SINGAPORE, 8 July 2015 - Canon today announced the new Speedlite 430EX III-RT and 430EX III, which are both a multi-functional flash which provides versatility in flash photography. The Speedlite 430EX III-RT and 430EX III include new features such as a built-in catchlight panel for softer illumination, broader bounce angle range, new dot-matrix LCD and control dial for more convenient operation, encapsulated in a smaller and more compact body. These versatile flash units capture brighter and more natural looking images in various situations such as lowlight interior shots, backlit outdoor shots, and more. The Speedlite 430EX III-RT is a variant that is capable of Radio Transmission Wireless Flash Shooting.

By using an external flash, you can also take stunning car photos just like those that appear in magazines. Let me teach you some camera flash techniques that you can use to shoot cars here in this article. (Reported by: Takayuki Kikuchi)

A flash is not only useful for night and indoor photography. In fact its effect can also be clearly demonstrated outdoors, and even in macro photography. In this article, I will explain the different methods of using a flash that are employed by professionals during macro photography. (Report by: Masayuki Kato)

A shot with a beautiful night view as the backdrop captures a memorable moment of your journey. However, it is not easy to balance the brightness of the subject with that of the background. In the following, let us learn about useful techniques for taking portrait shots against a nightscape background. (Report by: Yasuhiko Kani, Model: Sayuri Kurahashi/ IARA)

Even under unusual conditions, effective use of flash allows you to capture photos as intended. This article describes how you can use flash to shoot outdoor scenes from inside a room. (Reported by: Hidehiko Mizuno)

"Ceiling bounce" is a technique for controlling the brightness of the background. Not only so, it can also be used to soften the light at the same time. This technique can be employed in a wide variety of ways for your indoor shots, so you are encouraged to give it a try. (Reported by: Yasuhiko Kani, Model: Sayuri Kurahashi (IARA))

When there is insufficient light, the most straightforward remedy is to use some form of extra light source to brighten up your subjects. The most handy and practical source of light is the flash, in either the form of pop-up flash from your camera, or of an external flash unit such as the Canon Speedlite.

While in the Program AE mode, in some cases, the background in the photo may turn out dark even when the flash is enabled. This often occurs when the subject is standing at a distance away from the background. In this article, I will introduce techniques that help to resolve this problem easily. (Reported by: Yasuhiko Kani, Model: Sayuri Kurahashi (IARA))

Wireless firing is a feature that enables remote firing of a flash that is placed away from the camera. This function helps to widen the scope of photographic expression considerably, as it allows the subject to be brightened from a distance as well as at an angle of your preference. In this article, I will introduce how the wireless firing feature can be utilised in different genres such as landscape, portrait, and still photography. (Reported by: Koji Ueda)

As the image sensor performs imaging by reacting to light, the camera is unable to capture anything in a pitch-dark location even when the shutter is open. However, with the use of a flash, an image can be captured at the instant the flash is fired. In other words, in the dark, the flash unit plays the role of the shutter. In this article, I will introduce photographic techniques that make good use of this characteristic of the flash unit. (Reported by: Koji Ueda)

The light intensity of a Canon Speedlite flash is controlled by the flash duration, so we can also refer to a strong flash as a long flash, and a weak flash as a short one. In cases where a Speedlite unit is set to a small flash output, the flash duration can be as short as several hundred microseconds. In this article, I will introduce photography techniques that make use of the properties of a Speedlite flash. (Reported by: Koji Ueda)

When a normal flash is used, the fastest shutter speed is restricted to the range between 1/200 to 1/300 second. If you want to photograph at a faster shutter speed, use high-speed sync, which enables the camera to obtain a fast shutter speed through continuous firing of a flash with a small flash output. By enabling high-speed sync, you will be able to select a fast shutter speed when you perform shoots with an external Speedlite flash. (Reported by: Koji Ueda)

Despite the extremely short flash duration, which is about several thousandths of a second, Canon's Speedlite is able to produce light strong enough to illuminate subjects. Therefore, when a shot is taken in low-light conditions, only the subject brightened by the flash light of the Speedlite will be captured in the image regardless of the shutter speed of the camera. This is the principle underlying the slow sync flash technique. (Reported by: Koji Ueda)

Raising the ISO speed increases the sensitivity of the camera toward light (photosensitivity), allowing you to capture a bright shot with a small amount of light. If you increase the ISO speed and fire the flash at the same time in a telephoto shot, the light of the flash will be able to reach a longer distance. Sufficient brightness can also be obtained easily when the intensity of the flash light is weakened. In the following, I will explain the effects that can be obtained when you combine a high ISO speed with flash photography. (Reported by: Koji Ueda)

In [Part 2], I will explain the methods of photographing flowers and portrait using daytime sync. Now that you have mastered the procedure for daytime sync in [Part 1], the next step will be to learn how to use flash in situations with insufficient light, such as in a shaded area or at night. (Reported by: Koji Ueda)

Join Photographer Lou Freeman as she shares her favorite lighting setups that she uses for her commercial and glamour shoots. Learn how she effectively uses a single Speedlite 600EX-RT on camera and off camera. Watch as she then takes it further to incorporate two, three or more Speedlites to effectively control and light her scene.

Daytime sync is a technique of firing the flash under the sun with the sunlight as the main source, and the flash as an assist light. Use it when you want to avoid the subject from appearing dark in a backlit scene, or when you want to reproduce the color of the subject in a vivid tone by illuminating light on a cloudy day. In [Part 1], I will explain the basic steps for and effects of shooting using daytime sync. (Reported by: Koji Ueda)

Here in [Part 2], let's see how you can change the atmosphere of the image by selecting different white balance settings. Bounce flash photography is especially effective when you are shooting indoors as it makes use of light reflected from objects such as the wall or ceiling, instead of firing the flash directly at the main subject. This technique of reflection helps to diffuse the flash light, creating a soft and natural atmosphere. (Reported by: Koji Ueda)

Bounce flash photography is a photography technique that makes use of light reflected from objects such as a wall or ceiling, instead of firing the flash directly at the main subject. This technique of reflection helps to diffuse the flash light, creating a soft and natural atmosphere. In this article, I will explain the method of bounce flash photography. Here in [Part 1] of the series article, let's lean about the fundamentals of bounce flash photography. (Reported by: Koji Ueda)

After purchasing an external flash, mount it to the camera and try taking some photos. In the following article, we will explain the operation procedure of the E-TTL Auto flash system using the EOS 600D and Speedlite 430EX II. External flash photography is much easier than you would expect once you have obtained a grasp of the basic theory and the role of each function. As the operation varies according to the model used, please refer to your instruction manual for detailed description.