Problem using flash

I sometimes have to use my Canon Power Shot S30 to take pictures of
illegally parked vehicles at night. Whenever I do, the license plate is
always washed out from the flash bouncing off of the reflective surface of
the plate.
How can I adjust the flash so that it's intense enough to capture the
vehicle without washing out the license plate or is there something else I
should be looking at?

Try shooting from an angle instead of facing the plates dead-on... maybe 30
degrees off to one side.

You can also try the old trick of taping a little tissue paper over the
flash...

--
"Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ
from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even
incapable of forming such opinions."
-- Albert Einstein


"Penasquitos Joe" wrote in message
...
I sometimes have to use my Canon Power Shot S30 to take pictures of
illegally parked vehicles at night. Whenever I do, the license plate is
always washed out from the flash bouncing off of the reflective surface of
the plate.
How can I adjust the flash so that it's intense enough to capture the
vehicle without washing out the license plate or is there something else I
should be looking at?

Try shooting from an angle instead of facing the plates dead-on... maybe 30
degrees off to one side.

You can also try the old trick of taping a little tissue paper over the
flash...

--
"Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ
from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even
incapable of forming such opinions."
-- Albert Einstein


"Penasquitos Joe" wrote in message
...
I sometimes have to use my Canon Power Shot S30 to take pictures of
illegally parked vehicles at night. Whenever I do, the license plate is
always washed out from the flash bouncing off of the reflective surface of
the plate.
How can I adjust the flash so that it's intense enough to capture the
vehicle without washing out the license plate or is there something else I
should be looking at?

Matt Ion wrote:
Try shooting from an angle instead of facing the plates dead-on... maybe 30
degrees off to one side.

Nope.
The paint on numberplates is reteroreflective.
It reflects incoming light in a cone some 45 degrees wide.
This will appear some 6-10 times brighter than a "white" surface at the
same distance.
A seperate flash might help.

You can also try the old trick of taping a little tissue paper over the
flash...

Matt Ion wrote:
Try shooting from an angle instead of facing the plates dead-on... maybe 30
degrees off to one side.

Nope.
The paint on numberplates is reteroreflective.
It reflects incoming light in a cone some 45 degrees wide.
This will appear some 6-10 times brighter than a "white" surface at the
same distance.
A seperate flash might help.

You can also try the old trick of taping a little tissue paper over the
flash...

license plates are supposed to be reflective

shoot at an angle like about 45' that should give you a clear view of the
car and plate.

I sometimes have to use my Canon Power Shot S30 to take pictures of
illegally parked vehicles at night. Whenever I do, the license plate is
always washed out from the flash bouncing off of the reflective surface of
the plate.
How can I adjust the flash so that it's intense enough to capture the
vehicle without washing out the license plate or is there something else I
should be looking at?

license plates are supposed to be reflective

shoot at an angle like about 45' that should give you a clear view of the
car and plate.

I sometimes have to use my Canon Power Shot S30 to take pictures of
illegally parked vehicles at night. Whenever I do, the license plate is
always washed out from the flash bouncing off of the reflective surface of
the plate.
How can I adjust the flash so that it's intense enough to capture the
vehicle without washing out the license plate or is there something else I
should be looking at?