When lighting your photos beyond what's available with natural lighting, you have several options, especially if you're using an advanced DSLR camera. Large flash units, external flashes, and studio lights all work well.

However, the most common and easiest to use light is the small external flash unit, also called a speedlight, that attaches to the hot shoe of your camera. Canon uses the term "Speedlite" in its brand names for external flash units, while Nikon uses "Speedlight" in its brand names.

Some external flash units are pretty large and heavy, while others, especially those made for DIL cameras, are quite small and compact. You'll also find that some speedlights can be precisely controlled in the intensity of the light they produce, as well as the direction in which it travels. For more advanced photography needs, you're going to want to look toward a more advanced external flash unit that gives you more precise control.

Keep in mind that some models of speedlights will not work with certain cameras, so make sure that you have equipment that's compatible.

Use these tips to figure out how to use your speedlight/external flash unit with more success.

• A speedlight will give you more powerful lighting options, and more control over those lighting options, than a typical built-in flash unit. The speedlight also will work over longer distances than a built-in flash. So, if you plan to shoot a lot of indoor, low-light photos, a DSLR camera or DIL camera with an external flash unit may be your best option for high-quality photos.

• A speedlight does not provide as much light as a large strobe or a studio light, but the speedlight is far more versatile because it can be used in a variety of locations. It also is much easier to carry to a photography session outside your studio.
• Before using a new speedlight, be sure to test it with your equipment. Make sure the speedlight is far enough above the camera to avoid being blocked by any lens hood or telephoto lens. Also, be sure to test the camera's feel and distribution of weight with the speedlight attached before you use it for a series of important photographs. Some heavier external flash units can be difficult to use with certain cameras, because of the poor balance the speedlight creates.
• Make sure the speedlight you choose can run from its own battery, as most of them do. Selecting a speedlight that pulls its power from the camera will quickly drain the camera battery.
• If your speedlight has an adjustable angle, be sure to use it to your advantage. If aiming the flash directly at the subject will create an unwanted glare, you can adjust the angle to bounce the light off a ceiling or wall.
• Finally, be sure to learn all of the features that your speedlight offers. Some speedlights can be operated off the camera and some have built-in focus assist lamps. Some even can sync to multiple shutter speeds, so it pays to read through the user manual to discover all of the features that are available. The more you know about your external flash unit, the better success you're going to have with your low-light photographs.