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Tell me if this sounds familiar. You are going to take a photo of your family so everyone lines up facing the sun and you snap the shot. Everyone has shadows under their eyes and mom hates the way tht her wrinkles look. Is that about right?

When people start taking portraits, a common mistake is to assume that you don’t need the flash while taking photos on a sunny day. This is false. In fact, famed photographer Derrick Story offers, “that the one killer tip that will inprove your pictures more than any other is to turn on your flash for outdoor portrais.”

The reason is simple. Regular outdoor light is hard to control. If is it shining across the face, the texture and bumps will show. If it is straight on the subject, the shoadows will be strong.

So, what to do? Mr Story suggests that you “finda comfortable spot for (the subject) to stand in the open shade…with a complimentary background.” Next, you’ll want to turn on your flash. Now, as you take the shot, the subject will be lit with the flash. This light will come from their front so the light smooths over texture and blemishes. However, your camera will still recognize the bright background. This is called “Fill Flash.” It “fills in” the shadows and angles.

There are some things to consider:

• The flash will drain your battery faster. Be sure to have a backup.
• Stay close to your subject. Most flash only travels about eight feet. External flashes will travel further.
• Changing your ISO to 200 will let give you a little more room to play with the flash.

Below is a picture I took at my sister’s wedding. It was in Las Vegas in the middle of the Summer so it was hot, bright, and everyone was sweaty. Using the fill flash really brought out the vibrant colors of the flowers and softened the shadows from the strong sun.

Posted in All Posts, FMP Defines, Photography Tips |