Lately I've been working on my exposure as my photos tend to come out a bit darker than they should, and it seems like whenever I get the exposure close to the center on the exposure level on my Rebel XS, it comes out way over exposed. So now I'm confused.
https://s-hphotos-snc6.fbcdn.net/188862_1893216655864_1404979923_32212855_6525598_n .jpg

That one was supposedly perfectly balanced. I wanted the wider aperture for obvious reasons and compensated to get the right amount of lighting, and it just make it look awful. I use a Speedlite 430 EX II, but I would assume that the camera would actually realize that the flash is, well, going to flash?? Or do I have to take that into consideration and deliberately get my exposure on the lower end of the indicator? But then again, wouldn't that technically be taking a gamble each and every time you take a photo?