One of the most indispensable tools of the trade, on-camera external flashes produce a bright flash of artificial light to illuminate a subject or a scene. Although most seasoned photographers prefer natural ambient light, it does not mean that flash photography pales in comparison. In fact, artificial light could very well enhance your photos if used correctly. Let’s look at some ways that a flash can come in handy for outdoor photography. 

Regulates your background exposure

Notice how the photos you took at your last picnic have different exposures despite being taken around the same time of the day? It is the result of your camera trying its best to keep up with whatever unregulated natural lighting that is available as time passes, which is why it is more advisable for you to try different settings. Clouds are bound to drift in front of the sun; so shroud your subject with shadows if the weather is not on your side. Conversely, the intense glare of the midday sun casts harsh shadows on your surroundings and your subject, making your photo look somewhat gloomy. Flashes adapt to these ever-changing lighting conditions to balance ambient lighting and provide consistent, accurate background exposure.  

Gives your subject better exposure

Brightly-lit backgrounds will cause your subject to be back-lit and underexposed. Furthermore, the unpredictable lighting conditions can cast unflattering skin tones on your subject. Fill flash is a technique used to brighten these shadowed areas of back-lit subjects. Simply put, it removes these shadows and environmental colour casts to render your subjects’ skin tones with natural colour. It also exposes them to a soft glow that brings out their facial expressions. Bring out the sparkle in their gaze and definition to their cheekbones. 

Gone are the days when you had to colour-correct skin tones from a day of shooting at the park or under-eye shadows from shooting under a sunny sky. Fill flash helps get all of that and more done with just a few clicks of your camera shutter.   

The next time you head outdoors for a shoot, you might want to bring a handy flash with you or carry it wherever you go so that you won’t be caught off guard! There are endless possibilities to what flash can do for your photos apart from getting rid of gloomy casts and making your subjects glow. We’re just getting started.