"Filling with flash" Explanation please?

[NCAFLeo88]

I keep seeing people say using flash for "fill light" i dont get what that means...can someone explain this to me plz....i have never used flash before and i always shoot on manual in natural light....will using flash help me get better shots? im new here and trying to learn.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Fill flash is typically a low power flash to light up shadows. You can also use a reflector with natural light to do the same thing.

 

[NCAFLeo88]

OK! I have noticed on quite a few of my shots that, for example, there are some really dark spots on the models faces that I cant do anything about, in turn making a shot that I like composition wise into something that I can't use due to a lighting issue. Would using my on camera flash help with this?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

The pop up could help, but you might want to diffuse it.

 

[NCAFLeo88]

...but you might want to diffuse it.

o_0 confuse me more...wats that mean?

 

[Trever1t]

place a slightly opaque piece of white plastic between the flash and subject to that the light is diffused, made less directional before hitting the subject. These diffusers can be bought or made.

 

[480sparky]

o_0 confuse me more...wats that mean?

Use a diffuser such as this.

 

[NCAFLeo88]

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Derrel]

OK! I have noticed on quite a few of my shots that, for example, there are some really dark spots on the models faces that I cant do anything about, in turn making a shot that I like composition wise into something that I can't use due to a lighting issue. Would using my on camera flash help with this?

Yes; the on-camera flash location, right in the hotshoe, and right above the lens or right next to the lens, is an excellent place for what is known as on-axis fill light. No diffuser is needed; plain, bare flash works quite well.

 

[Village Idiot]

Plus the whole off camera flash thing can benefit you as a photographer in general.

Strobist: Lighting 101

 

[simpy]

This has some good tips on flash Getting to grips with SpeedLight Photography outdoors photography lesson | Successful Photographer

 

[Dao]

Take a look at this

http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/6-flash-outdoors/

 

[KmH]

I keep seeing people say using flash for "fill light" i dont get what that means...

Here are some resources: fill flash - Bing

and check out this without fill flash/with fill flash example:
File:Fill flash.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[EckoZero]

When I first got my D3000 someone explained it to me... he said: "Imagine taking a photo of a tree - the sun lights everything but the tree's shadow. Fill flash is used to light the tree's shadow"

I found it helpful (although I'm probably a bit late in this party to be offering any new or helpful pearls of second-hand wisdom...)