Flash & lighting guides
Flash intimidates most people — it doesn't need to. These guides cover the handful of settings and techniques that make light look natural, indoors and out.
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On-camera flash without the harsh lookPointed straight at people, a flash gives that flat, deer-in-headlights look. The fix is mostly two things: dial the flash down a little, and bounce it off something instead of firing it direct.Bounce flash for natural indoor lightBouncing means aiming the flash head at a ceiling or wall instead of your subject. The surface becomes a big, soft light source — the single easiest way to make flash look good.Fill flash for backlight and harsh sunFill flash adds just enough light to open up shadows — perfect for a backlit subject who'd otherwise be a silhouette, or harsh midday sun that leaves raccoon-eye shadows.Flash sync speed & high-speed sync (HSS)Every camera has a fastest shutter speed it can use with flash — the sync speed, usually around 1/200s. Go faster and a black band creeps into the frame. High-speed sync (HSS) gets around it.Getting started with off-camera flashThe moment you take the flash off the camera, light gains direction and shape — the difference between snapshot and portrait. Here's a simple one-light starting point.