Camera flash
tips & insights

Lacking flash know-how

Travelers should be aware of the following:

Harsh light
A standard flash imparts a harsh light that alters natural colors. This could make faces look pallid.

Fluorescent lighting
This type of light adds an unnatural blue-green tint to photos - and can sometimes do funny things with colors (such as turning a green jacket into a blue one). When under fluorescent lighting, use (if available) your camera's fluorescent light mode. Note: The common tungsten (incandescent) light bulb renders colors more accurately.

Battery impotency
Practically everyone knows that the more you use your flash, the faster it will drain. What's not widespread knowledge is that the brightness (and therefore reach) of a flash diminishes as the battery gradually loses its power.

Compact camera flash
The built-in flash of a compact camera has serious shortcomings. It is located so close to the lens that it can easily cause red eye. And, the flash has a short range - typically about 3 meters (10 feet), sometimes less. Objects beyond the flash's range darken or become completely black.

SLR camera flash
It functions considerably better. Unlike a compact's flash, a SLR's is not built-in. It mounts on top of the camera and its flash point is about six times farther away from the lens, making it far less likely to cause red eye. Moreover, if the SLR camera and its flash unit can be connected by a cord, the photographer can handhold the flash at aN even greater distance from the lens. Another plus is that the average SLR flash can reach 2 to 3 times farther than a compact's flash. The range on some high-end flash units is 30 meters (100 feet).

Museums & historical sites
Some institutions severely enforce their no-flash edicts because the cumulative effect of flashes over time can cause irreparable damage to their cultural treasures. I've seen a few instances of cameras permanently confiscated from tourists who triggered their flash.

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