Art and Photography

The Whole Shebang Yongnuo Flash Tutorial

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Newbie
Jan 8, 2007
63 posts
4 upvotes

The Whole Shebang Yongnuo Flash Tutorial

Do you know of a particular channel or tutorial DVD set that deals specifically with Yongnuo products?

There are lots of tutorial on Youtube University about flash photography but I have yet to find someone that focus on this line of product. Basically, I have two Yongnuo flashes (560 IV) and three light stands (Cowboy Studio) and I am trying to learn to use it with my D7100 and SB-700.

I will play with it but I am trying to keep my learning curve time as short as possible. I have almost everything but time.

Merry Christmas.
9 replies
Deal Addict
Jun 29, 2008
1897 posts
557 upvotes
North York
Yongnuos are really easy to use. As long as you know how flashes work, you should be able to figure out how to use YNs. Unfortunately for you, photography takes time. Steps to learn any type of photography are

Step 1: Read books and articles/Watch tutorials
Step 2: Go shoot
Step 3: Learn from mistakes
Step 4: Repeat
Deal Addict
Oct 8, 2007
1770 posts
673 upvotes
Bedford
thericyip wrote: Yongnuos are really easy to use. As long as you know how flashes work, you should be able to figure out how to use YNs. Unfortunately for you, photography takes time. Steps to learn any type of photography are

Step 1: Read books and articles/Watch tutorials
Step 2: Go shoot
Step 3: Learn from mistakes
Step 4: Repeat
yep, so true.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 10, 2002
2100 posts
190 upvotes
Toronto
Yeah... as others have said.

Just watch decent flash tutorial video on Youtube. This will give you a basics on what flash can do for you.
(It's like driving a car, learn to drive one and you'll likely be able to drive most. More practice you do, skill improve and you get to know the characteristics of how it operates for what you want to do).

Real manual on how to changes settings on your YN flash,

Play with it over and over.


---
Buying "OneLight 2.0" is a option.
Deal Expert
Jun 15, 2012
15662 posts
10440 upvotes
Southern Ontario
You're using a 560TX controller?
The settings, type of boxes/umbrellas, distance to subject etc are trial and error because you also have how the light behaves in your particular room/environment you're using (low/high ceiling, white walls, V-flats?). It also depends on the look you're trying to achieve. For instance, I could tell you exactly how Dylan Patrick creates his cinematic headshot using your 2 speedlites, a 37" octo and 24" box but that's outside and specific to that look.

You can start by understanding inverse square law and the way light changes depending on the modifier used (snoot to giant octobox). Lots of YouTube vids out there, try AdoramaTV.
Jr. Member
Oct 21, 2007
183 posts
29 upvotes
Swabby wrote: Do you know of a particular channel or tutorial DVD set that deals specifically with Yongnuo products?

There are lots of tutorial on Youtube University about flash photography but I have yet to find someone that focus on this line of product. Basically, I have two Yongnuo flashes (560 IV) and three light stands (Cowboy Studio) and I am trying to learn to use it with my D7100 and SB-700.

I will play with it but I am trying to keep my learning curve time as short as possible. I have almost everything but time.

Merry Christmas.
Mixing the i-TTL SB-700 and Manual only flashes can get confusing.

Are you using all 3 flashes off camera? What are you using to trigger the SB-700? What are you using to trigger the YN-560 IV's?
Deal Addict
Aug 30, 2007
2002 posts
1465 upvotes
This is my method (trials and errors), works well for me. (I do have a flash light meter, but usually too lazy to use it):

- Put all flashes into manual mode (no TTL).
- Put camera into manual mode (indoors I usually use 1/160s), low ISO. Set lens aperture for the proper depth of field (depends on FL and on the number of portrait subjects). I typically use f/7 for a single person portrait, and more like f/9 for group portraits (FL=70mm on a crop camera).
- Do some test shots using only the main light, changing the flash level until you get a proper exposure.
- Add the second light (say, fill-in), and again play with the flash levels to get the effect you want from both flashes. Typically the fill-in light requires lower flash power.
- And so on.

It is convenient to use a mannequin for these tests, or just use yourself as a subject, with a remote camera trigger.

Once you figure out what the typical flash levels for your studio are, next shooting will be much faster to set up.
Deal Addict
Jul 13, 2008
1787 posts
275 upvotes
pulsar123 wrote: This is my method (trials and errors), works well for me. (I do have a flash light meter, but usually too lazy to use it):

- Put all flashes into manual mode (no TTL).
- Put camera into manual mode (indoors I usually use 1/160s), low ISO. Set lens aperture for the proper depth of field (depends on FL and on the number of portrait subjects). I typically use f/7 for a single person portrait, and more like f/9 for group portraits (FL=70mm on a crop camera).
- Do some test shots using only the main light, changing the flash level until you get a proper exposure.
- Add the second light (say, fill-in), and again play with the flash levels to get the effect you want from both flashes. Typically the fill-in light requires lower flash power.
- And so on.

It is convenient to use a mannequin for these tests, or just use yourself as a subject, with a remote camera trigger.

Once you figure out what the typical flash levels for your studio are, next shooting will be much faster to set up.

Good advices.

Just to add a few more tips.

- Use the built in flash to remote trigger your external flash if you don't have transceiver.

- The SB700 you can change the settings remotely when triggering using the built in flash but the YN560 IV you have to set the settings in flash manually

- I recommend buying YN 560tx (~$50), this is the transceiver for the YN5xx flashes, they have built in receiver in the flash and you can change the settings remotely using the 560tx.

- However you CANT change the SB700 settings remotely with the 560tx, you'll have to set it on optical slave to trigger it
Newbie
Jan 8, 2007
63 posts
4 upvotes
Thank you all for your replies.

I did step 1 to 4. I watched many videos from Adorama and Matt Grainger. But I guess I need more practice, rather home exercises/homework. If you have some suggestions, please do.

Yes, the SB-700 and YN mix is strange and not the most efficient. I think I will keep the SB-700 for on camera and TTL usage, and just buy another YN 560 IV flash and 560TX to complete the combo.
Deal Addict
Aug 1, 2010
1588 posts
1599 upvotes
Montreal
Swabby wrote: Thank you all for your replies.

I did step 1 to 4. I watched many videos from Adorama and Matt Grainger. But I guess I need more practice, rather home exercises/homework. If you have some suggestions, please do.

Yes, the SB-700 and YN mix is strange and not the most efficient. I think I will keep the SB-700 for on camera and TTL usage, and just buy another YN 560 IV flash and 560TX to complete the combo.
Oh please avoid Matt Grainger, his lighting skills are mediocre.

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