Book excerpt: Amazing images are possible with just one flash! Today's speedlights may be small but they are mighty...that is, if you know how to use them. In this book, flash photography pro Tilo Gockel teaches the secrets to capturing beautifully lit images using just one flash! The first section of the book provides a crash course in flash photography covering lighting techniques, equipment, and understanding the nuances of flash lighting. Then, through a series of 26 workshops covering everything from people to objects to food to special techniques, Tilo demonstrates how it's done. Included are example images, lighting diagrams, setup instructions, and even post-processing tips. You'll learn how a single flash can not only illuminate, but also add color and project patterns on a scene, and how easy it is to turn a single flash into multiple light sources using reflectors and mirrors to multiply and redirect the flash. You will also learn how to use the flash detached from the camera's hot shoe and how to repeatedly fire the flash for special effects. Tilo's practical style and simple explanations of technology will enable you to get started quickly with flash photography and to achieve fantastic results. Topics include: Combining flash with ambient light Using shades, reflectors, and mirrors Flash composite techniques Light painting with Xenon flash devices Simulating continuous light with stroboscopic flash and modeling flash Use of low-cost non-TTL flashes as well as TTL flashes Battery-powered DIY bare-bulb flash