Guess I need a lesson - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

06/04/2006 04:14:19 PM · #1

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Originally posted by rpwsrw:
Here is a local guy in the States. His pictures blow away that guys for 850k. His range up to $30,000+.
www.iastudios.com

Thanks for the link. See, I look at links like his and I see nothing I can't produce. It makes me wonder why I do weddings for under $1K

OK, so I was checking out his guys website and saw this...

and I don't know how to do it. I've been trying to get down this technique consistantly

and while I was looking thru my images to upload here & ask 'how?'-I found this...

but I don't even know what I've done! :0P

Guess I'll have to play some more- but if any of you can enlighten me (Leroy?) it would be helpful to know more about how this is acheived.

PS- please don't mind my horrible bar photos. (they are just a test- if they had been actual images I would be hearing from someone's lawyer!!! :0P

BeeCee

Nikon D40

06/04/2006 04:17:29 PM · #2

Yours is motion blur. Because it's on things farther away the tiny bit of motion that isn't detectable on your close subjects is magnified on the background lights.

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

06/04/2006 04:17:58 PM · #3

Looks like panning with a slightly long exposure.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/04/2006 04:22:50 PM · #4

the first one of mine is zoming away from the subject with the lens, I just didn't realize what else you could do with the slow shutter & flash. I can't wait to try more! I just wonder what kind of settings he used and how his flash was pointed and... and... :0)

Cam

Sony DSC-F717

06/04/2006 04:28:50 PM · #5

Just keep trying, you will get there.

I was going to say something amazingly smart, but my limited knowledge prevented me from doing so.

Message edited by author 2006-06-04 16:52:32.

Canon EOS-20D

06/04/2006 04:49:11 PM · #6

My limited knowledge about flashes guess is that this is done using second (or rear for Nikon users) curtain sync. You can set it using custom function 15 on the 20d but I believe it only works if you're using a Canon flash (or Nikon for the Nikon. Basically what this does is make the flash fire at the end of the exposure, rather than the beginning, and it leaves more natural light trails. There's a quick article about it here (pdf) but you can google all kinds of information about it.

doctornick

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

06/04/2006 05:12:05 PM · #7

Originally posted by mk:

Yes 2nd Curtain Flash is a really neat way to add some punch to your photos, especially when moving subjects are involved. It can be set either on the Camera or if your camera dos not have the function then your Flash might have it. The Canon 550EX and 580Ex can be set to 2nd curtain sync directly.

Example of 2nd curtain sync Flash - November 22nd Photo, bottom of the page.

06/04/2006 05:13:07 PM · #8

thanks mk- very helpful. hmmm... sometimes I think you know too much :0P

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

06/04/2006 05:15:46 PM · #9

& thank you nick- perfect example too. I have the 580 & will absolutely be playing with this feature!!!

edit to say I was not using rear sync on the above images- will be neat to see the difference too!

Message edited by author 2006-06-04 17:24:09.

hardkrash

Nikon D200

06/04/2006 05:56:30 PM · #10

Another thing to look into is what Nikon calls slow sync. This is where the metering sets the exposure as it normally would and has the flash fire just to light the close objects, and allowing enough light to capture the background, where your flash would have little effect.

A great site with some example photos.
//www.vividlight.com/articles/3311.htm

Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux M Aspherical MF - Black

06/12/2006 02:28:09 PM · #11

Went out and played around last night. It is my goal to get the top shot out of the wedding I have this weekend and I'm finally getting it! hurray!!! :0D

Thanks for everyone's help and links. I still need to get more consistant results but last night was a big help. Thanks to my friend Carrie who is always willing to play the fool for me :0)

scarbrd

Leica M10

06/12/2006 03:01:09 PM · #12

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It's easier now with digital cameras since you can see the results immediately.

Message edited by author 2006-06-12 15:02:51.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

06/12/2006 03:04:06 PM · #13

Hey, great progress Laura! You'll be nailing this in no time, methinks. I think you need to bump flash power just a little; you're seeing a little ghosting yet (first image particularly). From the light pattern on the example you first posted, it appears the flash was restricted to just the area of the main subjects. In fact, it falls off rather badly at the bottom of the dresses. It also looks to me like he followed in a circular motion around the subjects to keep them approximately stationary to minimize ghosting.
I'd love to try this sometime. I'll have to do a bit of practice with 2nd-curtain synch.
BTW, the practice of including more ambient light by forcing a longer exposure is called "dragging the shutter."
Commenting on the original example, it's interesting that he did not use (apparently) a filter on the flash to try to warm it towards the ambient lighting, but instead chose to let the much whiter flash differentiate the subjects from the background. I'm not sure if the extreme reds of the BG are pleasing to me; I think I'd have toned them down somewhat.