” Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography.” – George Eastman
This is an example of using speedlights to light a portrait. I liked the catch lights in the eyes and I like the mood the lighting had. Is it perfect, well absolutely not. But it shows the need to think and experiment with lighting. It is all about positioning the light, shaping the light, and manipulating the light. This applies to both natural light photography and photography using off camera flash. When you first get started with speedlights get started using one off camera with some type of modifier. Do some research on using one light. There are tons of articles on lighting on line.
Here is an example of a portrait just done with natural window light.
Natural light only. Light through a living room window. The light created a reflective and dark mood. Experimenting with natural light can be as much fun as using speedlights. Try using just a reflector to get just the light that you want. I did not use a deflector here because I wanted the light to be harsh to convey the mood.
The more you get into photography the more you will begin to realize how important light is in the whole photographic process.
Light is the essence of photography. Master the use of light and you will master the art of photography. -Steve Perry
So get out there and experiment with natural light and flash. Look to shape the light. Remember that photography is light.