rosarioc62 Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

I shoot most of the time in AV mode. Need help in on or off camera lighting settings.
Thanks

smussler Loc: Land O Lakes, FL - Formerly Miller Place, NY

Lots of free stuff here:
https://digital-photography-school.com/tips/
I shoot Nikon, don't know what AV mode is, Further help from Canon users is certain to follow. . .
Google "uglyhedgehog" Canon - include the double quotes, will show you lots of postings from this site. Better than using the search tool on this site. Adding model of your camera will narrow things further.
Usual advice: investigate / research one mode at a time.

But first: do you understand the exposure triangle? If not, start with that.
https://photographylife.com/what-is-exposure-triangle

The manufacturers camera manuals are good at explaining how to set all the features on your camera, but many are not very informative with the why and when to use them.
I recently watched an hour and fifteen minute video made by Tony Northrup made for my exact camera/model. I thought it was quite informative.
Learned a few things about my camera, which I have been using for about 2 years now. Video a bit long, but so is the menu system in my camera.
What I liked was when he showed how to change camera settings outside of the menu system. This was the first time I watched one of his videos.

https://northrup.photo/tutorials/photography/beginning-photography/

Click Camera Tutorials. Then click your Camera/Model - hopefully it's there.

User ID

If you’d like to stay in AV mode I would recommend continuous light rather than flash. I prefer inexpensive LED panels, which can be on or off the camera. You just switch them on and if you like what you see you just keep using your familiar AV mode settings.

ISOlate Loc: Maine

I use AV only with natural light. For adding OC strobes to natural light, I will us AV with the lights off to get the right exposure for the background then use those settings in M mode and turn on the strobes in TTL mode to get initial settings for the strobes. Then I’ll fine tune the strength of each strobe. For pure studio work (no natural light) set your strobes to the approximate relative values you want and use a light meter to get your initial exposure then set the camera accordingly in M mode. Fine tune as needed. In all cases, make sure auto ISO is off.

DavidM Loc: New Orleans, LA

Basically you have two exposures you are setting the camera and flash for, the ambient light and the flash exposure. The link below and the links included in that video will help you understand. This applies to both on and off camera flash. Good luck and keep shooting. Manual mode will give you the most consistency while you learn this lesson.

Adorama TV youtube videos have many videos on flash photography for free. Just google these words "adorama flash youtube"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBpliXtWB8g

rosarioc62 Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Thanks guys for all your info.

Tomfl101 Loc: Mount Airy, MD

First I would abandon aperture priority mode. Manual will be less confusing. First determine your flash output indoors with little or no available light. Set you flash for manual mode at a fixed distance like 4, 5.6 or 8 feet. Shoot a set of test exposures to calculate. For instance at ISO 200 f8 may be 1/4 power, f11 1/2 power, f5.6 1/8 power. Once you’ve determined your flash output, go outside and test using the flash while adjusting shutter speed to match background exposure. Avoid situations where the background is darker than the foreground. If you need to adjust the distance of your flash use the f stop distance rule to calculate. If your test was done at 8 feet and you want a full stop more light, just move the flash to 5.6 feet. A stop less move to 11 feet. (the f-stop scale is more useful than many people think) I use my own feet as a measure. This may seem confusing to some but once you’ve determined your flash unit’s power, it’s easy to get accurate flash as either fill or main light without auto settings which are notoriously inaccurate.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I prefer manual on both the camera and the flash. I try to decide the exposure on the camera and then develop the light output as needed. This is slower than the automated way of letting the camera decide, but practice helps and you have very precise control. The Canon EX speedlights, and third-party with manual options, let you adjust the flash output from 1:1 (100%) output down to 1:128 (minimum) output. When you work at 1:2 or less, the flash recharges almost immediately too.

You'll have to test, but I think in Av on an EOS, the camera will want to be at ISO-400 and then the system will adjust the flash and shutter to the aperture selected, staying at or under the max EOS-EX sync-speed of 1/250 sec. In manual on the camera and ETTL on the flash, you have more options and the flash will adjust, as best it can, including high-speed sync (HSS), if your camera and flash support faster than 1/250 sec.

rosarioc62 Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

I agree manual is better but why I asked about AV mode coz it's a live event like a reception where I won't get a second chance to click that action.

Hip Coyote

I also am interested and learning in off camera flash (OCF). There are some very good sources out there. A FaceBook group run by the guy who runs flashgear.net...the group is Speedlight and Strobe Fundamentals group...very helpful. They also run in person seminars. Also, I like the Strobist website...very detailed instruction and also soon will be running seminars.

In summary, these folks use manual, low iso setting, ss at the highest native setting (usually 250 or so) and a moderate aperture. (A priority makes things convoluted...stick with manual.) They then move the aperture up or down to expose for the BACKGROUND / AMBIENT part of scene...want it dark, then go dark, want it light then open things up a bit. Then the turn on the flash at about 1/8 or so and adjust it as needed by chimping. Obviously, if you decided to expose a bit for ambient then your flash will not be very powerful because there is more light. The placement of the OCF is nearly limitless and are the number of flash devices you can use and flash modifiers. In more controlled situations they use a gray card to set exposure of flash exactly...quite brilliant in that they get all ambient set up, then expose a card only and adjust flash intensity to exactly middle of the histogram. Then they are all set up. I have not done this yet.

I can say that both sites like using Godox gear because of its functionability, multiple flash types, etc. I have a few of their flashes and do like them. The guy at flashgear.net sells the stuff, services it, advises on it etc.

Always shoot in raw to save shots that would otherwise not be salvagable.

I can also say that I only started doing ocf. In fast moving run-and-gun situations, such as parties it is very difficult (for me) to do. It seems more appropriate for more controlled situations. There are folks who use it at wedding receptions but light up the whole place with flashes...not my thing, nor would I allow it at an event. In my case at a grad party (I am not a pro...this was family..I am so far from pro they make me pay to take photos.) I did follow flashgear advice on the manual, set exposure for ambient then adjust flash and it worked well for me by using on-camera flash and a mag mod sphere.

To practice I am getting a model head and maybe an old doll to practice.

High speed sych is a whole 'nuther story for a different day. I use that on macro doing flowers...kind of fun...there are some good videos out there on that.

DavidM Loc: New Orleans, LA

For run and gun shooting of events then you should use TTL on your flash and set your camera on manual as according to this video. I followed this years ago and it hasn't failed me yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3IQFayyyoU

Hip Coyote

I use that and manual with adjusting the flash manually...either way it raises or lowers the flash intensity...I find that manually doing it allows me to reduce it more...but both work. Good video!

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

Since photographing with artificial light requires proper shutter speed with mechanical shutters, I would use either Tv or M modes with the setting of 1/200 (or 1/250 if it is your camera flash sync speed). Flash lasts only a very brief moment so the shutter must be completely open when it fires which only happens at that setting or slower. But having it too slow allows ambient light to affect the image and it is usually a different white balance messing with colors.

rosarioc62 Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Very well explained..thanks for the link.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Use Manual mode. To get started, watch this https://youtu.be/wLeaX_WXUJ8, and then this one https://youtu.be/vEnAhkL0i38.