Preparation
Read the part of your camera manual on flash.
- Check how flash ‘toggles’ between always-on/off/auto/red-eye.
- Red-eye occurs when the flash is in direct alignment with a person’s eyes. Some cameras have red-eye suppression, otherwise it will be necessary to angle the flash out of alignment of a person’s eyes (if adjustable) or to move the position from which you are taking the photograph.
- Rather than use flash, you may be able to increase the sensitivity of your camera sensor by ‘cranking up’ the ISO setting to higher number values eg; ISO 800, ISO 1200, ISO 3200, etc.
Exercise*
- Take a couple of photos – one with flash and one without. Compare (view on PC) to see the differences. Which do you prefer? What might you do to get the best of both methods in a picture?
- Take several pictures of the same object with and without flash at different distances (eg 1 metre, 3 metres, 10 metres, 30 metres – perhaps easier outside). Compare (view on PC) to see the differences. Are any parts overexposed or underexposed? What is the maximum distance for your flash to be useful? Is there a minimum distance?
- Try taking photos without flash at a high ISO setting and check this with the same photo taken using flash
*Write down your choices so you know which images correspond to each setting. Where (view on PC) is shown this part may have to be completed later.