Master Fill-In Flash: Use Your Pop-Up Flash to Fix Ugly Shadows
Fill-in flash is not only one of the easiest flash techniques to master, it will also instantly give your shots a pro edge. And the best part is you won’t have to spend an extra cent on it. You can use your camera’s in-built flash!
It might seem odd, but fill-flash is actually a technique best used in broad daylight – in fact, the brighter it is the more likely that you’ll need to use it. You might solicit some odd looks from non-photographers as you activate your flash in the bright sunlight, but they won’t have realised your photographic brilliance!
Imagine you’re shooting a portrait in the midday light. Unless you’re in an area of open shade, the chances are that the direct, bright sunlight will cause heavy shadows to fall on your subject’s face. These can often be too harsh and unsightly, especially under the eyes.
It’s easy to eliminate these shadows by activating the pop-up flash and using it to ‘fill’ areas of shadow. You could use a flashgun, but the pop-up will be powerful enough on most occasions and saves you carrying additional gear when you’re out and about.
The majority of DSLRs have a flash compensation function, very similar to the Exposure Compensation feature, and this can be used to alter the intensity of the flash. You’ll find that in extremely bright situations you may need to add extra power by dialling-in plus one or more stops of flash compensation.
This can also have the effect of darkening the background of your scene, which can add drama to your shot.
Source: Digital Camera Magazine