Turn the Onboard Flash Off!

There are not many things that wind me up, ok then yes there are loads of things that wind me up. It might have something to do with my age as the older I get more gets added to the list. There is only one thing though that irritates me so much that when ever I see it, I just want to go over and clip people round the back of the head, luckily I manage to hold myself back. Its something that to be honest that even a non photographer if they put some thought to it would realise it wont work.

What is it I hear you ask that can bring out such a reaction, (at this point I’m assuming at least one person other than myself will be reading this and that your asking what is it) well it’s the use of onboard camera flash, firstly I must say I have nothing against the use of camera flash I use it myself on a regular basis. What I have the problem with is when people use the little flash on their compact camera or the onboard flash on a DSLR and they're sat in row z watching a sports event or a pop concert. How can they possibly think that a little tiny flash is ever going to illuminate their subject who is over 50 metres away. Its the equivalent  of driving down a dark country lane using the light from your mobile phones screen to illuminate your way, it just wont work. Even the large flash guns that I use struggle to work over this distance and they cost about £300 each.

The only effect that a small flash will have over this sort of distance will be to light up the back of the heads of the people in front of you and potentially make your subject look darker. Next time your at a concert or sporting event and you want to photograph something on the pitch or stage turn the onboard flash off!