Digital cameras available today provides several flash modes to choose from depending on the type of lighting in the background. However, there are built-in flashes that are too small and too weak to give justice to the subject or scene you want to photograph. You have to make sure that you stay within the specified flash range so you can optimize the quality of the picture.

Digital camera flash modes

• Automatic mode — when the lighting is too low or insufficient, the camera automatically triggers the flash. Automatic mode is usually forbidden in specific places like museums so do not forget to turn it off before you take a shot.
• Red-eye reduction — the flash is fired a few times before photo exposure in able to reduce the reflection coming from the subject’s eyes. The rapid and successive flashes help to make a subject’s pupils contract and minimize the red eye effect. Before taking the picture, tell the people about using this particular mode so they would not look surprised or startled in the scenes.
• Forced (fill-in) flash — this mode retains the flash on especially in situations where the automatic mode will keep it off. It is particularly useful when you need additional illumination of the subject or scene. For example, the main source of light is at the back of the subject or the insufficient lighting prevents the exposure of all the details necessary. This is effective for outside photography and the subject is within the flash range.
• Suppressed flash — turns the flash off.
• Slow sync (also called night scene)* — This mode is used when there is very poor lighting in the background during night time or when it is dark. The flash is triggered for a moment to illuminate the subject or scene.
• Rear-curtain sync* — this is similar to slow synch but the flash is not triggered just before the shutter closes.
• Flash exposure compensation – This is used to increase or decrease the flash output. Not all digital cameras have this kind of feature.