How to Set a Fill Flash
- 1). Compose your subject and take a light meter reading for the area you want to fill.
- 2). Set the fill flash to manual, so you can adjust the flash setting.
- 3). Set the fill flash to one or two f stops below the reading on the light meter. If the meter is reading f11, try an f8. This tells the flash that you are actually shooting at a wider f-stop setting (a lower f-stop number means a wider aperture). The flash will not be as powerful.
- 4). Shoot your subject. If using a film camera, develop and then adjust your setting accordingly. If you want a higher contrast with a darker background, let the fill flash "take over". Compensate a quarter of an exposure, instead of half.
- 5). Change your camera setting by reducing the aperture on the camera itself. Stop down a step or two, from an f11 to f8, or f5.6. Leave the fill flash at a manual setting.