How to Use Flash in Photography

Flash can be a photographer's best friend or worst enemy. With built-in automatic flash, fill flash, mountable and remote flash units, there are many techniques a photographer can use to control not only exposure, but also mood. Read on to learn a few tips to know which kind of flash to use and when!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• An SLR camera.
• A mountable flash.
• Your camera's manual if you aren't familiar with how to change flash settings.
• Your mountable flash accessory's manual if you aren't familiar with using this object.

How to Use Your Camera's Built-In Flash

1. Set your camera's built-in flash to "automatic" or "on." Refer to your user's manual if you aren't sure how to do this. Usually, you can tell whether your flash is on by pressing the shutter release button part way down. If your flash pops up, you're ready to go.

2. Take a picture in a dimly lit room. Review your photo and examine the way in which the automatic flash exposed the picture. It's probably well-lit, but likely doesn't evoke much mood. You can create mood by using a mountable flash instead and adjusting the brightness (see below). Or, if you're comfortable with your camera settings, try turning up the ISO. You might also turn off your auto-flash, open up your aperture and slow your shutter speed a bit to let more light in.

3. Now, try another picture in a brightly-lit room and examine the way in which the flash exposed the picture. Like before, if the flash made the photo bright, consider using a mountable flash or adjusting the aperture, shutter speed and ISO instead.

4. With your automatic flash still turned "on," snap a picture outside. If your camera's light meter doesn't think flash is needed, it won't fire. But the human eye is sometimes a better judge than a light metering system. Set your built-in flash to "fill flash" mode. Refer to your camera's manual if you aren't familiar with how to do this. Examine the difference between your outdoor photos with flash, without flash and with fill flash only.

How to Use Your Mountable Accessory Flash.

5. Mountable accessory flashes are great for getting creative. Mount your flash, and run through the above exercises using your mountable flash. Here's where creativity comes into play. Experiment with different brightness and zoom settings on your mountable flash. Each creates a unique mood.

6. To create a photo using flash without causing a shadow behind your subject, point your flash slightly upward. If indoors, the beam will bounce off the ceiling and then fill the area behind your subject, eliminating a shadow.

7. Now try pointing your flash bulb either to the left or the right and examine how one side of your picture is illuminated. The other side will appear to be shadowed, which creates an interesting affect.

Tips & Warnings

• A camera with a modern TTL built-in flash will set correct exposure for you.
• The flash's effectiveness is determined by the distance it must travel.