When, and When Not, to Use Flash Photography
How does a photographer, amateur or professional, know when and where to use their flash equipment? Since most of today"s cameras are fully automated, the sensor within the camera itself will usually cue the flash. Such settings however, can also be easily disabled or changed to suit the situation. For example, many cameras have a red-eye reduction flash that helps to make photographs without the reflection of the flash in the eyes of the people or animals in the picture.While a great deal of indoor photography will require the use of a flash to capture the scene accurately, many outdoor settings can benefit from a flash as well. For example, there is a technique referred to as "flash fill" which basically balances an all ready well-lit shot with the addition of a flash bulb. This means that an outdoor image, which may have some slight shadows or shading, can be entirely "filled" with light by the use of a flash.
Additionally, indoor photography should be examined for the amount of flash the picture may, or may not require. For example, a photographer should make an examination of the ambient lighting in a scene or setting, such as a wedding or special event, to be sure that the flash is necessary. If the brilliant light of the flash may diminish the effects of the existing lighting, the photographer usually has two choices - adjust the manual camera settings to let in the most light possible without resorting to a flash, or alternately, bouncing the flash to fill the entire room and not just light the subject.
Using adjusted settings requires a camera that allows for a fully manual mode. The photographer could then make their shutter speed faster and their "f-stop" or lens aperture a lower setting, which actually allows more light into the sensor.
If "bouncing" the light is preferred, the photographer would need a flash bulb unit that is not "on board" the camera, usually a handheld of cable triggered flash that lights the entire space evenly. Bouncing eliminates deep shadows around the subject, and gives the scene warmth.
Like all photographic techniques, it really pays to experiment with settings and results before using them to capture important or professional images.