Your guide to flash photography basics.

This article details some basics of flash photography and provides some useful tips for taking your flash shots to the next level.

Not quite sure how to use your camera’s flash feature? Without proper knowledge of the flash, you could be missing out on a key component of basic photography.

Fear not — this article covers some need-to-know details about flash photography. Keep reading to learn more.

What is flash photography?

Flash photography typically describes the process of capturing an image with the help of an additional burst of artificial light to better illuminate the scene. A flash can either come from a digital camera itself or from an external source — both qualify as flash photography.

Adding flash in your image composition can help give a photo direction, create contrast and separation, and add more drama to a shot.

A few flash photography tips.

Flash photography can help you take your photos to the next level — but first, you’ll need to know how to use it correctly. Here are a few tips for mastering basic flash photography tactics:

• Bounce light from your external flash to another surface to create a softer light (this is especially useful for portrait lighting).
• Diffuse your flash with a flash diffusion tool to spread the light around on your subject.
• Remember that flash has color — try to match your camera’s white balance with any external flash, or use a colored filter to even things out.

Elevate your images’ potential.

Refine your flash photography skills with practice and determination — but don’t be afraid to take your photos to the next level with innovative editing software.

Explore what more you can do with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.