Fooling with the Flash

Boy, I do not like the pop up flash on my camera.Thanks to the reading (and seeing some of your blogs- thanks!) I do understand how the flash can be used to manage shadows, illuminate a subject, or as fill light to even out the exposure. But I'm afraid the pop up flash on my camera is doomed to remain a little used accessory.

One thing I learned these weeks is that if I set the white balance for the appropriate conditions, and then use the flash, the flash will override the white balance. So if I want to use the pop up flash I might as well set the white balance to auto, and that lessens the control I have over my shots.

I went out on a partly cloudy day with the white balance set for shade. I wanted to emphasize the warm yellow leaves on the trees around the block. The first photo is the one I took without the flash.

I took this one with the flash, even though I knew I was too far away for it to have any real effect. I think it looks tepid and dull. This is when I began to realize the connection between the pop up flash and a manually set white balance.

I knew that to use the flash properly, I had to get close to my subject. I really like how this photo came out. Because of the flash, the light on the leaves almost sparkles, and the shadows the leaves are making on each other are visible, but not too dark.

Many of the experiments I did with the flash resulted in washed out shots like this one.

 I like the no flash picture better.

If you want soft shadows, use the flash. If you want sharp shadows, don't use the flash because it will add light and soften the shadows.

It's fun to play with the flash. These are some pictures I made by shooting into a mirror and a pane of empty glass. The first picture has nothing over the flash. Then I used a paper napkin to drape over the flash and I like how it looks. They are pretty abstract.