Flash Tip #1

Most cameras, both SLR and point and shoots have a built-in flash. It's great to have this option, but often photos shot using the built-in flash don't look so great. It's worthwhile to learn about these two separate variables– how to control the intensity of the flash as well as the quality of the light emitted from the flash. 

The light emitted from your flash is considered "raw" light which results in hard shadows falling behind your subject. Raw light tends to pick up and magnify texture – not so great if you're shooting a portrait. Most glamor photography utilizes "soft" light. Soft light is created by diffusing your light source. Diffusing simply means breaking up the light wave by making it pass through a transparent material. 

Try putting something in front of your flash. A simple and inexpensive trick is to place a piece of vellum, hand made rice paper or a thin white silk or cotton over your flash. Experiment with your diffusion and how many layers are needed to get the results you want. Keep in mind, the more diffusion you put over your flash, the less intense the flash becomes. If your image starts to look underexposed, go into your flash setting and increase the intensity of your exposure or remove some of the layers of diffusion.