There is one thing that we all start off doing that may be ruining your photographs: using the on-camera pop-up flash.
I thought it might be beneficial for people learning about photography to see image comparisons of photos taken with natural sunlight (in front of a window or outside) vs photos taken with the on-camera pop-up flash. Most professional photographers overwhelmingly prefer shooting with natural light however we all own external flashes and diffusers for the times where natural light just isn’t working or happening. I think we all start out using it and over years of experience and learning come to realize there are better alternatives. Some things that the on camera pop-up flash does: it creates horrible shadows! Both behind the person you are photographing and also oftentimes under their chin, depending on their angle. It creates these tiny pin-lights in the eyes (the reflection in the eyes is a tiny little dot in the pupil). It makes people squint and blink. Children complain about it hurting their eyes and it just all around looks mostly unnatural. The hair gets mega-highlighted and colors look shiny and overly textured/vibrant.
Alternatives to pop-up flash:
The best alternative: find great sources of natural light – usually in front of a window or in the shade outside.
Another great alternative: Buy a lens with a low aperture. They go down as low as f/1.2! You can handle most situations with this ability but your focus will have to be perfect (Note shooting at f/1.2 is usually not wise because of how shallow your depth of field becomes.. but it’s a nice option to have and I have shot at 1.2 before – not professionally – but for my own photos). Low aperture lenses tend to be very costly. There is one cheap lens that every photographer should own which is the 50mm f/1.8 lens. It’s around $100 and is very great for the price. It is made of plastic and you’ll want to upgrade to a very nice lens eventually but if you are a hobbiest and still learning the 1.8 is a great great option for you!!!! (And is WAY better than the kit lens which also may be ruining your photos if you are using it..).
If you do need flash, you can purchase an off-camera (external) flash and learn to bounce the light and/or diffuse it (ideal! And what professionals do).
If you find none of these are good alternatives for you right now, there are two other options. Option 1 is buying a pop-up flash diffuser. I have not tried one so I can’t vouch for it but I imagine it would help. Option 2 is changing your settings in camera and lowering the strength of the flash (not all cameras can do this but it’s worth looking into and trying out!).
Please note that if you compare flash with natural light in a spot where natural light is not good, the photo taken with a flash will usually look better. Part of learning about photography is developing an eye for and understanding of where the natural light is the best. Studio lighting can be amazing however mastering it takes a lot of time and money. Most photos, however, can be taken with natural light and most people prefer the look of it (though not everyone does, photography is entirely subjective!).
All of these photographs were taken on the same camera: Canon Rebel T2i and all were taken within the last month except the very last one which was taken back in December.
Natural light photograph, taken in front of a window. Notice now nice the reflections in their eyes are and how natural and soft everything is.
Natural light photograph.
Natural light photograph.
Natural light photograph.
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Photos taken with on-camera pop-up flash – notice the tiny little pin-light being reflected in the pupil and how the hair is super shiny and the shadows being cast behind them and under the chin as well.
On-camera pop-up flash.
On-camera pop-up flash.
On-camera pop-up flash.
Some people may prefer the flash photos, some prefer the natural light ones, and neither one is wrong, but it is good to be able to know how various things – such as your light source – will affect a photo!
-Christine Ann
www.christineannphotos.com
www.facebook.com/christineannphotos
Duluth Minnesota Photographer
christine ann photography 