Light at 1/20,000 of a second

Photographers either love using flashes, or avoid them completely. I think the avoidance comes from not understanding how to use a flash. There’s a lot to understand—more than I can fit into just one chapter. But once you understand the reasons for using a flash, actually learning to use them comes down to reading the manual, checking out some video tutorials, and practicing—a lot. The appendix lists some of my favorite websites related to flash technique. They’re not specific to nature photography, but are great places to learn about using your flash.

Why use a flash? Three reasons: to control contrast, to freeze moving subjects, or because you don’t have enough light to take a picture (FIG. 5.1).