There are many ways you can get a great shot off without using the flash. Manual cameras are the best for this sort of thing, digital ore film. Flash is so overrated. As soon as you learn how to utilize other ways to photograph something, you won't have to use flash except for certain occasions. A tripod, or a steady surface can be useful also.
for film:
1)film speed:
film speed is the sensitivity to light. get a film with a "higher number" for example people who do phototography in concerts use speeds like 1200 speed film. 100 speed can be use on flowers outdoors. 400 speed is what one usually finds in the store, its the average indoor/outdoor speed. What determines the speed is what your lighting factors are.
for film or digital:
2)aperature:
apperture is the hole that lets light in the camera. It can be adjusted large, for lots of light in or adjusted small for little light in. It also can determine what is in focus and what is not.
3)shutter speed:
shutter speed it the time the shutter is open to let the light in. It is like those two little coverings over the lense that opens and closing. the longer it is open, the longer it lets light in. A longer exposer can make a large differnece.
adjusting both the apperature and shutter speed canmake nice effects, such as one can sucessfully capture running water, a swiming axolotl, a car driving on a night street, etc. Some nice effects can be made.
Well, that is what I learned in film class that I remember. Just remember Photograhy is a science of light. . *saving up for a nice manual digital camera* I still prefer film anything over digital, but digital is soo much more convient.
Goodluck photograhing!
