The flash is one of the most underused, underappreciated, and, conversely, overused tools on the camera. In national parks, I often see tourists visiting the sights and shooting photos like crazy at the worst time of day— noon. Invariably, they are disappointed with the washed-out colors and harsh shadows that result. A simple yet highly effective trick in such situations is to turn on your flash.
44 You can also move a bit closer to the person you’re shooting. The flash, even those on the point-and-shoots, will fill the shadows in eye sockets created by the sun directly overhead. This results in a kinder, gentler photo that will make your significant other much happier to pose for your endless photos next trip. Moving closer fills the frame and brings the center
of attention, the main subject, closer to the viewer of the photo. The simple trick here is to “force on” the flash, turning the setting on your controls so the lightning bolt shows in
the display. This makes the flash fire with every exposure, and it’s a great tool for very bright and high-contrast days.
I also see people shooting photos with a flash at night, usually in Program mode, and then wondering why the picture of Uncle Joe looks like he’s floating in a black universe.
Again, utilizing the Night mode, or slowing down the shutter speed so the exposure on the background is correct, will place the subject in the environment, giving the viewer a sense of place. This is why you shoot such a photo in the first place—to communicate that idea.
■ No flash This is good for scenic shots, very wide shots, and shots in which the subject is too far to be lit by the flash. Remember that digital cameras are power- hungry beasts, so the energy you save by not using flash may keep you shooting
at the end of the day. Be wise, and don’t energize (when you don’t need to).
■ Flash This setting is often represented by a lightning bolt. It tells the camera
to fire the flash with every exposure, regardless of other settings.
■ Auto-flash This setting is indicated by a lightning bolt with the letter A beside it. You are turning over control to the camera to decide when you need the flash. The downside to this setting occurs when you are taking an “available light” photo, with hopes of capturing the ambience of the scene, and the flash fires. This not only can disrupt the scene, but the camera (in the Auto mode or Program mode, where this function is applicable) may not go
to a slow-enough exposure to capture the image.
■ Red-eye flash We’ve all seen this: a group stands ready to have its photo taken, and several pulses of light are emitted from the photographer’s flash. The purpose of this light is to force the pupils in the subjects’ eyes to close down, using a series of weak rapid flashes, so the back of the eye with its many blood vessels won’t bounce back a red that
would look great only in a Dracula movie. You may want to tell your subjects that the camera will do this; otherwise, the group might start to walk away after the first flash fires!
■ Rear-curtain sync When a photog- rapher is shooting in the dark or near dark, and moving items with lights (a car, for example) are in the shot, using normal flash has inherent problems. The
headlights become streaks of light moving through the body of the car, which looks
very unnatural. The desired effect is to have the lights appear behind the vehicle, in a more natural-looking scene. This is accomplished by using rear-curtain sync, a technical sounding term meaning that the camera is instructing the flash to fire at the end of the exposure, instead of the normal flash time at the start of a longer exposure.