Bounce flash: natural-looking light indoors

Bounce flash means pointing the flash head at a ceiling or wall instead of the subject. The surface becomes a large light source, giving soft, natural-looking light that hides the fact that flash was used.

Ceiling bounce

Point the flash up at a 45 to 90 degree angle on a low white ceiling. Light falls evenly over the room, ideal for parties and family gatherings. On its own it can cause shadows under the eyes, so add a small bounce card to push a little light forward.

Wall bounce

Turn the flash head to bounce off a wall beside or behind you. This creates directional light, like a big window, and is often more flattering than the ceiling.

Watch the color

Light picks up the color of the surface. A yellow or green wall will tint your subject. White and neutral surfaces work best. High, dark or wood ceilings absorb too much light; switch to off-camera flash there.

Settings

Use TTL for speed at events, Auto ISO around 800 to 1600 and a shutter speed of 1/60 to 1/125 to let ambient light into the background.