Why is there a cloud of light covering most of the picture when I take close-up shots from my canon digicam?

Answer 1

I agree with OMG about the liklihood of the flash overpowering everything, but here's what to do about it.

I feel that you need to use the flash to force the aperture to close while still having enough light for an exposure. Many here will tell you different, but follow this advice and see what you think.

Use your macro setting and experiment. Let's say you have a point and shoot camera with macro and a flash on the camera. You might have to go to a manual mode to do this, but...

Put your item on a nice background surface. I like to just put it in a ring box or on some velour. Zoom out at least half-way so that you will be working about a foot away from the item. Be sure that you get focus confirmation. Shoot a picture USING flash. Check the LCD for the result. If you have overexposed the item, use the EV adjustment to reduce the exposure. For small items, I often find that I need to reduce the exposure by about 1.0 EV. (That's -1.0 EV.) It is better to have the item properly exposed and the background underexposed, so just worry about the main subject for now. Using a deliberate underexposure will cure the "too shiny" appearance of jewelry, for instance.

If you know how, you can use either full manual exposure or just Aperture Priority and choose a smaller aperture (larger number) to make the ring show up in better focus.

The key is to get back a bit from the subject and use exposure compensation (EV adjustment) to cut down the influence of the flash on the subject.

Answer 2

Reset the resolution (file size) in your camera to "Medium2/SF" or "Medium1/F." That should help get rid of some of the "graininess." However, the bulk of your problem sounds like not enough light in the overall scene. Make sure all you window blinds are open and, if need be, turn on some of the room lights, too. The fact that you say close-ups are okay reinforces the issue of light since the flash is used. Further away, even with the flash on, will NOT solve your problem. The flash is too small and the room is too big for any of the light bounce around. Set the camera control for both flash and ambient light used together. You might want to try the "night snapshot" setting indoors with your child. It uses both the ambient light and the flash.

Answer 3

It could be lens flare caused by taking a picture facing directly into the sun, based on what you are describing.

Try changing your angle so that the sunlight is on your subject, not glaring into your face or into your camera.

Answer 4

My guess is because you´re blasting the subject with your flash turned on.

Answer 5

a light feedback from your from your cam to the object then goes back to your cam. try setting ur cam to autolight mode and auto ISO mode.