Do you sleep with it too

[Battou]

I've been shooting photography with out a flash for years. I use whatever light is available to me be it incandesant bulbs, sun light and even moonlight to achieve the photo I am looking to get.

The more I read in various forums on the internet, people seem to be so completely relyent on their flashes. Of course camera manufacturers are not helping my suspicion either with two of my three point and shoot cameras having the flash on by default (the one that is off by default was produced in the late eighties if that says anything.)

I have over the last few weeks seen on various sites on the web people asking for advice shooting inanimate objects and the flash always gets calculated into the advice. I just got done reading a thread where in the advice was to take the subject out to have it partially dismantled so it could be seen properly....

Seriously it is really that bad that one needs a tripod and a flash to shoot something that ain't going to move? Is shaving a few clicks of the shutterspeed dial really going to save you any real time?

Flashes have their purpose.....and I firmly believe it is not everything under the sun one can shoot. [/rant]

[Pugs]

Unless studio strobes count as a flash, I rarely use a flash. I just don't like that harsh, flat light. It isn't flattering for people and doesn't do a whole lot of objects either. Even bouncing the flash, diffusing it, etc... tends to provide "second-best" images...

Now for event photography (which I don't do), I can see the need and in that case, you REALLY need to get good with your bouncing skills... or get a body that handles high-ISO really well to further negate the need for a flash.

Dunno... I'm hard pressed to think of a really good example where that flat, harsh light is needed. Oh! Wait! I was watching an episode of CSI last night and they were using a ring flash! For forensic photography, a flash may be called for because the flat light will minimize shadows that could obscure details needed for forensic analysis!

[Mohain]

I think it's more about control over creative lighting. Much easier if you can resposition and control the strength of your light rather than be hampered by whatever direction/strength/colour is available from you window or light blub.

[Matt Needham]

Creative control. Controlling the lighting to alter the look of the image is much older than photography. Sometimes I'm happy with the available light. I'll take simple over complicated any day. I try to plan location portrait sessions to take advantage of the evening light. I help bands adjust stage lighting before the show. Sometimes the available light needs a bit of help, or sucks so bad it has to be overpowered. If the folks in charge of the churches, hotels, and halls I shoot weddings in were to ask me I'd have lot's of good lighting suggestions. It's often apparent to me that they should get advice from someone. ;) But they aren't going to, and so I have to use a flash or two.