This post is a continuation of the tutorial images placed on our facebook page at www.facebook.com/simplyheavenphotography.  It is a series geared towards giving you tips on taking better images of your own family.  This week we’ll be talking about your in-camera flash.  Simply put, don’t use it!  It washes out the person you are photographing, makes for obvious shadows in strange places, creepy pupils, and is generally unflattering.  Unless you are going for the wide eyed, white faced zombie look, avoid it!  These examples were taken with my professional camera so the results aren’t as hideous as some:

Step away from the flash and towards the light!  Most cameras, including point-and-shoots, enable you to turn the flash off.  A button/setting with a lightning bolt usually controls the flash.  Try forcing it off and taking a test shot.  See if you need extra light in the image you are taking before subjecting your photographee to the blinding light!  If it looks fine without the flash, perfect.   If the image is too dark, look for more window light in the area you are photographing and move your subject closer.  You don’t know what your camera is capable of until you practice with it.

If it is still to dark try moving outside into some shade: 

 

In-camera flashes do have their places, just usually not when your camera thinks it should fire.  Try it outdoors just after the sun goes down or on a sunny day when your subjects are in dark shade.  The two images below were taken in auto mode with a forced flash just before twilight.  They are SOOC (straight out of the camera).  I even left the red eyes of my son in case you didn’t believe me =)   I’d edit that out before printing or take a step back and re shoot to avoid the creepy white pinholes in their eyes.   

In closing, don’t use your flash when your camera wants you to.

Muah, kara