A hot shoe is a special mount usually located on the top of the camera body. It is used for connecting external accessories, most often a flash. This mount contains a set of electrical contacts, through which the camera can communicate with the connected device. When the photographer presses the shutter, the camera sends a signal via these contacts, which triggers the flash at the same moment. It is precisely the presence of electrical contacts that distinguishes this hot shoe from a simple holder without electronics. In addition to flashes, other accessories can also be mounted on the hot shoe, such as external microphones, spirit levels, or GPS modules.