Camera Flash

To optimize your flash usage there are a few different techniques you can try using.  First assuming your camera has a built in flash, you should try to get close to the object or objects you are picturing.  This technique will really allow your camera and the flash to really show off what they can do.  The reasoning behind getting closer is because when your flash is built into your camera its power is limited based on what the camera gives it so if you get close then it won't need as much poser to do its job correctly therefore making your photo really stand out.  If you find yourself in a position where you can not get close to the object you are trying to take a picture of then you can also try something different.  You can completely turn the flash off and then turn up your ISO setting.  As you know the ISO setting being turned up will allow more light to come into the picture making the flash unneeded and hopefully giving you the results you were aiming for.  Another technique you could try is sync flash.  I have never heard of or tried this so I can't give you any opinions on the matter.  However, if it is something you think you might want to try basically what you do is adjust our camera to a slower shutter speed and then allow the flash to go off while the shutter is open forcing the light to be flooded into the picture.  Finally you could also try diffusing the flash.  This can  be done a few different ways.  You could buy a diffuser and use that or you could try to make your own.  A few examples are putting semi-opaque ape in front of the flash this will help to diffuse the flash a little bit.  Some people also use something like a white index card and aim it to force the flash in the direction they want it to go and then adjust their exposure to get the photo they way they want it.  In the photos I took I didn't use anything special to control my flash, I was trying to adjust it with the lighting in the room to get a nice picture of our Christmas tree to post on facebook.  It's easy to see that even something as simple adjusting the flash can really change how your picture looks, if not done properly the picture can even come out blurry.