Mar 01
To flash or not to flash…using available light
Posted: under Wheeler Images, photography.
Tags: flash, lighting, photography, sailboat, Wheeler Images
I tend to use my flash sparingly. I even have a SB600 that I have used very little. This is not because of any kind of “anti-flash” stance. I DO think the camera flash can overwhelm a photo, and as a result I try to make use of the light I have near me (ie “Ambient Light). I also know the flash can be an important tool, but it’s not one I understand as well as I would like.
Here are a couple of photos of my husband working on our boat at night.
| The photo with the flash helps capture the mast on the left and the boat stand on the right. The shop light and my husband are given the same or less importance as those two objects. | Next we have a shot with a covered flash and a slower shutter speed. The shop light does all the lighting work. |
 Photo using Flash |
 Photo using Ambient Light |
Now, because I am me, I can point out a number of items wrong with the second photo. Mostly that the focus is VERY soft. But I think this photo does a better job of emphasizing the important elements of the photograph and minimizes those elements (the mast and the boat stand) that are of secondary importance. This was actually taken with my first digital camera and it was NOT a DSLR. If had a tripod or had done anything to improve the stability of the camera when taking this photo, I would have been very happy with this shot. The camera is a tool, and getting creative with it is a big part of the fun of photography.
Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.
