The wind howled something awful that day, spitting sleet sideways across the Swedish coast. I’d warned the couple, huddled under a ridiculously oversized umbrella, but they insisted. Their smiles were worth the potential pneumonia, they said. Trying to coax light onto their faces while battling horizontal precipitation – that was the challenge. I’d lugged along my usual kit: a couple of heavy, dedicated speedlights with external battery packs. Even with diffusers, the light felt… anaemic. Pathetic.

And that’s the reality for a lot of wedding shooters, landscape photographers, portrait artists. We’re fighting the elements, we’re trying to sculpt light in real time. We don’t always have the luxury of a studio. I was skeptical when I initially saw the Profoto A10. It’s compact, for a start – almost alarmingly so. That tiny head, that dinky body, promised… well, not much. But the specifications, specifically the power control range, caught my eye. 1/256th of the full power? Intriguing. This meant I could feather the light, finesse it, even in the teeth of that coastal gale.

Field test time. The A10, mounted on a stand, proved its worth. The output, while not quite matching my full-sized units, surprised me with its punch. I bounced the light off the dilapidated stone wall behind them, softening the harshness, and allowing the overcast day to still provide some definition. The wireless sync was flawless, and that power control? Utterly essential for delicate adjustments. I was able to sculpt a much more flattering light. The skin tones popped. I got the shots.

Of course, no flash is perfect. The battery life, while respectable, isn’t marathon-level. You’ll probably want a spare. Then again, if you’re coming from something like a Godox, you probably already have a few spares for your flashes. And that’s the beauty of it – you can just change it and continue to shoot. And the wireless range, though decent, isn’t up there with the Profoto B10X. You need to keep an eye on your distance.

But for the on-location photographer who craves control and consistency, the A10 is a game-changer. Especially, if you’re tired of the harsh, flat look of those built-in flashes. Is it cheap? No. But the quality of the light, the color consistency, the sheer usability… it’s a tangible upgrade. If your business relies on delivering stunning images, under any conditions, put this on your shortlist. Go on.