About Flash Modes
The default flash mode for most cameras is automatic, and that’s where it stays for most folks. But even the most basic of digicams offers multiple flash settings that can help you take engaging photos under a variety of lighting conditions. Some of the typical flash settings that you might encounter on your camera are:
1. Auto
The camera activates the flash as determined by the light meter reading. If you’re indoors in low light, the flash fires. Outside on a bright sunny day? The camera turns off the flash.
2. Red eye reduction
Many digicams have some sort of red eye reduction mode. Red eye occurs when the subject’s eyes are dilated (in dim lighting), exposing the retina. When the light from the flash reflects off the retina, the resulting color is red. Most cameras tackle this problem by shining a light at the subject before the flash goes off. The pre-flash causes the pupils to constrict, which may reduce the chance of red eye.
The challenge for a photographer using red eye reduction flash modes is coping with the extended delay from the time the shutter button is pressed until the actual picture is recorded. If you use red eye reduction, remind the subject to hold the pose until the final flash has fired, and remember to hold the camera steady during this entire process.
3. Auto red eye reduction
The combination of auto and red eye reduction modes. The camera uses red eye reduction whenever it determines that flash is required.
4. Flash on
This setting is usually referred to as fill flash. The camera will fire the flash with every exposure, regardless of the light meter reading. “Flash on” is one of the most useful camera settings, because it allows you to take professionallooking portraits outdoors by adding enough light to properly illuminate the subject while balancing the exposure for the background. The result is a beautiful image with all components properly exposed.
5. Flash off
Sometimes the flash destroys the mood of a shot. This is particularly true with indoor portraits where the subject is next to a window with daylight streaming in. Creative photographers like to turn off the flash in these settings, steady the camera, and record an existing light photograph that captures the mood of the setting.
6. Slow-synchro flash
Often referred to as nighttime mode, this setting tells your camera to use a slow shutter speed in combination with the flash. By doing this, you can capture more background detail in dimly lit scenes, such as portraits shot at twilight, or in an indoor shoot where you want to capture the mood of the setting in addition to having your main subject properly exposed by the flash. Remember to hold the camera very steady when using slow-synchro flash, to prevent blurring of the background. If you have a tripod, you may want to use it for these types of shots.
PRACTICAL EXAMPLE - To Flash or Not to Flash
The two most valuable flash modes are flash on and flash off. Yes, auto flash is fine for most situations, but sometimes you have to override auto mode to capture the shot you want. Outdoor portraits, for example, look great when you enable the flash on mode. The camera will automatically balance the background exposure and supply just the right amount of flash to perfectly illuminate your subject. Notice the difference between Figures A and B below. In Figure A, the background lighting is fooling the camera, causing underexposure of the subject. In Figure B, the fill flash helps balance background and subject exposure. Just remember to work within flash range, which is 8–10 feet for most cameras.
Background lighting causing underexposure of subject
Fill flash helps balance exposure of background and subject
