Digital Flash Photography Tips
Flash photography. Those words can bring fear to the heart of even an experienced photographer. Below are a few tips to help de-mystify the subject of flash photography.
Some of the tips listed below will only be available to the Digital SLR users. These cameras allow you to manually adjust camera settings, change lenses, and also provide you with a hotshoe to provide for an external flash. This external flash is much more powerful than the built in version and allows the photographer to be much more creative with it.
Point and shoot cameras often have their own flash. These do not give you the creativity of the SLR cameras, but some of the tips below will apply to these cameras as well.
Tip # 1) Clear Your Background: Anything behind your subject that is reflective will bounce your flash right back to the lens. Result being a big blob of white in your photo. Any shiny,metallic surfaces or mirrors will cause big problems for you.
Tip #2) Be sure to Charge your Batteries: The condition of your batteries will determine how long it will take your flash to recharge. In other words, how long before you can take another picture. The fresher your batteries are the quicker you can shoot again. Also, if your flash doesn't use a complete charge then you will be able to shoot alot faster. So, it is important to always have fresh batteries, and possibly even a back up set if you plan to shoot alot.
Tip #3) Flash Falloff: Flash falloff is when the flash is more powerful in the center of the photograph. This is most common with the compact cameras. To overcome this try to position your subject in the area that is best lit.
Tip #4) Type of Light: Very often the light from a flash is very harsh. If can be helpful sometimes to bounce the flash off a light colored ceiling or wall. Another tip is to use a diffuser. This can be an item you buy to fit over the flash to weaken it somewhat. Many people make their own from hosiery, thin paper, or some will use a white notecard & hold it at an angle to the flash. You will need to experiment to see what works for you.
Keep in mind that bouncing and diffusing will reduce the amount of light that reaches your subject. You may have to adjust your exposure to offset that.
Some of the tips listed below will only be available to the Digital SLR users. These cameras allow you to manually adjust camera settings, change lenses, and also provide you with a hotshoe to provide for an external flash. This external flash is much more powerful than the built in version and allows the photographer to be much more creative with it.
Point and shoot cameras often have their own flash. These do not give you the creativity of the SLR cameras, but some of the tips below will apply to these cameras as well.
Tip # 1) Clear Your Background: Anything behind your subject that is reflective will bounce your flash right back to the lens. Result being a big blob of white in your photo. Any shiny,metallic surfaces or mirrors will cause big problems for you.
Tip #2) Be sure to Charge your Batteries: The condition of your batteries will determine how long it will take your flash to recharge. In other words, how long before you can take another picture. The fresher your batteries are the quicker you can shoot again. Also, if your flash doesn't use a complete charge then you will be able to shoot alot faster. So, it is important to always have fresh batteries, and possibly even a back up set if you plan to shoot alot.
Tip #3) Flash Falloff: Flash falloff is when the flash is more powerful in the center of the photograph. This is most common with the compact cameras. To overcome this try to position your subject in the area that is best lit.
Tip #4) Type of Light: Very often the light from a flash is very harsh. If can be helpful sometimes to bounce the flash off a light colored ceiling or wall. Another tip is to use a diffuser. This can be an item you buy to fit over the flash to weaken it somewhat. Many people make their own from hosiery, thin paper, or some will use a white notecard & hold it at an angle to the flash. You will need to experiment to see what works for you.
Keep in mind that bouncing and diffusing will reduce the amount of light that reaches your subject. You may have to adjust your exposure to offset that.
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