversation worth having before the day. A lot of photographers are expected to be great with off-camera flash, and I can use it. But it isn’t always the right choice.
When does flash help?
When there’s chaos and you need the picture anyway: a ballroom emptying out, sprinklers, shouting, balloons. For group photos at the end of the night, flash is what I’ll use. In some rooms it gives you the paparazzi look, which can be exactly what you want.
When does flash get in the way?
At a corporate event, or anywhere you’re trying to keep a specific ambience. Flash can break the mood. If you want the close, personal, intimate feeling of low light, I’ll work with that instead, and I have the methods and lenses to handle a dim room.
What should I tell the photographer?
- What you want the photos to feel like: bright and punchy, or warm and intimate.
- Any limits: a speaker who doesn’t want flash, a venue with rules, a moment that has to stay quiet.
- Which parts of the night matter most.
Talk to me before the day and we’ll decide. Here’s what can go wrong at an event and how I plan for it.
Where I work
I’m based in Northern Virginia and most of my work is around DC, so inside the DC metro there’s no travel line on your budget.
What to send me
The date, the venue, the lighting if you know it, and the mood you’re after. Here’s what a full day looks like.
