High Contrast - Why I don't use a Flash

Using a flash is a matter of preference, but below is an example of why a built-in camera flash isn't something I like to use. Serious camera buffs may have remote flash units that can help fill the 'black hole' areas that are created. But I prefer to turn on every interior light that I can, hold the camera very still (maybe even with a tripod or mono-pod), and use the software tools that are illustrated in this tutorial instead of a flash.

There is a 'Brightness and Contrast' tool (the one that delivers a 'milky look' when you try to lighten) but this and even the software 'Levels' tool cannot alleviate the very high contrast and very high / very low light areas when a flash has been used to take the photo. In fact, trying to correct this often only exacerbates the problem. NOTE that my fancy Photoshop program would allow me to 'select' only those black hole areas, and I could try to lift them, but there won't be enough resolution or color in those areas to work with.

One more reason that I don't like to use a built-in flash is a reason shown below. In this tutorial is a section on software and equipment where I will recommend a wide angle lens to most RE and boat agents and brokers. See that section for more about why, but a wide angle lens is bigger and will 'butt into' the flash field as shown below. In an engineroom without lighting, you gotta do what you gotta do, but be aware of this potential interference...

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