Digital Photography Tips and Tricks --How to Use Your Pop Up Flash to Capture Action

To know the use of the pop up flash is important for the users of the digital cameras. If you are a user of a digital camera, you should also have some basic knowledge on how to use the pop up flash to capture an action. Here follows some tips to use the pop up flash.

Most digital SLRs come with an integrated pop up flash. The great thing about them is that they are a very convenient source of light. As the camera has an integrated pop up flash , you will not have to carry around a large flashgun and it cuts down the size and weight of your camera set-up. If you can rightly use the built-in flash, which is fully integrated with your camera's internal metering system, you will have good results. The built-up flash is also an excellent way to experience creative pop up flash possibilities before investing in an external flash.

If you want to get the most out of your 'pop up flash', you should, at first, know the limitations of your digital camera.

You will face difficulty to capture a distant object with the built-in flash unit of your digital camera. It is the main limitation. A built-in flash unit lacks power, so it will not illuminate any subject matter that is a long way from the camera body. Another limitation is that it is not directional, which can make the light emitted from the flash quite harsh and flat. Another problem is that due to its position on the camera, near the lens, the built-in flash unit can produce an unwanted red-eye effect when capturing portrait images with a digital camera.

Use the 'flash and blur' technique

The technique that you can follow is the technique of 'flash and blur'. It can throw up some stunning results and have you on track to becoming an action photography guru. Flash and blur does exactly what it says on the tin. The idea is to get close, pan with the action (moving with the subject and following it as you shoot) using a slow shutter speed and press the shutter release/ trigger the flash at the peak of the action. The flash freezes the subject while the long shutter speed and moving camera combine to create blurred streaks in the background.

But you have to choose the correct subject matter to achieve top results. In this case, such outdoor events as cycling or running races are easy to find and ideal for amateur or experienced photographers to attend because you can get close to the action - and the closer you are, the better the effect will be as you pan. It will also get your flash close enough to freeze the subject. Fit a wide-angle lens, such as a 20mm, and take spare batteries for those power-hungry flashes.

Until you know how to use the pop up flash of your digital camera, you will not get success as a digital camera user. So, know the use of the pop up flash and capture the mind-blowing action.