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How to Deal with Shutter Lag

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How to Use a Zoom Lens

How to Use a Flash in Digital Photos

Almost all digital cameras come with a small built-in flash for illuminating dark scenes. Midsize point-and-shoots and digital SLRs can also usually take external flashes, which attach to the top of the camera and are sold separately for about $150 or more. External flashes are more powerful than built-in flashes, but built-ins suffice for everyday shots.

Flash Modes

Most digital cameras allow you to control when the flash fires. Pressing the flash button (indicated by a lightning bolt–shaped icon with an arrow at the end) lets you toggle between these different flash modes:

Mode	Description	Use if . . .
On	The flash fires each time you press the shutter.	You definitely need more light, such as when photographing in a dark room. You get undesirable shadows when shooting in sunlight.
Off	The flash never fires.	You want to prevent the flash from firing even if the scene is dark. You want to take long exposures in dark scenes.
Auto	The camera judges the light in the scene and fires the flash only if more light is required.	You’d rather not think about when to turn the flash on or off. You can use this mode for shooting in all situations.

You’ll find these three modes on all entry-level digital cameras. Some models might include a few other flash modes, such as slow/synchro and red-eye reduction.

Mode	Description	Use to . . .
Slow/ synchro	The camera fires the flash and uses a slow shutter speed to let ambient light complement the flash’s light.	Create less washed-out results when using flash outdoors at night or in very dark rooms; use with a tripod.
Red-eye reduction	The flash fires a few times just before taking the photo.	Reduce the red-eye effect that can ruin flash photos.

How to Adjust the Effects of the Flash

If the flash is too bright, it can wash out your subject. On the other hand, if it’s too weak, it may not provide enough light. The following tips can help you make sure your flash gives the light you need:

Adjust the flash intensity: Many cameras give you the option to increase or decrease the power of your flash manually. Take several shots at different intensities and choose the best shot when editing your photos.
Adjust your distance: If the flash is washing out the subject, try moving farther away and reshooting. If the flash is not illuminating your subject, move closer.

Acknowledgments & Disclaimer