Fill-in flash for outdoor portraits: is built-in flash good enough to start with?

[pawelx]

As in the subject.. I would like to start learning this technique, I shoot on trips/vacations a lot but most of the time have to restrict my portrait shooting to early morning or late afternoon hours, as at other times of day the faces get ugly shadows on them (and I don't tend to go on vacations to places with overcast skies!:) ) As far as I understand, fill-in flash would be the solution? Is it a good idea to start by using the built-in flash in my 50D? CAn anyone, maybe, point me to a website/gallery with good portrait photos taken with a built-in flash?

[MT Stringer]

You'll never know if you don't take the time to try it out. Practice in the yard. Use the FEC to adjust the flash output. I bet it will work for you if you are not too far from your subject. The on-board flash ain't the most powerful thing around.
Mike

[pawelx]

You'll never know if you don't take the time to try it out.
sure, I was just wondering whether it's a good idea or not. Say, asking whether learning about bird photograpy with a kit lens and 3 teleconverters stacked is a good idea.. Probably not. So sometimes it's just not worth trying until you have the opportunity to upgrade gear.

[MT Stringer]

I have played around with the flash on my 40D in the house and you can control the flash output with FEC. I shot several pics of my stereo system - some came out dark, some came out OK and some were overexposed.

So the FEC worked because I had the camera on manual (shutter speed and aperature) and let the flash light up the subject according to whatever the FEC was set at.
Hope this helps.
Mike

[Familiaphoto]

Using the onboard flash is a start but depending on distance and intensity of the sun it may not help much. In fact, in bright sun it probably wouldn't help at all. If you try to get your subjects in the shade you will have greater success. Look at the below, it is of my son in bright sun with me using a 580EX II for fill. The shadows are still there. I just had no shad to use and had to deal with very bright sun light.

http://familiaphoto.zenfolio.com/img/v2/p490172769-4.jpg

[James P]

As your interest and knowledge of photography grows, you'll probably end up with a separate flash unit, but I see nothing wrong with learning what you can by using the on-board flash. Knowing the limits of on-board flash will help you appreciate a separate flash unit. IMHO.

[pawelx]

Using the onboard flash is a start but depending on distance and intensity of the sun it may not help much. In fact, in bright sun it probably wouldn't help at all. If you try to get your subjects in the shade you will have greater success. Look at the below, it is of my son in bright sun with me using a 580EX II for fill. The shadows are still there. I just had no shad to use and had to deal with very bright sun light.

http://familiaphoto.zenfolio.com/img/v2/p490172769-4.jpg

thanks, this is actually a very good example.

[bobbyz]

On my small p&s panasonic, I keep the flash always ON for daylight pictures. Even thought I get that flashed look the typical travel shots are much better than dark/shadow stuff you get without flash.