FLASHES

This is also a great example of when one has no real choice—you either get the photo by using flash, or you get nothing at all. This was taken in very dim conditions at dusk when no camera or lens in the world would have been able to get the shot without flash.

Ultimately, each photographer has their own threshold for how a photo will look with flash or not. The goal here is not to set that threshold for you, but instead to inform you of the major contributors to pushing the limits, and how to avoid doing so.

Being judicious in using flash is the best way to avoid overdoing it, but of course there are always those instances when a photo will look better with more light, or be impossible without flash. Tropical rain forests, dawn and dusk, and macro photography are a few examples of those cases. Learn more about macro photography here.

Controlling Your Flash

Limiting the amount of light from your flash is achievable in a few different ways. The first way is by mastering the menu system of your flash (if external) or camera (if part of the camera) to manually lessen the output. It’s not as intimidating as it seems, and is usually little more than turning a dial.

The second way is to accessorize. That is, purchase something that goes over your flash to diffuse it and make the light it emits softer and less harsh.