This is a contentious one! Turn off your flash! Unless you can control the power and the way it falls on the subject, inevitably the results you get tend to be cold and often washed out. I see so many people taking pictures outdoors with the auto flash on. In these cases unless you have the subject within a few metres, its a waste of time and power and can detract from the overall scene. So instead of having the flash on as a default, have it off as a default. All cameras including compacts and smartphone have this option. That’s not to say you shouldn’t use it from time to time but more as a last resort. How to overcome low light – that’s the next tip.

Lion in Kruger National Park South Africa ©2013 Nick Katin

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