How to Use an Outdoor Fill Flash

An outdoor fill flash can dramatically improve the quality of your photographs. Unfortunately the outdoor fill flash is rarely used by photographers even though it is available on virtually every camera. Follow these tips and you will be using an outdoor fill flash to take better photos.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Camera with flash

1. Understand what an outdoor fill flash is. Any flash on any camera can act as an outdoor fill flash. It is used in situations where there is so much ambient light that the camera does not automatically flash. You must tell the camera to flash despite the presence of enough light overall. The idea is to "fill" darker areas with the "flash."

2. Adjust your camera to be an outdoor fill flash. Look for a button marked by a lighting bolt with an arrow at the bottom end. This sets your flash mode. On cameras with default automatic settings you must first change the camera to manual mode to adjust the flash. Once you are in manual press the flash setting button until it is the lighting bolt by itself. Be sure it doesn't have an "A" near it or circle and line through it. The lightning bolt by itself tells the camera to flash regardless of lighting conditions.

3. Use the outdoor fill flash on bright sunny days when shadows obscure your subject. This is common if the sun is high in the sky and there are shadows around the eyes from the shade of the forehead. This is called "racooning." Also use the outdoor fill flash if your subject is wearing a hat or the sun is to the side. The outdoor fill flash will brighten faces that would otherwise be dark in photos.

4. Utilize the outdoor fill flash when the light source is behind the subject. Back lit photos can be spectacular and artistic. However, any object in the foreground will be a dark shadow. To compensate for this use the outdoor fill flash. If you are taking a picture of a person in front of a sunset then both will be well lit.

5. Consider the outdoor fill flash in mixed lighting conditions. When you are taking photos on the run and you don't have time to adjust to changing light conditions use the outdoor fill flash. You will always be sure that your subjects have enough light. When there are several competing light sources casting strange multiple shadows, the outdoor fill flash compensates so you don't have to think about it.

Tips & Warnings

• The outdoor fill flash works on subjects that are a medium distance from the camera. The optimum range is 3 to 15 feet.
• The outdoor fill flash requires your camera to flash on every photo. This can drain your battery quickly. Always keep spares handy. There can also be a delay taking photos while your camera recharges for the next flash.

Resources

• Television News Anchor
• Copy Old Video

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on 4/3/2009 Thanks! This Article Helped