This is an easy, easy, easy technique that anyone using a hot shoe flash with a swiveling head can do. For this portrait of four tv/radio broadcasters who are now moving to internet-based broadcasting, I had a big conference table in a small, white-walled room. Boooorrriiingg. But they had a pair of rabbit ears on a tv nearby. Since these will be obsolete very soon, I thought it would make a cool prop for these broadcasters who are now using new technology.
I stood them all very close to me and put my back up right against one of the white walls. With a bare flash head, I swiveled it around to point behind and slightly above me, at the wall. I shot wide with them in front of me, exposed for the flash using aperture priority, then upped my shutter speed until the ambient exposure was about one stop underexposed. I actually could have underexposed it even more, but it worked okay for this shot. I scooted the people in so the closest guy was about a foot from my lens and shot away. Then I moved the rabbit ears around until they were in a good spot, and voila! A nice, simple portrait with soft but dramatic light. The key is to have a big, white wall. This technique would work even better if you can back into a corner for even more diffused light.
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