Built-in camera flash or speedlites can help your image if you use it correctly. On the other and, it could wreak your images if you use incorrectly.
The main reason why you get bad images when you use flash lays at how you position your subject. Light from flash has a limited range. The optimum range depends on your camera and flash type. Compact camera usually have shorter range and lower power than DSLR camera.
Most digital SLr camera’s flash has optimum range around three to ten feet. If you position your subject too close, then the image will be over expose / too bright. On the other hand, if you position your subject more than ten feet, you will get underexpose image.
If you take group pictures, you need to position them in a way so the distance from the flash to each individuals are the same. If not, then their faces will not be lit evenly.
Diagram:
Subjects are positioned within the flash range and the distance between flash and each subjects is approximately the same
Compare with diagram below:
Some subjects are too close to the camera
Above diagram shows that the distance from the camera flash to each subjects are different. Some faces will be too bright, and some other will be dark especially subjects in the back.
Below is a real life example of bad use of flash. The kids’ faces are a bit too bright because I am too close, while the musicians are noticeably darker because I am a bit too far and the distance between my camera to the kids and the musicians are different.
Become our Facebook Fans
Follow me @ Twitter
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Ooooh thats an interesting tidbit – I didnt realise that flash had its own DOF (to coin a phrase) – thanks for this!