1. An image capture system to minimize shadow effects in image data associated with a digital image of a scene, the image capture system comprising: an image sensor; a flash to illuminate the scene; a data storage; and a processor operatively associated with the data storage and adapted to execute computer implemented instructions to: pre-store one or more image capture device characteristics in the data storage; acquire scene related data in a pre-capture phase; model shadow effects based on either or both of the pre-stored image capture device characteristics and the acquired scene related data; modify one or more image capture device settings based on the modeled shadow effects; and record image data with the image sensor using the modified settings during illumination of the scene by the flash.