How to Use External Flash on Camera

Bert Stephani reveals secrets about how you can get better images with an external flash on top of your camera. We all know that professionals do not recommend this and there are obvious reasons for that. It is However if you a few methods, you still can use it on your camera and produce quality photographs.

If you set your camera in "P" mode, it will make the flash to light everything, including your subject and the background. You want a complete control of exposure and that is why you set the mode to "M". In Manual mode you can control how you want the background to be exposed. For instance, in face portraits, it is advisable to darken the background to avoid cluttering. Always make a few test shots and see on the camera screen how it looks.

Usually setting 2 or 3 steps below the neutral exposure will make your background dark. You may have to dial some flash compensation though.

The main goal is to correctly balance the flash light with ambitient light available. Do not be afraid to use longer shutter speeds: 1/15 or even longer if you can hold the camera steady. The flash will freeze your subject.

Longer lens are not so good in this case because they reduce the angle between the lens and the flash. Try short focus lens instead.

Take a lens hood off so that it does not block the light coming from your flash.

Thanks to Bert Stephani