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I'm always amused when members in this forum post (often urgently) about being tapped on the shoulder by friends or family to take photos at an event and call for help on this forum. Well, now its my turn.

I've been asked by a work colleague to take social pics at a launch tonight. I don't have an external flash and have little experience using the pop-up flash. The times I have used it most photos turn out little better than point and shoot pics, ie bright, white flash, subjects looking like rabbits in the headlights. Usually I dial down the flash EV(?) but this takes some time and a few test shots. I may not have the time tonight.

What settings do members use when using the pop-up flash? I'd like to shoot in something other than AUTO or Portrait mode.

(I'm happy for anyone to point me to a previous thread, but after a bit of searching did not find a similar topic.)

My usual setting with using the onboard flash is to dial Flash comp down 2 to 3 stops and using a higher ISO (~400).

If you plan on using aperture priority, have the aperture as open as possible so you can capture some of the ambient light to create a warmer image (ie. not having a black background and having people look like deer in headlights )

I tend to use manual mode and adjust the exposure myself.

Also chimp away

Now that I have an SB-800, I rarely use the on-board flash if I have the external one with me. I'd rather take the extra few seconds to slip the flash onto the hotshoe than use the on-board one. However of course, there are times when that is not possible. I think the same basic rules apply whichever flash you are using.

For standard wide-angle shots, ie: group photos etc, I like to use the following settings: ISO400-600, f/4 or wider, 1/60. If I'm shooting with a longer lens, or if my subjects are moving abit, then I'll bump up the shutter speed. If you have a steady hand, and are using a wide FL, try a slower shutter speed, I find that makes a difference to the background exposure. However, the biggest influence on exposure when using flash is aperture, IMO.

What lens are you using? When using flash for anything other than fill, I use manual mode, as it most easily lets you balance natural light and flash. Depending on the lens you're using, keep the shutter speed as low as you can whilst avoiding both motion blur and camera shake. A good starting point is 1/60, but for group shots you can go a lot slower than that. Obviously keep it above the focal length to avoid camera shake. Aperture around f/5.6 is a good starting point, you have a trade-off between letting more light in (good) and decreased sharpness (bad), so a stop or two down from wide open is usually best. ISO200 if you can, but don't be afraid to put it up to 400 or higher if you need it.

The key thing with flash photography is learning how to balance natural light and the flash. Decreasing shutter speed and increasing ISO give you more illumination from natural light and less from the flash, stopping the aperture down does the opposite. Fairly obvious, but depending on the available light something like ISO200 1/250 f/11 might give you a black background with the subject lit by flash only, whereas something like ISO200 1/60 f/5.6 will give you a subject that's lit with part natural light, part flash, and a not-so-dark background.

With the onboard flash, dial in -0.7 flash exposure compensation (hold the flash release button and turn the command dial I think? One of them changes flash mode and one of them the flash exposure compensation). This will avoid the 'OMG I've just been blasted with flash' look!

If you have relatively low ceilings and can bounce the flash, you can tape a business card (majorly ghetto ) on the front of where the flash sits, pointing up at a 45° angle. This will give you a more diffuse flash output. Oh and charge your battery/batteries well if you haven't already done so, and shoot RAW, so if you stuff something up you have more of a chance of recovering it!

Good luck!

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Thanks for the tips guys, I hadn't really thought about wide open apertures and higher ISO. Seems obvious now.

I'll be using the kit lens and I expect the room to be the sort of low light you find at cocktail parties etc.

Doubt I'll post any pics of the event afterwards (probably exceptionally boring) but the venue is Q1 on the Gold Coast, so there is a chance for some night time shots looking out over the coast. For anyone interested, the observation tower at the top of Australia's tallest building charges $16 or $17 per person. A bit steep I reckon.

Jonas, the Rialto charges $18+ last time I checked down here in Melbourne. You have it good up there

Also shoot in Raw and have some shots at ISO 800, lower shutter speed and rear sync - especially useful and effective for dancing or motion pics. You can get some fairly trippy effects.

Don't be afraid of using higher ISO ratings as whatever doesn't too great in colour, convert to b&w and watch the pic shine