Flash Shadow Problem

How do I avoid the ugly shadow that I get when using the onboard flash with my wide angle lens?
Ritika Chawla , New Delhi, via email

The on-board flash gave an ugly shadow in this situation, due to which, a wider frame was shot and then cropped to get this final photo. Photograph/Raj Lalwani

If it’s the camera’s onboard flash, there’s not much you can do. Frame the image a little loosely and crop later, such that the shadow is not there in the final photograph. Alternatively, you can try moving one step away from the subject and zoom in slightly. Often, the shadow is visible only at the widest end of the lens. If the problem persists, you may need to use a flashgun. You can either bounce the flashgun or even if you want direct frontal light, you don’t need to worry. The height of an external hot shoe mounted flashgun is tall enough to ensure that there are no unwanted shadows at the bottom of the frame.