Instructions for taking photos with flash

If the photos you take with your DSLR and the removable flash are often too bright, too dark, or shiny, you need to understand the flash and the basic techniques to "control" it, make it right for the picture Better shooting.

When the environment is not light enough to take a quality picture, you need to create some extra light yourself, usually with the camera's flash. To take pictures with a better flash, you should learn the flash modes and settings. But it is important to understand how the flash works, ie how to take a photo with the flash.

Here are 9 ways to avoid images that are too bright or too high contrast when shooting with flash.

1. The more the light source diffuses, the more pleasant the light is

You must have been advised not to take photos when the sun was hot, or should wait for the sun to be behind the clouds. Similarly, the result will be better when you use bounce technique (flash the wall, ceiling to light up) or use a cover to create light dissipation.

Use the hood to diffuse the light. ( Photo: PCWorld USA)

These techniques all exploit the initial rule of illumination: A wide light source often shines on the subject of a softer and more attractive light. Narrow rays like flashlight or sun (much larger than Earth, but narrower in terms of camera) are uncomfortable light that makes shadows in the image more pronounced and similar. higher counter.

But if you diffuse light onto a wider area as a larger light source and dissipate, you can calm the light and reduce the contrast to make it look more natural. Learn and apply this rule of light, you can change the quality of photos.

2. The farther away the light source is, the less likely it is to be affected

This is obvious, but we should review some basic science.

According to the laws of physics, the brightness is reduced with the square of the distance. If the light source is set to be 3m, the subject will receive only ¼ of the light compared to the amount of light it receives at a distance of 1.5m.

The subject only receives ¼ light when it is 3m away from the light source compared to the amount of light it receives at a distance of 1.5m.

Speaking in photographic terms, it is a 2 stop reduction in exposure value. That means you can completely change the light on the subject by moving the lamp closer or farther away from the subject.

3. The flash has almost no effect on the background

The camera flash does not work for the background if the background is quite far from the subject.

The camera flash does not work for the background if the background is quite far from the subject.
(Photo: Huy Thang).

Suppose you are taking photos outdoors. You can move the light source closer or farther to change the relative exposure to the subject, but the background will have the same exposure if all other factors remain unchanged. You are free to change the flash position and settings without having to care about what happens behind the subject.

This also means that you will never be able to illuminate the rear part with the camera flash.

4. Can reduce flash intensity

You do not need to use the flash at all times. Of course, your camera always tries to expose the photo properly when flashing the flash. But sometimes it does not work properly, especially when shooting a subject very close. If you see the subject being overexposed, try reducing the intensity of the flash. Refer to the manual supplied with the camera and find the camera settings to do this. If not, you can try using a ' low-tech' solution by applying a thin cloth or white sheet to the flash to reduce light intensity.

5. Light in color

Light has a clear color associated with it called color temperature (color temperature), calculated in degrees K (Kelvin). The camera has a color temperature adjustment feature, called white balance, and most users often leave it in Auto auto mode. But depending on the device, you can set it to a specific temperature setting or select Sunset lighting mode (sunset), Overcast (cloudy), Tungsten (filament bulb), Florescent (fluorescent light). or Candlelight (candle light).

Below is the indicator of the degree of K of the day or the light environment:

• Twilight = 12000

• Shade = 7500

• Cloudy = 6500

• Early morning or evening = 4300

• Dawn and sunset = 3000

• Candle light = 2000

If you see images that are discolored when viewed on a computer, you can use the white balance tool in the image editor to edit.

The difference of temperature K for colors in different images.(Photo: PCWorld USA).

In the above pictures, you can see the white balance effect in the same scene. The fruit on the left is taken at a temperature of about 3000K, and the right fruit is taken at 5500K.

6. Avoid red-eye phenomenon

In low light conditions, the eyes of the photographed person must expand to help see better. When the flash light passes, the light is reflected on the red retina of the iris, making the eyes with glowing spots as a " demon eye " phenomenon .

You should know the reason for the red eye phenomenon is because the flash is placed too close to the camera's lens, the light shines to the eye and is reflected and captured by the lens. There are several ways to avoid red-eye effects:

• Avoid shooting in dark conditions.

• Can turn off flash and use ambient light.

• To flash away from the lens.

Most users of digital SLR cameras often choose the final way. At that point, you can hold the flash on your hand, mount the flash on the rack, or flash it on the wall or ceiling.

7. Ring flash for close-up shooting

Close portrait shots may be damaged because of light from irregular flash. And close-up shots (macros) can be lit and the shadow looks ugly. The solution to this problem is to use a flash called a flash ring.

Ring Flash is a device that has many flashes around the lens instead of above the camera. These flashes flash at the same time, forming a ring of light shining on the subject from many sides. Professional photographers - and, of course, financially ample - sometimes buy this advanced round flash for use with their DSLR cameras. Canon users can choose a $ 500 Macro Ring Lite for close-up shooting.

Photojojo Ring Flash Adapter round flash.(Photo: PCWorld USA).

Of course, the price of 500 USD or higher is a huge amount to buy flash that you sometimes use. You can make a cheap ring flash for only about 10 USD with household items such as plastic cups, glue, tape and metal paper. Or you can buy one like Photojojo's Ring Flash Adapter for a very inexpensive price, only $ 40.

8. Flash overlay helps reduce black shadows

Some users may think that the flash is only used to replace sunlight, so only use flash to shoot at night or in other low light conditions. But flash sometimes has more uses than that.

Flash coating helps reduce black shadows -(Photo: Huy Thang).

You can use flash to cover dark areas that often appear when shooting outdoors under bright sunlight. Please put the flash of the camera in 'Fill' or 'Forced Flash' mode (in Vietnamese often called "lampshades " or "fighters") . In this mode, the flash will always flash, even when there is enough light. In this way, you can project light into dark areas and even areas with contrast in portraits. Or when you point the camera towards the sun, the fudge mode flash also helps to prevent the subject from becoming black due to backlight shooting.

9. Illuminate multiple points for better portraiture

One of the drawbacks of using a camera flash is that it only emits a light source. And so will create an image that doesn't look real and darkens the contrast range.

To solve this problem, you should use a lot of flash. This is also very easy to do. Most professional photographers often use 3-point lighting. A main light illuminates the subject's face, another light to illuminate the dark area you don't want and a backlight to add light to the surrounding scene.

You can use 3-point lighting method by adding 1 or more auxiliary flash. The secondary flash has a sensor to help it blink automatically when the camera's main flash sensor blinks.

These flashes are inexpensive and work with most digital cameras. They are very convenient because you can place the extra flash anywhere you like: On the flash rack, the tripod is as good or even on a nearby table. Using extra flash, you can easily set up your own studio.