Tag: Pop up Flash

Use the Dreaded Pop Up Flash to your Advantage

If you are serious about photography then you probably understand that the first tip to next level photos is to get your light source off the camera. A straight shot of nasty light from the camera is just a terrible thing to do to your subject. But is there is a time and place for that darn pop up flash? What happens when you find yourself out at a beautiful location and you either don’t own or don’t have a speedlight with you. Behold the pop up. The secret is to first use the natural light to give the image some depth then use the pop up to add a nice fill light by reducing the power of the light as much as possible. With a dslr there is an option to use the flash exposure compensation button. In this image I knocked it down to -3.0. If that isn’t enough you can always use your feet and back up while zooming back in to your model.

In the image you can see that I first shot without the flash and used a nice rim light on Jackie’s face created by the beautiful natural light at sunset. This adds depth. I also made sure to set the exposure to show off that beautiful background. Then I added the flash just enough to light Jackie without blacking out the background or flattening out the natural light on her face.

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Camera Settings:    f1.8      1/100th sec     ISO 640

Pop up flashes are not meant to be used all the time, but in a pinch, they can sometimes save the day.