Mixing Natural Light with Flash Photography | Canon + Profoto
Vanessa Joy is a wedding photographer and educator helping photographers grow profitable businesses.
If you’re a photographer who struggles in tricky lighting—whether it’s a dark reception hall, harsh sunlight, or backlit scenes—this post is for you. Learning to mix ambient light with flash is one of the best ways to take control of your images while still keeping them natural and beautiful.
Why Mix Ambient Light with Flash?
Think of ambient light as the atmosphere—it’s the natural light already in your scene (sunset glow, string lights, or window light). Flash is your spotlight, giving you precise control over how your subject is lit.
By combining the two, you can:
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Keep your backgrounds beautifully exposed.
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Avoid overexposing your subject in harsh or backlit settings.
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Add depth, shape, and dimension in low light.
The trick is balance—using both light sources so your photos look natural, not “flashed.”
The Basics: How to Control Each Light Source
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Ambient light: Adjust with shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.
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Flash power: Adjust on your flash or strobe—it mainly affects your subject.
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Shutter speed: Critical for controlling how bright or dark the background appears.
👉 Remember: flash is for your subject, ambient is for your scene.
Step-by-Step: My Process for Mixing Flash and Ambient
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Start with the ambient light.
Set your exposure so the background looks the way you want—bright and airy, or darker and moody. -
Add flash for your subject.
Start low and increase power as needed. Use modifiers (softbox, reflector) to keep light flattering. -
Shape the light.
Position and modify flash to create depth, avoiding flat or harsh lighting. -
Fine-tune with shutter speed.
Slow shutter = more ambient. Fast shutter = less ambient, more subject isolation.
My Favorite Flash + Ambient Techniques
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Dragging the Shutter
Slow down shutter speed at receptions or golden hour. This brings in warm background light while keeping subjects crisp with flash. -
High-Speed Sync (HSS)
Shoot with fast shutter speeds outdoors in bright conditions. Perfect for keeping skies rich and dramatic while lighting your subject. -
Overpowering the Sun
Use stronger off-camera flash in full sun. Great for bold, dramatic portraits. -
Balancing Color Temperatures
Use gels or adjust white balance so flash and ambient match. This keeps your photos cohesive and natural.
Practice Is Everything
Mixing ambient with flash takes experimenting. Try it indoors, outdoors, at sunset, or in harsh midday sun. With practice, you’ll quickly understand how small changes in shutter speed or flash power completely transform your results.
Final Thoughts
Mastering this technique gives you the freedom to shoot anywhere, in any light, without stress. Your images will look polished, professional, and full of depth—making your photography stand out from the crowd.
So next time you’re out shooting, don’t pick one or the other—mix flash and ambient for the best of both worlds.
