Fingering the Flash?
Sometimes the simplest solutions arise from watching those who don’t know how, doing. I can remember seeing poorly lit photos caused by my father’s errant finger’s covering the flash. Hmmm, thought I…
If you look back at my article on the Budget Product Shot, you will recall I made a flash diffuser for a Canon A550 compact camera out of some semi-transparent tape. Compact cameras often have only three flash settings: Auto, On or Off. The ability to control the strength of the flash means that you end up with some blown-out photos-especially on close-ups. Finger to the rescue!
The same Canon A550 is show on these three mirror self-portraits. In the image on the left, the flash fires full into the mirror. In the middle shot, the flash is obscured by a finger covering about half of the flash. The shot on the right shows the finger completely covering the flash. With a little practice you can learn to feather your flash on your subject with finger and control the direction and intensity of the light.
Full flash with no obstruction
1/2 Flash Covered by Finger
Flash 3/4 Covered by Finger
Flash Covered Except for a Sliver
As you can see, even with a compact camera, having no fine-flash control, using an old fashioned device, such as a finger blocking the light, can help you quickly dial-in a satisfactory result. Somewhere between the last two shots is an exposure I can work with. I can recover the highlights on the polka-dot elephant and enhance the detail in the dark Abominable Snowman “bumbles”. The solution to too much light is less light or at least preventing it from shining full onto your subject.
If the dam is leaking you can stick your finger in the hole. If the light is leaking you can cover the flash-just like grandpa used to do by accident!
WARNING: Flashes can become hot when fired repeatedly. Fingers and other coverings help retain the heat. Proceed with caution lest you burn a finger or burn-out a flash.
Rikk Flohr © 2009
