Quote Originally Posted by nomad358 View Post
I'm a proud strobist. I use these portable flashes all the time on location because I don't have to drag my big studio lights and large softboxes with me whenever I have a location shoot. By taking the same principal as studio lighting and applying it on location, these flashes offer me the flexability of working in confined spaces (like an elevator) and best of all, I can use them in the middle of a field or under a bridge, for example, without the need for AC power. It doesn't matter if you have a old manual Vivitar 285HV or the latest and greatest Alien Bees, It is STILL a light source and a light source you have control over. On camera flash is terrible for photographing people. The problem is that the flash is on the same axis as the lens therefore producing a very flat looking result, not to mention harsh shadows behind your subject and in some cases red-eye. By moving your flash to the left or right of your camera and aiming it at 45 degree angle toward your subject, you now give your subject shape and definition in your photo.
The key thing in using small flashes is finding the right balance with ambient light. The way to do this is by remembering this rule: "Aperture controls Flash exposure" "Shutter speed controls ambient light"

Another option is to decide what kind of light you need for a given situation. Diffused or soft light is much more flattering for portraits, where as Hard light is better for action or sports. Also, you must remember that when you place a diffusor, or shoot thru umbrella etc. in front of your flash, you lose about 1 stop of light and this must be compensated for by increasing the flash power level or adjusting your Aperture value.

For those who are just starting out in off camera lighting, I would highly recommend the following websites to help you:

www.strobist.com
www.squeezethelime.com
www.prophotolife.com
www.onelightworkshop.com
I totally agree with what Nomad said here.
Also, the links to some very useful/helpful sites is so welcomed as well!
Lighting can be pretty tricky, but is worth the effort in study as it is what makes or breaks a photo. It takes a great deal of time to even begin to master, so if you are about challenging yourself, start with a little bit of light play. Look through magazines and try to figure out how scenes were lit, then try to duplicate the effect. There is sooooooooooooooo much to learn, but takes portrait/people photography to a whole new level.