Built-in or external there are basic settings:

• Flash, sometimes called fill flash
• Red eye
• Slow
• Rear

CANON users search for "shutter curtain sync" in the custom functions. NIKON look for flash settings and look for the flash button.

You can use Flash compensation as well, not the same as exposure compensation and can cause some confusion. Flash compensation adjusts the power or output of the flash.

Basic advice: Take a photo without the flash, chimp it. Take one with it a full power, chimp it. Make adjustments.

More Basic advice: Get the light off the camera. The easiest way to do this is to bounce the flash off a wall, ceiling or other object.

Some advanced advice: Flash is easily done by manually setting exposure for the background that you want. Then use the flash and compensate up or down to bring the subject into perfect exposure.

When shooting:

What would be your normal?