Fill-in Flash

Left Image: Canon EOS D-60, Tokina 300mm f-4, Flash held off camera, Bogen monopod.
Multi-segment metering, 1/125 sec and f-5.6. , Flash Extender, Aperture priority and autofocus.

There are times that an electronic flash can be used to overcome problems in natural light to control contrast between highlights and shadows in a scene. In strong light there can be several f-stops difference between highlight and shadow areas. This is more than films can handle. In these situations, fill-in flash can create a balance and keep detail. To illuminate a foreground with fill-in flash, your subject must remain still and separated from the background or it can create a shadow and ghosting. You can also bounce or diffuse the flash to control its angle of illumination. Bouncing the flash off a white ceiling or a bounce reflector gives a soft effect. You can also soften the light by adding a diffuser in front of the flash. Some situations where you can use fill-in flash is when photographing inside a room and you want to balance the inside and outside lights. For example, to show the interior of a room you might need an exposure of 1/125 at f-5.6 for the foreground subject. If you want to include some objects in the background which might be in lower light an exposure of 1/30 at f-5.6 would be needed. To create a balance, you need a flash to take a successful photograph. Another example is when photographing a sunset but you want to include a person in the foreground. Without fill-in flash and exposing for the sky, the person would make a silhouette. When shot with flash the scene is recorded much more as the eye would see it. I used fill flash to take the above photo. Without fill-in flash the background would have been washed out had I exposed for the bird that was in less light.

 

Recommended reading: Perfect Exposure: Jim Zuckerman's Secrets to Great Photographs

Rrecommended Flashes

Canon Speedlite 580EX Flash

Nikon SB-800 AF Speedlight