What a Difference a Flash Makes

I was going through my photos from the last few days and I came across a pair that shows what a difference a flash can make.  This blue hydrangea shrub is located on the edge of our shade garden.  I took these two pictures with my D7000 and 40mm micro lens.  For the flash picture, I used my compact SB-400 speed light.

Which picture appeals to you?

While I'm taking my pictures, I can actually visualize "painting" the images I take.  The left picture without flash looks quite dark, it's actually quite "art-sy".  If I painted this picture in oil or watercolor, my painting would show the different values of color.  Light and dark colors.  My flower would appear to pop-out of my canvas or paper.

If I painted the right photo with flash, my flowers would look a bit flat because there are less values in the color.

When I see a striking subject as in a flower, I tend to take lots of pictures.  A straight on shot and then a different angle.  In natural light and then with a flash.  Zoomed in and then zoomed out.

I have plans to take my favorite floral shots from this Spring and re-create them on my canvas.  To paint the above hydrangeas, I would actually use both pictures as references for my creation.

In my mind, there really isn't a bad picture.