I feel so guilty using my flash!!

[mamakimberly]

I am such a dork! But now that I've learned to take pics in manual w/no flash, I feel guilty just taking a snapshot-- but that's part of life too-- the snapshots!

I was taking pics this morning (cold, dark, and icy out) inside w/ the flash and felt like I was a big fat cheater!!!

[AndreaBurns]

No, don't! I try not to use my flash, but ya know what? Sometimes you just gotta! And for everyday snapshots, it's OK! :)

[KristinCB]

I'm not a huge flash fan either but sometimes you just gotta use it. I live in an are where in winter its dark by 4. Until this year i wasn't even taking pictures inside after dark but now that I got my external flash I'm a much happier camper lol. Next purchase though will be the gary fong lightsphere :D :D :D

[Hollie]

Yup--ITA with eveyone else! Sometimes you just have to--better than no shot at all. And I really need to take my own advice LOL! I was soooooo stinkin' set on NOT using flash on Thanksgiving, but then when I reviewed all the photos, i just sat there saying to myself--WHY oh WHY did I just not turn on the flash????? I totally should have gone "A" mode--the lights in the house (not mine) were just nutty and uneven, and the WB needed to be changed for like every shot. Ugh. So now I have some of the worst shots ever and my SIL who just used her teeny p/s on auto has better shots than I do :( :( Even after PP!

[seebee]

I only have a couple of lenses that tend to be too slow to keep up with my kids without the flash, so I use it & live with it. I clone out the shadows if I need to, and while the pics may be a bit flat, they aren't bad. (I use an inexpensive diffuser for the pop up flash, too.) Here's one I took yesterday with flash, and I think it looks pretty good. :) It added a nice catchlight to her eyes, as well.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c400/beasleybear/gracewithtoothysmile.jpg

[KristinCB]

Thats a gorgeous picture chris!!

Along the same lines as with learning manual I think learning how to properly use a flash is key too (i'm not there yet lol) but think about some of the gorgeous wedding photos you see from receptions etc.. you can use flash in a really creative way to give wonderful warmth to the lighting and overall pictures. :D

[mamakimberly]

yeah, i do want to learn to use flash--- i even have a huge mongoid flash unit that works on my rebel, but it makes it weigh like 9,999 pounds.

I will have to start playing with it all though-- it is worth learning!

[KristinCB]

This is the lightsphere I'm looking at getting - http://store.garyfonginc.com/liiido.html

Its a fancy diffuser, so kimberly it could make your camera weigh a nice even 10,000 pounds if you got it ;) LOLOL

[seebee]

One day I hope to get a huge mongoid flash! :lol But for now I am too busy collecting lenses, filters, and lens hoods, apparently! Somebody forgot to tell me that this was an expensive hobby!

[seebee]

Oooo, the Lightspere was mentioned in Scott Kelby's book, but that link was the first time I've looked at it. Cool!

[AndreaBurns]

If you can, either try to tilt the flash head, or just point it up and bounce off the ceiling. Both would be a bit more attractive than straight on.

[Kim2002]

I agree - sometimes you have to use a flash and there is nothing to feel badly about. It is an awesome way to knock out harsh shadows when shooting outside, and it's great for FREEZING those kids for just a moment.

Andrea's idea to bounce the flash is great. Really does soften things up and make it look less like a flash was used.

[Pachimac]

Right now the flash is my savior as I still suck at manual settings - so don't say you feel so guilty - cuz that makes me feel bad!! LOL! j/k

[beaucat]

I have the lightsphere but haven't played with it alot. The one time I really tried to learn to use it, it did seem like it made the lighting better... (no harsh shadows.) It does look pretty dorky though so I'm not sure how likely I am to use it in public. LOL

I REALLY need to make myself learn how to use my equipment!

Angela

[mamakimberly]

thanks girls! i'm totally going to read up on that stuff-- that is next week's project--- this week is to buy the lenses i want ;)

here's the pics I took today with the flash and they're not bad snapshots or anything, i just hate the chin shadows... I definitely want to play more with making flash an okay word in my vocabulary ;)

http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=47356&cat=500&ppuser=88

[seebee]

It does look pretty dorky though so I'm not sure how likely I am to use it in public. LOL


Think "professional", not "dorky". :D

[beaucat]

LOL - it actually looks like I stuck a tupperware bowl on top of my external flash....

Angela

[Deanna]

lmbo..add another one who doesnt like to use her flash...I prefer wokring around it in ways..but sometimes you just cant do it...I also have the "fong" and I love it...Im still basically a flash virgin, but it can be such a life saver at times!

[Natalie]

I remember reading on Tara Whitney's blog once, that in low light conditions, she recommended bumping up ISO to 800 or 1600 and choosing "tungsten" for white balance. In very, very low light conditions, that still doesn't work, but sometimes, it seems to do the trick to avoid using flash. If the color is off, a little PP should help.

But anyway, I also don't like to use my flash; of course, I only have on-board so far, but that lightsphere is TOO cool. Now I need a real flash for my XT - any suggestions? Maybe I'll ask that on a new thread. :D

[Pachimac]

For all of you who don't use the flash very often, how do you deal with camera shake and subject movement??

[KristinCB]

Try not to let your shutter go to low. Personally I can't handheld very well any lower than 1/125th (sometimes I can), it really depends on the person though. So If you find your shutter speed is too low then you have to bump up the iso. When you bump up your iso you have to make sure to try and get your exposure dead on or you will get alot of grain. This can be somewhat fixed though in post processing using a noise filter such as noiseware or neat image. hth :)