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Photography vocabulary · Light & Lighting

Flash

Meaning in photography, with examples

/flæʃ/nounCore term

In photography, flash means: A device that gives a very short, bright burst of light at the moment the picture is taken. It can be built into the camera or attached on top.

In Turkish: flaş, flaş ışığı

How it is used

A small detachable flash is called a speedlight; a powerful studio flash is a strobe. Photographers talk about on-camera and off-camera flash, bouncing the flash off a wall or ceiling, and fill flash in bright sun. When it does not work, the flash didn't fire.

Example sentences

  1. Bounce the flash off the ceiling so the shadows aren't so harsh.

  2. Flash photography is not allowed in this part of the museum.

Common collocations

  • off-camera flash
  • bounce flash
  • fill flash
  • flash photography
  • the flash fires
  • strobeA powerful flash unit, usually used in a studio on a light stand, that gives a short, bright burst of light.
  • fill lightA weaker, secondary light used to brighten the shadows created by the key light without removing them completely.
  • hard lightLight from a small or distant source, such as the midday sun or a bare flash, that creates sharp-edged shadows and strong contrast.
  • softboxA box-shaped light modifier with a white, translucent front that fits over a flash or lamp to spread its light and make it softer.
  • key lightThe main and usually strongest light in a lighting setup, which sets the direction and mood of the light on the subject.

More terms: Light & Lighting

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