A Mix of Strobe and Ambient Light (No HSS)

I was invited by Rey Dacalos to join the Bikini Photo Safari, an experience organized by Rob Lucas that brings together local and international photographers to explore some of the Philippines’ beautiful destinations while photographing professional models in swimwear. It was the perfect opportunity to revisit one of the most common challenges in outdoor portrait photography: controlling light under harsh sun.

Since the shoot was entirely outdoors, my preparation started with anticipating strong ambient light. When working under direct sunlight, shadows can become unforgiving, and relying on available light alone often limits creative control. My approach was to incorporate strobe lighting—not to overpower the sun, but to balance it. The goal was even exposure across the scene while keeping the subject well-defined.

One of my preferred looks for outdoor portraits is a soft, blurred background that separates the subject from the environment. To achieve this, I shoot with a wide aperture. The problem is obvious: opening up the aperture allows more light into the camera, which means I need to compensate by increasing my shutter speed.

That’s where things get tricky.

Most strobes have a maximum sync speed of around 1/200 sec. In bright daylight, however, exposure readings can easily reach something like f/1.4 at 1/4000 sec. If your strobes don’t support High Speed Sync (HSS), you’re suddenly boxed in. You either sacrifice shallow depth of field or give up using strobes altogether.

This is where Neutral Density (ND) filters become essential.

I like to think of ND filters as sunglasses for the lens. They reduce the amount of light entering the camera, allowing me to shoot wide open while keeping my shutter speed within my strobe’s sync limit. With an ND filter in place, I can still use flash to lift shadows, shape light, or add contrast and drama—even under midday sun.

ND filters come in varying strengths, measured in stops. The stronger the filter, the more light it cuts. For my portrait work, I find an ND8 (three stops) to be the sweet spot. Landscape photographers often use much heavier filters, but for portraits, ND8 usually provides enough control without complicating exposure too much.

After years of photographing models, I’ve realized that technical knowledge is only part of the equation. Understanding light—ambient or strobe—is important, but working with people is just as critical. While the theory behind balancing flash and daylight is relatively simple, applying it consistently in changing conditions takes practice. The real goal is to make these decisions instinctive, so your attention stays on directing and connecting with your subject.

There’s no shortcut to that level of confidence. You have to keep shooting. Review your images, be honest with yourself, and push for improvement every time. Set specific goals for each shoot and treat every session as a chance to learn.

Keep shooting everyone!

— Albert Pedrosa