Tips & Techiques: Basics of Using a Flash

From Charles Dirks:
The goal of this T&T is to be able to dig down to the bottom of the camera
bag, find the flash we bought when we bought the camera and actually feel like we can use the flash to get better pictures.

Todays flash units often come with nearly as many settings as our cameras. Which of these settings are required, which are useful and are there some (hopefully) that we can set once and forget or never use?

I will share my flash settings and explain how I can just pick up my flash and simply turn it on and get predictable results every time. I do have one camera setting I use occasionally, flash compensation and we will go over when, why and how.

Hopefully, your flash can move from the “I have one, but never use it” to “I use it every time it is needed”. There are certainly times where the flash will not solve all your lighting situations, but there are several lighting problems that a flash will help.

Bring your flash if you want.

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Members, guests and students welcome.