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| Add-on flash exposure adjusted to match the background. |
Many cameras come with a built-in flash that fires when the camera thinks it's too dark for a good exposure. This automatic setting often leaves your subject too bright and the background very dark. Using different flash options instead of automatic can give you much better photos.
First, turn on the built-in flash for a "fill light" to brighten shadows. This is most helpful when your subject is wearing a brimmed hat outside on a sunny day or when your subject is standing in front of a bright background like a window.
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| Turning on the flash fills in the shadows beneath the hat. |
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| Turning on the flash lights the subject in front of a bright background. |
Second, use Slow Flash or the Night Portrait setting for a brighter background at night. This flash setting combines the flash exposure on your subject with a longer exposure to record light in the background. Your main subject should be still so you don't get a "ghost" image of them.
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| Slow flash allows time for background light to record. |
Last, often you can record a more pleasing picture by turning off the flash completely. When you want to record the mood of the existing light or when a subject is too far away to be lit by the flash, rest the camera on a support such as a tripod and allow the camera to make a longer exposure without any flash.
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| Turning off the flash records a better photo of the jack o'lanterns. |
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| The distant buildings are too far away for the flash to light them. |
Learn how to select these flash options in Taking the Next Step with Your Digital Camera, held March 28, 2026, at the Lifelong Learning Center in Missoula, Montana. Click here for registration info.
