How important is flash when taking a photo for accuracy?

So I am curious about this. I have noticed that when I get a photo taken of me far away i look darker and the quality of my appearance is less. When the flash is good I look pretty good.





Also when I take up close up photos I look better as the flash is better. So does the flash make the photo a more accurate depiction of you? Cause when the flash is bad or far away I don't really look like me??





Anyone with photography skills help me out?How important is flash when taking a photo for accuracy?
The reason you get darker when the photo is taken from a distance with flash is that the light from the flash isn't powerful enough at that distance.





The best lighting situation is natural light-sunlight.





But the way that light and shadow fall on your face can greatly change the way you look. If you were evenly lit, you get a softer appearance. If the lighting is more dynamic with more shadow falling on one side of your face, then you will get more texture in your skin adding character.How important is flash when taking a photo for accuracy?
Flash is just light and how it is used can affect how the end product turns out.


It can be used in daylight or in low light situations and can be obvious or not depending on the skills of the photographer.





It is not the use or not of the flash but rather the skills of the individual photographer which are making you look better or worse in different situations.
I would say that when you are talking about people, a well lit photo is generally better than a poorly lit photo (unless that is the look you are going for). It doesn't need to be flash, it could be diffused sunlight through a curtain, or you standing next to a white wall and the sun reflecting soft light on your face.
Except for when shooting in low light, situations, on-camera flash is the worst lighting to use. Natural lighting or what is sometimes called ambiant light, is always a photographers first choice.





External flash is best used when shooting events (like weddings) or in the studio when multiple flash heads can be used.