How to use Flash
The other major killer of bad photos other than bad composition is improper usage of flash. You got to know the limitation of your equipment. Look at the pros, they carry MULTIPLE BIG flash guns, thus they could use flash in most situations. Your digital camera has a tiny flash bulb, smaller than your thumb. For sure it can’t illuminate a hall of people right? Knowing the limitations of your equipment, you can then WORK WITH IT.
When using flash, shoot close Bearing in mind you have a tiny flash bulb, shoot your subject close. As your flash can’t illuminate brightly your background, this works to your advantage by “darkening” out the background. If you could use an external flash, mounting the flash 1 foot above the camera gets the picture on the right. There’s some shadows under the chin but face has more modelling. |
 
| Shoot for ambient light Yup, no flash! Ambient light photography preserves and enhances the mood. Sure you get some colour cast (the light is not always neutral white) but hey, if this makes a more interesting look, go for it! Just disable the flash on your camera, and if possible, set the ISO (film speed) rating to 400 (with Kodak C360, from “Menu” select “ISO SPEED”), then frame and shoot! At highest ISO speed, quality usually suffers. On my C360, at ISO 800, you are only shooting at 1.8 megapixel.) Also, at low light usually I shoot at the widest lens angle as at this end, it usually has the widest aperture (it could capture more light). So zoom out max rather than zoom in. Then move close, hold your hands steady and shoot. Blurry? Maybe it’s hand shake. Shoot again. If after a few times you still get blurry photos, this means available light is too low. You could introduce a light source. Be the artistic director! If you wish to maintain current lighting, then it’s time to bring in your tripod. The tripod is meant for times like this! This hall shot, there’s no way you could use a flash here. The place is HUGE! No problem! Just disable the flash, hold really still, and press the shutter gently. Be really still. Lean on a wall if there is one nearby. Note that the camera will select a slower shutter speed (meaning the camera will expose its pixels for a longer time) so motion will be captured as a blur. Once you understand this, there should be times when you could use this to your advantage. Here’s more about available light shooting. |
How about Shooting Indoors? Available light of course!
If you could place your subject beside a window, you get a very pleasing and even light. It’s directional of course, but a reflector, or cleverly angling the shot so that the background (including the floor) reflects light as well, works wonders! |  
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I can’t live without flash!
If your photographic style requires frequent flash usage, then you need ways of incorporating an external flash to your camera. The above two photos show what you could do with an external flash.
Photo on the left was taken with direct flash, meaning the flash bulb is pointing towards the subject, like your current camera. Light is harsh, details are washed out or too dark. Urgh!
Photo on the right was taken with an external flash, with the flash bulb pointing at an angle of 60 degrees towards the ceiling. In essence, we are using the ceiling and the walls as a giant reflector, thus trying to get an even illumination everywhere. The walls are brighter than the floor so that’s a giveaway of bounced flash!
Of course, the lighting could be improved even further but with a single flash bulb, bounced flash is definitely better than direct flash.
Seriously, there aren’t many ways you could implement an external flash gun to your digital camera. We’ll explore this later.
There you go! Working within the limitations of your equipment, you get better photos instantly! Practical advice for practical folks!
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