Advice Needed ~ In This Situation, Flash or No Flash?

[tomazws]

Hi! I'm new to photography. I have a questions for y'all professionals!

I was at a low light restaurant, and I took some pics with flash (which made my life easier with shorter shutter), and took some pics without flash.

I'm a noob, so I'm still using the stock built-in flash. If you were me, how would you adjust the lighting?

With Flash:

Without Flash:

Whole album if you're interested:
MobileMe Gallery

Thank you for your help!

 

[JerryPH]

Depends on the scenario. Me, if the ceiling were white and normal height or I had the room to use off camera flash, yes, I would have used it.

If not, I would have adjusted composure compensation +1/3 EV, increased ISO and shot in RAW (your pics have the white balance off from the yellow lighting), used spot focus and fixed point metering and shot without flash.

 

[tsaraleksi]

Depends on the use of the photos-- if I were just taking pictures of my friends I would just open my aperture up and shoot ambient, but if it were something where I needed to get everyone in sharp focus, etc then I would use a bounce flash or off camera flash like Jerry suggested.

 

[tomazws]

Awesome! Thank you for your help! I will keep trying keep practicing according to what you suggested!

 

[mrodgers]

If not, I would have adjusted composure compensation +1/3 EV....

Well, you have to be a bit more specific. Shot #1 is centered and facing the camera, so you could do either or, + or - 1/3 composure compensation. Shot #2 though is definitely facing to the left in the image, thus you would need a -1/3 composure compensation to get him into the right side of the image (move the framing to the left) giving him space on the left to be looking towards....:lmao:

 

[lovedigital]

The photography must give the colour directly with the fact most example this case if I take photographs under the tungsten light , will give color picture keep yellow .So, I alway use slow sync flash because of I want a color directly with the fact and cleary background and true color of main subject.

lovedigital

http://lovedigital.blogspot.com