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.
