Flash — Manual, Direct, Close

Set your flash to manual. Start at 1/8 power. Set your aperture to f/8, ISO 400, shutter to your sync speed (typically 1/180–1/250). Get close - 1 to 2 metres. The flash freezes the subject, the ambient bleeds in around them. That's the look.

Adjust power down if faces are blowing out. Adjust aperture if the background is going too dark. Don't chimp after every frame - shoot, move, repeat.

Watch for: catchlights in eyes. Harsh shadows on walls directly behind subjects. The slightly startled look that makes a picture.

The point: flash in daylight is confrontational. Flash at night is theatrical. Both are valid. Neither is subtle. That's the point.