Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter: Get Professional Quality Photos with Your Compact Camera

Chapter VIII. Flash Settings: On, Off and Partial

One of the coolest and most advanced features in a compact camera (believe it or not) is the built-in flash. Because the flash offers automatic exposure, you get good exposures indoors and out—in many cases.

When the flash exposure is a bit of (over- or underexposing your subject), many compact cameras let you increase or decrease the flash output via the camera's menu.

If you need more flash power, and when you want to be more creative with flash photography, you can add an accessory flash.

Sunny Day Flash Shots

I'll start of this chapter with a set of pictures that illustrates the effectiveness of using a flash in perhaps an unlikely situation: outdoors on a sunny day.

The top shot is the flash shot. The bottom shot is the non-flash shot.

As you can see, a benefit of using a flash is to fill in shadows caused by backlighting (in this case). It also can provide top lighting or side lighting.

To use the flash in your camera in bright light, take it of the Auto mode and set it to the Always Fire mode. At this setting, the flash fires even in bright light conditions to help you get the shot you envision.

Fill Flash Outdoors in the Shade

Pictures ...