"I hate flash"

[mooshu2]

Well, I don't hate flash. I use a lot of flash in my photos.

I wanted to see what everyone thinks about this subject. I had several friends in the past several weeks who commented how much they hate using flash and tried to avoid it as much as possible. Some are willing to go as for as extra slow shutter speed and grainy pics so they do not use flash.

My comment is, the reason they hate flash is they don't know how to use it properly. Any thoughts? Understand photography is very subjective.

[JohnT]

I hated it until I learned how to use it properly. Now it doesn't bother me to use it.

[ttusa]

I choose to shoot in primarily natural lighting-just my preference...

[jeffkohn]

Yeah I think when most people say "I hate flash" what they really mean is they hate the look of on-camera flash when it's the main source of exposure.

Subtle fill-flash, or well-controlled off-camera flash/strobes can be very natural looking, and can give you a lot of control over how the resulting image looks. Using artificial light well, is IMHO arguably more difficult than shooting with natural light (and I say this as an outdoor photographer who almost never uses artificial light).

[Tom]

My comment is, the reason they hate flash is they don't know how to use it properly.

This.

I laugh a little when I see people talk about how much better natural light is.

Well, natural light is better, if you don't know how to control artificial light. The comments like that simply show an ignorance of lighting and photography to me.

But if you look at the portraits that someone like Robert Seale or Joe McNally take, and you will quickly realize that the best light is what you make available, not available light.

http://www.robertseale.com/
http://www.joemcnally.com/

[StevenGWebb]

All light, natural and artificial, has to be modified or controlled to get the best results.

Maybe its easier to get passable results and more difficult to get bad ones with natural light and just the opposite with artificial. At any rate, bad light makes bad pictures.

Steven

[bondarnes]

When every location I photograph at has near perfect lighting then I will no longer use flash. Until that time I choose to create better lighting in any way possible and the use of electronic flash units is just one of the tools I use.

[ander_zander]

Most of the time when people say they hate something, it usually means they don't understand it... a flash is a tool in your toolbag that's meant to assist, not to ruin. After all, a hammer works a lot better when it's hitting the nail, not your thumb.. lol

[texxter]

I hate flash too, but love the images that it allows me to create.

[babybluetx23]

My opinion as far as natural vs flash depends on my situation. When i am shooting concert photography I DO NOT like to use flash only because i LOVE the colors of the light on stage. I prefer to keep that as natural as possible because i LOVE the rich colors. there are times i do love to play with the idea of no flash, like someone sitting in front of a window. There are other times when you are trying to get star trails or a moon shot, ect that you of corse dont use a flash, but any other time i prefer to use fill flash or studio lights.

[ngoduyviet]

People fear what they don't understand.

[Daniel Bates]

I hate flash. It destroys my night vision - and everyone else's around me, too. Not good.

[danchez]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

....the best light is what you make available, not available light.

I like that....

but yeah, I love flash!!!

love natural sunlight too.

[Cajungaltx]

Originally Posted by Daniel Bates

I hate flash. It destroys my night vision - and everyone else's around me, too. Not good.

I love it!

[jgrindal]

Did you ever stop to think how flash feels about you?